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Spring  2007 


university    mag  a^|'^  e 


Archives 

Brandeis  University  magazine. 

v.27:no.1(2007:Spr.) 

LD571  .B378 


Michael  Rush  leads 

Brandeis's  art  museum 
through  its  next  transformation 


Keeping  Workers  Fit       Kentucky  Brethren       Spice  Is  Nice 


Brandeis  University 

International  Business  School 


HIRE  FOR  GLOBAL  SUCCESS. 


ff 


TIFFANY  TALBOn-CAREY 

MANAGER,  COLLEGE  RELATIONS  & 

ELECTRONIC  RECRUITMENT  MEDIA 
MEADWESTVACO  CORPORATION 


BRUCE  WESTGATE 

PRINCIPAL  AND  SENIOR  INVESTMENT  RECRUITER 
STATE  STREET  GLOBAL  ADVISORS 


SUDHAYERNENI 

MANAGING  DIRECTOR 
BLACKROCK,  INC. 


How  will  Brandeis  International  Business  School 
graduates  help  your  firm  excel  in  the  global  marketplace? 

Let  us  show  you.  I  ^  1  .r>\Cj 


MINDING  THE^ -+" 

WORLD'S  BUSINESS 


^ . — l„„„^-^l^;::j:^^^^ 


The  Brandeis  International  Business  School  is  a  pioneering  professional  school  dedicated  to  teaching  and  research 
in  global  finance,  management,  and  economic  policy.  To  learn  more  about  hiring  our  students  for  internships  or 
full-time  positions,  please  call  Katherine  Prum  at  781-736-4854  or  send  an  e-mail  to  kprum@brandeis.edu. 


contents 


Spring  2007       Volume  27,  Number  1 


departments 

3     Mail  Call 
11     Ruminations 

Keeping  workers  fit. 

13  Take  5 

Sheryl  Sousa,  director  of  athletics. 

14  Innermost  Parts 
45     Fieldwork 

Spice  is  nice. 

47     Arts 

Peter  Pan  grows  up. 

49  Sports 

Right  on  track. 

50  Books 

84     Class  Notes 

Alumni  profiles,  births/adoptions, 
marriages/unions,  in  memoriam. 

111  Games 

112  Photo  Finish 

Not  such  a  blast  after  all. 


18 


26 


32 


38 


6 
57 
71 


features 


A  Dream  of  the  Rose 

A  past  priest,  psychotherapist,  and  show-biz  whiz  kid 
guides  Brandeis's  museum  through  its  next  transformation. 
By  Theresa  Pease 

A  Flash  of  Light 

A  New  Hampshire  teacher  gains  new  understanding  by 
walking  in  a  relative's  Holocaust  footsteps. 
By  Marjorie  Margolis  '77 

So  You  Want  to  Land  a  Book  Deal? 

A  literary  agent  tells  you  how  to  avoid  the  ten  most  common 
mistakes  aspiring  authors  make  on  the  road  to  publication. 
By  Noah  Lukeman  '95 

Kentucky  Brethren 

Abraham  Lincoln  and  Louis  D.  Brandeis  share  more  than  just 

a  state  of  origin. 

By  Michael  N.  Kalafatas  '65 


special  sections 

Building  for  Success 
Development  Matters 
Alumni  News 

Cover:  Michael  Rush,  the  Henry  and  Lois  Foster 

Olrerrnr  of  rhp  Rn-ip  Arr  Mii';piim.  Kv  Milcp  T  fivprr. 


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ADVERTISE  IN 
BRANDEIS  UNIVERSITY 
MAGAZINE,  AND  YOUR 
BUSINESS  WILL  GROW 


TI^ONG 


To  advertise,  call  Ken  Gornstein 

at  781-736-4220  or 
e-mail  magazine@brandeis.edu 


Brandeis 


icleis  L  tiiversity  Magazine  |  Spring   07 


Brandeis 

11  n  i  \  f  r  ^  i  t  V    magazine 


Senior  Vice  President 
for  Communications 

Lorna  Miles 
lorna@brandeis.edu 

Publisher 

Ken  Gornstein 
keng@brandeis.edu 

Editor 

Theresa  Pease 

tpease@brandeis.edu 

Art  Director 

Eson  Chan 

Science  Editor 

Laura  Gardner 

Staff  Writer 

Mar|orie  Lyon 
lyon@brandeis  edu 

Production  Manager 

Audrey  Gnffin 
griffin@brandeis.edu 

Ptiotographer 

Mike  Lovett 
mlovett@brandeis.edu 

"Class  Notes  Editor 

Jill  Ettori 
iettori@brandeis.edu 

Contributing  Writers 

Adam  Levin  '94.  Marsfia  MacEachern. 
Dennis  Nealon.  MA'95.  Carrie  Simmons 

Send  letters  to  tlie  editor  to: 

Editor 

Brandeis  University  Magazine 

MS  064.  Brandeis  University 

415  South  Street 

Waltham.  MA  02454-9110 

magazine@brandeis.edu 

Postmaster: 

Send  address  changes  to 
Brandeis  University  Magazine 
MS  064.  Brandeis  University 
PC  Box  549110 
Waltham.  MA  02454-9110 

Opinions  expressed  in  Brandeis 
University  Magazine  are  those  of 
the  authors  and  not  necessarily  of 
the  editor  or  Brandeis  University. 

Office  of  Communications©2007 
Brandeis  University 


niailcall 


Looking  Good 


When  reading  the  Fall  2006  issue,  I  was  struck  by  one  particular 
strength  of  the  magazine:  its  snazzy  format  and  design. 

The  sad  truth  is  that  these  days,  if  a  publication  doesn't  look 
pretty — with  headlines  and  graphics  that  are  going  to  grab  my 
attention — I  will  probably  be  less  inclined  to  read  it.  Not  so  in 
this  instance. 

Brandeis  University  Magazine  is  as  glossy  as  any  publication  I'd  find 
at  a  newsstand.  It's  a  very  enjoyable  read. 

Hinda  Mandell  '02 
Boston 


Left  Out 

The  Brandeis  community  has  been 
striving  for  diversity  since  the  school's 
founding.  Diversity  means  a  wide  range  of 
opinions.  Excuse  me,  but  I  have  never  seen 
anything  but  the  left  point  of  view  coming 
from  Brandeis. 

Our  country  is  divided  evenly  between 
conservatives  and  liberals.  Not  Brandeis. 
Shouldn't  you  present  the  other  point  ot 
view?  Aren't  you  afraid  to  stifle  in  your  own 
narrow-mindedness? 

I  grew  up  in  the  former  Soviet  Union, 
one  of  the  dinosaurs  of  a  single  (left)  point 
of  view.  I  am  saddened  when  my  alma 
mater  reminds  me  of  the  USSR.  How 
about  presenting  the  conservative  view  on 
Israel,  the  radical  left,  and  radical  Islam? 

— Alex  Koifinan  '81 
Auburndale,  Massachusetts 

Altered  States 

1  was  dismayed  to  see  that  four  of  the  five 
students  featured  in  "5  for  '10"  [Fall  2006] 


are  from  either  New  Jersey  or  New  York. 
While  1  have  nothing  against  these  first- 
years — or  the  New  York— New  Jersey 
region — I  find  this  sampling  of  students 
misrepresents  Brandeis  to  alumni,  faculty, 
and  friends  who  receive  the  magazine. 

As  we  all  know,  high-achieving  students 
enter  Brandeis  every  year  from  all  over  the 
United  States  and  the  world.  Wouldn't  it  be 
nice  to  highlight  this  geographical  diversity 
along  with  the  ethnic,  academic,  and  social 


di 


u  sho 


iversity  you  showr 
Additionally,  as  a  member  of  the  AAC,  I 
love  to  show  the  magazine  to  the  prospec- 
tive students  that  I  interview.  How  would  a 
prospective  first-year,  worried  about  fitting 
in  at  a  school  far  away,  feel  looking  at  these 
five  students?  Would  a  student  from 
Atlanta  or  Alaska,  Texas  or  Thailand  feel 
welcome  in  a  class  ot  first-years  that,  from 
this  article,  looks  to  be  almost  exclusively 
from  one  region  of  the  country? 

— Nicole  Frisch  '04 
Portland,  Oregon 


Retain  Was  No  Statesman 

One  of  the  sidebars  to  the  article  on  Justice 
Brandeis  [Fall  2006]  lists  Henri  Philippe 
Petain  as  a  "French  soldier  and  stateman. " 

This  is  not  entirely  true.  "While  Petain  was 
a  senior  general  in  World  War  I,  his  being  a 
"statesman"  must  refer  to  his  leadership  of 
the  Nazi-collaborationist  Vichy  Regime  that 
ruled  most  of  France  on  behalf  of  Nazi  Ger- 
many from  1940  to  1944.  Obviously,  this 
was  an  oversight — an  incredible  one,  indeed. 

May  I  suggest  a  course  at  Brandeis  to 
accompany  courses  on  the  Holocaust  that 
would  focus  on  other  aspects  of  Nazi  rule, 
e.g.,  the  effect  of  Nazi  rule  in  France, 
Norway,  Czechoslovakia,  Poland,  etc.,  on 
non-Jews,  so  that  this  knowledge  would  be 
familiar  to  anyone  who  studies  at  Brandeis? 
— Robert  Silverman  '70 
Cambridge,  Massachusetts 

Keep  It  Coming 

We  just  received  the  Fall  2006  issue,  and  we 
love    it!    It's    beautiful,    informative,    and 


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extremely  interesting  and  readable.  Con- 
gratulations on  a  worthwhile  publication, 
and  good  luck  with  forthcoming  issues! 

— Israe/  and  Harriet  Heilwei/  '58 
Princeton,  New  Jersey 

Ancient  Tongue  Lashing 
I  write  to  make  a  minor  correction  to 
"Northern  Exposure"  [Fall  2006].  Theresa 
Pease  writes,  "In  that  first  address  as  prime 
minister,  Haarde  insisted  that  all  newcomers 
be  trained  immediately  to  speak  Icelandic, 
the  ancient  tongue  of  the  Vikings."  However, 
this  is  misleading  because  the  Vikings  spoke 
Old  Norse,  the  precursor  of  all  modern 
Scandinavian  languages  (Danish,  Norwegian, 
Swedish,  Icelandic,  and  Faroese). 

While  it  is  true  that  Icelandic  has  probably 
diverged  less  from  Old  Norse  than  the  other 
Scandinavian  languages  have,  and  Icelanders 
can  read  Old  Norse  texts  with  little  difficulty, 
reliable  sources  indicate  that  pronunciation 
has  certainly  changed.  Icelandic  is  no  older 
than  Danish  or  Norwegian,  or  English,  for 
that  matter  (speakers  of  Old  Norse  and  Old 
English  could  understand  each  other),  and 
speakers  of  any  of  the  Scandinavian  lan- 
guages could  rightly  claim  that  they  also 
speak  "the  ancient  tongue  of  the  Vikings." 
— Bob  Knippen,  MA'05 
Somennlle,  Massachusetts 

Hit  and  Miss 

Brandeis  University  Magazine  has  such  a  rich 
tapestry  of  content.  In  the  Fall  2006  issue, 
for  instance,   the  "Ruminations"  essay  by 


A. 


svev-^- 


OS 


YOUR 


OPINION 


Brandeis  University  Magazine 
welcomes  your  letters  and 
reserves  the  right  to  edit 
them  for  space  and  clarity. 

Mail  your  leners  to: 

Brandeis  University  Magazine 
MS  064  Brandeis  University 
415  South  Street 
Waltham,  MA  02454 

You  may  also  e-mail  your  letters  to 
magazine@brandeis.edu. 


liranilfi.-'  I  rii\n>il\   Magazini'  |  Sjirinii   "^ 


Irving  R.  Epstein  was  thought-provoking 
and  well  written,  and  the  piece  on  Louis 
Brandeis  was  thorough. 

However,  the  university  does  not  put  its 
best  foot  forward  with  a  magazine  peppered 
with  grammatical  errors,  awkward  con- 
structions, and  weak  leads.  Such  errors  and 
vagaries  do  not  reflect  well  on  an  institution 
dedicated  to  excellence. 

— Ellen  Freeman  Roth  '80 
Weston,  Massachusetts 

The  Fall  2006  issue  is  wonderful,  but  I  would 
like  to  point  out  two  errors.  Oliver  Wendell 
Holmes  was  never  chief  justice  of  the  U.S. 
Supreme  Court  ["Judging  Brandeis"]  and  I 
beleive  Herman  "Sebrini"  is  actually  Herman 
"Sebiri"  ["In  Memoriam"]. 

— Matthew  Slaves  '55 
Albuquerque,  New  Mexico 

What  Is  Real? 

In  his  letter  "Silence  Signifies  Approval"  [Fall 
2006],  David  Goldman  accuses  Israel  of  "eth- 
nic cleansing"  and  our  university  of  keeping 
silent  in  order  to  protect  its  donor  base.  Such 
an  accusation  is  not  intellectually  honest,  does 
not  reflect  the  complex  reality  of  the  Middle 
East,  and,  worst  of  all,  does  an  inexcusable 
injustice  to  the  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
people  butchered  during  the  horrifying  self- 
destruction  of  Yugoslavia  (during  which  time 
the  term  was  first  widely  used) . 

In  the  same  issue,  Philippa  Strum's  other- 
wise excellent  article  on  Justice  Brandeis 
keeps  silent  regarding  his  extraordinary  role 
as  one  of  the  foremost  leaders  of  the  Amer- 
ican Zionist  movement.  She  neglected  to 
list  Brandeis's  important  contribution  of  a 
firm  defense  for  American  democracy  and 
its  rich  ethnic  tapestry  against  the  specious 
claim  of  dual  loyalty.  His  famous  remarks 
speak  for  themselves:  "My  approach  to 
Zionism  was  through  Americanism  ...  It 
became  clear  to  me  that  to  be  good  Ameri- 
cans we  must  be  better  Jews,  and  to  be  bet- 
ter Jews  we  must  become  Zionists." 

We  live  in  a  mixed-up  world:  Arabs  claim 
the  press  is  pro-Israel,  Jews  claim  the  press  is 
pro-Arab.  Goldman  describes  a  university 
cover-up  to  protect  Zionism;  Strum  seems 
to  have  forgotten  that  Zionism  exists.  Who 
can  tell  what  is  real? 

— Michael  Oppenheim  '89 
Jerusalem 


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A  Special  Advertising  Section 

uildin 

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Celebrating  the 

Opening  of  the  Irving  Schneider 

and  Family  Building 

Photographs  by  Mike  Lovett 


WE  ARE  NOT  THE  OTHER 
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Building 
Embraces 
Green  Design 

With  recycled  steel,  bamboo  flooring,  and 
green  label  carpets,  the  Irving  Schneider 
and  Family  Building  showcases  the  univer- 
sity's commitment  to  sustainable  design — 
now  an  integral  part  of  capital  projects 
on  campus. 

Architects  and  planners  involved  with 
the  building  project  worked  to  incorporate 
technologies  that  increase  energy  efficiency 
and  reduce  operating  costs,  provide  a 
healthy  environment  for  those  who  learn 
and  work  within  the  building,  and  con- 
tribute to  conserving  environmental 
resources  both  locally  and  globally. 

"The  university's  commitment  to  envi- 
ronmentally responsible  design  is  funda- 
mentally linked  to  its  larger  commitment  to 
social  action  and  being  global  citizens  in  a 
world  of  shared  and  limited  resources,"  said 
Dan  Feldman,  vice  president  fot  capital 
projects.  "With  the  Schneider  Building,  we 
accomplished  a  lot  of  good  things  within 
the  constraints  of  the  budget.' 

The  new  building  is  physically  oriented 
to  take  advantage  of  southern  exposure 
and  deciduous  trees,  shading  the  summer 
sun  and  capturing  the  winter  sun.  Large 
windows  and  skylights  that  provide  fresh 
air  and  natural  light  complement  high- 
efficiency  mechanical  systems  to  further 
reduce  energy  consumption.  Materials 
were  selected  for  their  durability,  renewa- 
bility,  and  low  toxicity. 

The  building  landscape  includes  more 
than  twenty  native  plant  species  and  fifty 
new  canopy  trees.  Stormwater  runoff  is  cap- 
tured in  basins  that  gradually  release  it  back 
into  the  ground,  while  a  new  bioswale — or 
buffer  zone — between  the  library  access 
road  and  the  wetlands  removes  silt  and  pol- 
lution from  the  road  runoff  before  it  flows 
into  the  wetlands 


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S[Miriii    '*''  I   IJr;iiiilri-.  I   iii\  (■t->il  v  .Ma-iJiziric 


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ruminations 


Keeping  Workers  Fit 


Why  not  a  human-capital  tax  credit? 

As  the  new  Congress  convenes,  income  inequality  in  America 
is  of  great  concern.  Over  the  last  decade  or  so,  the  rich  have 
gotten  the  lion's  share  of  the  fruits  of  our  robust  economy, 
while  the  less  well-off  have  been  treading  water  or  even  sinking. 
Globalization  and  technological  change  play  fundamental  roles  in 
this  rising  inequality.  The  challenge  before  the  1 10th  Congress  is  to 
chart  a  course  in  which  the  U.S.  economy  maximizes  gains  while 
moderating  losses  from  technology-enhanced  globalization. 

Globalization — through  cheaper  products,  bigger  markets, 
enhanced  competition,  and  faster  productivity  growth — increases  the 
ability  of  the  U.S.  economy  to  grow  without  generating  inflation.  In 
short,  globalization  pushes  out  the  economic  frontier  and  thereby 
increases  the  potential  size  of  the  economic  pie.  In  recent  years,  infor- 
mation technology  has  supercharged  the  forces  of  globalization. 

Two  challenges  face  any  economy  in  pushing  out  and  then 
reaching  its  frontier.  First,  the  business  community  must  be  able  to 
innovate  and  take  advantage  of  new  opportunities  at  home  and 
abroad.  Second,  workers,  both  incumbent  in  the  labor  force  and 
coming  through  the  pipeline  in  school,  must  have  the  skills  and 
training  to  work  in  the  rapidly  changing  environment — they  must 
be  "fit."  These  days,  since  networks  of  information  and  technology 
allow  many  more  products  and  jobs  to  be  done  anywhere  in  the 
world,  workers  need  to  be  in  tiptop  shape,  flexible,  and  adaptable. 
If  markets  worked  perfectly,  there  would  be  little  reason  for 
governments  to  intervene.  Businesses  would  innovate  new  products 
and  technologies,  invest  in  new  markets,  and  leave  old  ones,  and 
workers  would  move  smoothly  to  new  jobs  and  quit  those  that  no 
longer  exist  or  pay  poorly. 


By  Catherine  L.  Mann 


Markets  do  not  always  work  perfectly.  For  example,  firms  often 
don't  spend  enough  money  on  innovation  because  they  are  con- 
cerned that  competitors  might  "free-ride"  on  the  fruits  of  their 
efforts.  To  provide  extra  incentives  for  innovation,  we  have  the 
research-and-development  tax  credit  as  well  as  intellectual  property 
law.  In  addition,  to  keep  factories  and  offices  using  the  most  up-to- 
date  equipment,  we  have  the  investment  tax  credit.  What  about 
policies  for  workers? 

Firms  face  disincentives  to  keep  workers  fit  for  todays  global 
economy.  Businesses  may  not  devote  sufficient  resources  to 
keeping  their  incumbent  workers  fit  because  they  fear  competi- 
tors will  poach  their  newly  trained  employees.  So,  as  with  R&D, 
there  is  a  potential  "free-rider"  problem.  Moreover,  technology 
allows  firms  to  access  a  global  talent  pool.  When  businesses  go 
abroad  for  talent,  they  don't  factor  in  the  lost  spillover  benefits  to 
the  overall  economy  that  would  result  from  training  and  retaining 
fit  workers  at  home.  Finally,  skills  learned  just  a  few  years  ago 
quickly  depreciate  in  the  face  of  rapid  and  global  technological 
change.  Workers  may  not  know  what  skills  they  need  even  as 
firms  search  the  globe  for  talent. 

The  ability  of  workers  to  change  what  they  do  is  key,  yet  our 
policies  do  not  systematically  address  how  the  market  imperfections 
jeopardize  the  development  of  workers.  The  new  Congress  has  a 
singular  opportunity  to  address  the  disincentives  facing  firms  to 
engage,  retain,  and  retrain  workers  and  to  take  account  of  the 
spillover  benefits  to  the  economy  of  having  fit  workers  at  home. 

A  human-capital  investment  tax  credit  represents  a  positive  proac- 
tive strategy  to  keep  our  workers  fit  in  the  twenty-first  century.  How 


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0RANDEIS 


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BOOKSTORE 


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OU'^E  LOOKING  FOR 

Shop  online  at  http://brandeis.bkstore.com/ 

A  :ncrir^e  the  Shapiro  Campus  Center  •  I^X-IZ^AZIZ 
bksbrandeiJS@bncDllege.com 


Catherine  Mann 

would  it  work?  The  credit  would  be  given  to 
firms  (which  have  a  global  perspective  on 
iobs  and  markets)  and  channeled  through 
educational  institutions  (which  have  the 
wherewithal,  facilities,  and  talent  to  train) 
on  behalf  of  workers  (incumbent  as  well  as 
those  coming  into  the  pipeline  through 
school  and  via  internships). 

Introducing  a  human-capital  tax  credit  will 
redress  market  imperfections  while  putting 

"Firms  face  disincentives 
to  keep  workers  fit  for 
today's  global  economy." 

attention  to  worker  development  on  the  same 
plane  as  current  strategies  for  R&D  and  tan- 
gible capital.  Business  is  not  in  business  to 
train  workers,  but  allowing  innovations  to  go 
imimplemented  because  our  workforce  is  not 
fit  forfeits  economic  potential  and  restricts 
the  United  States  to  a  smaller  economic  pie. 
In  today's  technology-enhanced  global 
economy,  the  imperative  for  policymakers 
to  support  worker  fitness  is  as  strong, 
it  not  stronger,  than  it  is  for  R&D  and 
tangible  capital. 

Catherine  L.  Mann  is  a  professor  ofecoytoniics 
at  the  International  Business  School. 


12 


Branilris  llnivcrsitv  Maea; 


S|,riiig;  -07 


take 


Sheryl  Sousa  '90 


Director  of  Athletics 

Sheryl  Sousa,  a  four-year  letter 
winner  in  Softball  and  volleyball 
during  her  undergraduate  days  at 
Brandeis,  was  appointed  director  of 
athletics  in  May  2004  after  serving  for  six 
years  as  associate  athletic  directot  and 
volleyball  coach.  In  this  position,  she 
oversees  the  day-to-day  operations  of  the 
university's  rwenty-one  varsity  sports  and 
supervises  the  department's  thirty-five 
full-time  and  part-time  staff 

1.  When  you  were  hired  as  athletic 
director  in  2004,  you  described  the 
appointment  as  an  opportunity  you  had 
been  preparing  for  since  your  freshman 
year  at  Brandeis.  What  did  you  mean 
by  that?  My  time  as  a  student-athlete  at 
Brandeis  was  such  a  positive  experience, 

I  knew  I  wanted  to  make  a  career  in 
collegiate  athletics.  After  graduation,  I  set 
out  on  that  career  path,  starting  with  an 
internship  at  the  ECAC  [Eastern  College 
Athletic  Conference],  then  an  appoint- 
ment at  Ithaca  College,  and  later  a 
position  at  Binghamton  University.  I  came 
back  to  Btandeis  in  1988  as  associate 
athletic  director  and  volleyball  coach  with 
the  hope  that,  when  the  opportunity 
arose,  I  could  become  athletic  director  of 
my  alma  mater.  All  of  the  pieces  of  the 
puzzle  came  together  in  2004,  and  it  was  a 
dream  come  true. 

2.  The  school  where  you  cut  your 
teeth  as  an  administrator,  Binghamton 
University,  made  the  jump  from 
Division  III  to  Division  II,  and 
eventually  to  Division  I.  Do  you 
envision  a  similar  scenario  at 
Brandeis?  I  would  never  recommend  that 
we  do  that.  I  think  we're  right  at  home  in 
Division  III,  which  is  all  about  finding 
the  right  balance  between  academics 

and  athletics. 


3.  What  are  the  qualities  of  a  successful 
coach?  For  me,  it's  all  about  running  a 
quality  program.  All  our  coaches  are 
expected  to  perform  in  a  variety  of  areas. 
Coaching-specific  challenges  include  staying 
current  in  their  sports  and  training  their 
student-athletes  to  be  competidve.  Coaches 
are  also  responsible  for  student  develop- 
ment, meaning  they  must  help  tester  leader- 
ship opportunities  and  encourage  athletes 
to  interact  with  the  community  at  large. 
Coaches  also  have  a  role  in  the  student- 
athlete  recruitment  process.  When  difficult 
conversations  arise,  it's  because  coaches 
haven't  been  attending  to  all  those  areas. 


4.  I  didn't  hear  you  mention  winning. 

I  don't  talk  a  lot  about  winning.  If  you 
attend  to  all  the  details  and  run  a  quality 
program,  the  winning  takes  care  of  itself 

5.  You're  given  two  tickets  to  any 
sporting  event  of  your  choosing.  Where 
would  you  go?  I  would  love  to  take  my 
grandmother  to  Wimbledon.  She's 
seventy-eight  years  old,  she's  been  a  tennis 
fan  all  her  life,  and  she's  been  tremen- 
dously influential  in  my  life.  To  be  at 
center  court  for  a  Wimbledon  final  with 
her  would  be  the  ultimate. 

— Ken  Gormteiu 


S(jriiij:   0^  |  litainiris  I'nivcrsiry  Majiazinc 


13 


inner 


Songwriter  pays  homage  to  music  department 

Tribute  Album 


Phil  Robinson  '98,  a  New  York-based  singer 
and  songwriter,  recently  released  his  first 
CD,  which  consists  of  classical-style  music 
composed  during  his  years  as  a  music  major 
at  Brandeis. 

Classical  Compositions,  Op.  I  features 
fourteen  tracks  for  string  quartet  and  piano, 
including  a  minuet  performed  by  the 
Lydian  String  Quartet,  artists-in-residence 
at  Brandeis.  Paul  Hedemark,  a  Long  Island 
pianist,  performed  piano  variations  and  a 
full-length  sonata  movement. 

Robinson,  thirty  years  old,  dedicated  the 
CD  to  the  Brandeis  music  department. 

"It  is  my  way  of  saying  thank  you  to  the 
department  for  its  stellar  contribution  to 
my  lite,"  he  says. 


The  live  recording  of  the  minuet  was 
made  on  Robinsons  final  day  of  composi- 
tion class  in  1997,  when  the  quartet  agreed 
to  perform  the  students'  compositions  in 
Slosberg  Recital  Hall.  David  Rakowski,  the 
Walter  W.  Naumburg  Professor  of  Com- 
position, recorded  their  performance  with 
a  handheld  digital  recorder,  and  Robinson's 
sound  engineer  was  able  to  polish  the  work 
for  release  eight  years  later. 

Classical  Compositions,  Op.  7  is  a  change 
of  pace  from  Robinson's  usual  folk  and  rock 
music,  but  the  artist's  personality  still  comes 
through  without  the  aid  of  lyrics.  Listeners 
might  be  surprised  to  find  a  twelve-bar  blues 
progression  in  the  middle  of  the  minuet. 

Robinson  produced  and  released  the 
CD  for  his  independent  record  label, 
Roomful  of  Sky  Records,  through  which 
he  works  with  four  other  artists,  including 
Eric  McEuen  '99.  Robinson  is  in  the 
process  of  recording  a  number  of  the  rock 
songs  he  has  written  over  the  last  ten  years 
and  hopes  to  release  his  second  CD  by 
end  of  the  year. 

His  inspiration  as  a  musician,  he  says,  is 
Bruce  Springsteen,  whose  album  Darkness 
on  the  Edge  of  Town  was  the  one  thing 
Robinson  connected  with  as  a  teenager. 

"Culture,  in  any  ot  its  forms,  has  a  great 
capacity  to  be  useful  to  people,  providing  a 
sense  of  connection  or  a  set  of  useflil  ideas," 
he  says.  "I  want  to  help  promote,  in  what- 
ever small  way  that  I  can,  this  process  of 
living  culture  that  has  the  potential  to  be 
so  valuable  to  any  particular  person  in  any 
given  moment." 

For  more  information  about  Robinson's 
music  and  upcoming  gigs  in  New  York  and 
New  Jersey,  visit  www.PhilRobinson.net. 


IBS  Moves  Up 

Ranked  among  world's 
best  MBA  programs 

Brandeis's  International  Business  School 
(IBS)  has  cracked  the  ranks  of  the  world's 
best  full-time  MBA  programs. 

The  school  was  ranked  eighty-seventh  in 
the  2006  Economist  Intelligence  Unit 
"Which  MBA  Online"  survey  of  the  world's 
leading  MBA  programs.  Five  other  New  Eng- 
land schools — Dartmouth,  Harvard,  Hult, 
MIT,  and  Yale — made  the  top  one  hundred. 

Acting  IBS  dean  Trenery  Dolbear  called 
the  achievement  particu- 
larly gratifying  in  light  of 
IBS's  status  as  one  of  the 
youngest  business  schools 
in  the  United  States. 

"In  just  over  a  decade, 
we  have  made  significant 
progress   in  building  an 
outstanding   business    education    that    is 
gaining  worldwide  recognition,"  he  said. 

The  Economist  Intelligence  Unit  survey 
is  based  on  feedback  from  approximately 
twenty  thousand  MBA  students  and  grad- 
uates as  well  as  data  provided  by  the 
schools  themselves.  The  programs  were 
measured  on  their  ability  to  deliver  four 
key  elements:  opening  new  career  oppor- 
tunities and/or  further  career  experience; 
personal  development  and  educational 
experience;  increasing  one's  salary;  and  the 
potential  for  networking. 

IBS  achieved  its  highest  marks  in  post- 
graduation  salary  (second  out  of  one  hun- 
dred), student  diversity  (sixteenth),  and 
education  experience  (seventeenth). 

The  survey  cited  IBS  for  its  "excellent 
links  with  business,"  "good  executive 
speaker  series,"  and  "determinedly  interna- 
tional approach." 


14 


Braiiilcis  Universily  Magitziiu'  |  Sprmp; '07 


most 


arts 


Carter  Addresses  His  Critics 

Former  president  defends  controversial  book  on  Mideast 


At  the  invitation  of  a  faculty  and  student 
committee,  former  U.S.  president  Jimmy 
Carter  spoke  in  January  before  a  capacity 
crowd  at  tfie  Gosman  Sports  and  Convoca- 
tion Center. 

There  the  39th  president  discussed  his  ex- 
tensive experience  dealing  with  the  Middle 
East  conflict  and  defended  the  hotly  con- 
tested content  of  his  book  Palestine  Peace 
Not  Apartheid.  The  book  is  critical  of  Israel's 
treatment  of  Palestinians,  prompting  some 
members  of  the  Jewish  community  to 
denounce  its  author  for  what  they  call  an 
anti-Israel  bias. 

Arriving  with  a  Secret  Service  escort.  Carter 
bypassed  about  fifty  demonstrators  who  gath- 
ered on  South  Street  holding  signs  that  both 
defended  and  vilified  him.  Inside,  he  addressed 
an  audience  of  some  1,700  faculty,  staff  and 
students  and  spent  forty-five  minutes  replying 
to  often  provocative  student  questions.  The 
fifteen  queries  addressed  were  preselected  by 
the  host  committee  from  178  submitted. 


Moderating  the  program  was  Mari  Fitzduff, 
professor  of  coexistence  and  head  of  the  Mas- 
ter's Program  in  Intercommunal  Coexistence. 

Long  regarded  as  a  statesman  for  world 
diplomacy,  Carter,  who  was  awarded  the 
Nobel  Peace  Prize  in  2002,  said  he  is  con- 
cerned over  personal  attacks  that  have  been 
made  against  him  since  the  book's  release. 
"This  is  the  first  time  that  I've  ever  been  called 
a  liar  and  a  bigot  and  anti-Semite,"  Carter 
said.  "This  has  hurt  me." 

Carter  defended  the  use  of  the  word 
"apartheid '  in  the  book's  title,  saying  he  chose 
it  because  he  knew  it  would  be  provocative. 

"I  realize  this  has  caused  great  concern  in 
the  Jewish  community.  The  title  makes  it 
clear  that  the  book  is  about  conditions  and 
events  in  the  Palestinian  territory  and  not 
in  Israel.  And  the  text  makes  clear  .  .  .  that 
the  forced  separation  and  the  domination 
of  Arabs  by  Israelis  is  not  based  on  race," 
Carter  said,  explaining  that  he  used  the  word 
to  describe  not  racism,  but  the  desire  to 


acquire,  occupy,  confiscate,  and  colonize 
Palestinian  land. 

Describing  a  dire  situation  for  Palestini- 
ans in  the  West  Bank,  the  former  president 
suggested  that  a  group  of  Brandeis  students 
and  professors  visit  the  occupied  territories 
for  a  few  days  and  meet  with  leaders  and  cit- 
izens "to  determine  whether  I  have  exagger- 
ated or  incorrectly  described  the  plight  of 
the  Palestinians." 

Telling  the  audience,  "Israel  will  never  find 
peace  until  it  is  willing  to  withdraw  from  its 
neighbors'  land  and  to  permit  the  Palestinians 
to  exercise  their  basic  human  and  political 
rights,"  Carter  called  for  a  negotiations  process 
supported  by  the  United  States  with  the  par- 
ticipation of  Russia,  the  United  Nations  and 
the  European  Union.  And  he  said  he  hopes  his 
book  will  provide  an  avenue  to  "a  secure  Israel 
living  in  peace  with  its  neighbors  while  exem- 
plifying the  principles  of  ancient  sacred  texts 
and  the  philosophy  of  Justice  Louis  D. 
Brandeis:  justice  and  righteousness." 


Spriiii;   07  |  liiaiiili-is  I  rilM-r^ity  Mii;.'aziiii' 


15 


innermostparts 


Number  of  American  Jews  significantly  larger  than  once  thought 


Population  Explosion 


The  American  Jewish  population  is  at  least 
20  percent  larger  than  previously  estimated, 
according  to  a  Brandeis  study  released  in 
February. 

Researchers  at  the  Steinhardt  Social 
Research    Institute    found    that    between 

6  million  and  6.4  million  Americans  identify 
as  Jewish  or  are  children  of  Jewish  parents, 
significantly  larger  than  the  5.2  million 
reported  in  the  most  recent  National  Jewish 
Population  Study  (NJPS),  once  considered 
the  authoritative  source  tor  data  about  the 
Jewish  population. 

The  Brandeis  study  further  estimates  that 
an  additional  one  million  individuals  have 
Jewish  parentage,  bringing  the  total  poten- 
tial American  Jewish  population  to  between 

7  million  and  7.4  million. 

"Our  analyses  tell  us  that  the  Jewish 
community  is  larger  and  more  diverse  than 
most  had  thought,"  said  Leonard  Saxe, 
professor  of  Jewish  community  research 
and  director  of  the  Steinhardt  Institute. 
"In  particular,  it  is  clear  that  there  are 
many  more  Jews  under  fifty-five  years  of 
age,  including  a  significantly  larger  pro- 


portion of  children  and  young  adults,  than 
NJPS  indicated." 

Steinhardt  researchers  arrived  at  their  fig- 
ures by  reanal)'zing  NJPS  data  from  1990 
and  2000  and  synthesizing  data  collected 
from  nearly  three  dozen  government  and 
foundation-funded  studies  on  a  wide  range 
of  topics  that  included  questions  on  reli- 
gious, ethnic,  and  cultural  identity.  The 
researchers  concluded  that  NJPS  underesti- 
mated the  Jewish  population  in  part 
because  its  telephone-survey  methods  failed 
to  reach  a  substantial  number  of  young 
adults  and  professionals. 

"I'm  pleased  to  know  that  the  American 
Jewish  community  is  larger  than  we 
thought,"  said  Michael  Steinhardt,  "but  we 
also  have  to  acknowledge  the  downside 
implicit  in  the  findings,  which  is  that 
active  involvement  in  Jewish  life  is  lower 
than  we  thought. 

"The  good  news,  however,  is  that  we  can 
use  this  new  information  to  reinvigorate 
our  efforts  toward  causing  a  renaissance  in 
Jewish  life.  Speaking  for  myself,  I've  heard 
the  clarion  call,  and  I'm  excited  to  get  to  it." 


Renovated  Castle  bell  breaks  its  fifty-year  silence 

Taking  Its  Toll 


After  a  half-century  of  neglect,  the  Usen 
Castle  courtyard  bell  is  silent  no  longer.  Tra- 
ditionally rung  by  cheerleaders  following 


Class  of  '80  members  (from  left)  Jay  Mandel. 
Ellen  Freeman  Roth,  Anne  Exter,  and  Clare  Tully. 


victorious  football  games  in  Brandeis's  earli- 
est days,  the  bell  tolled  again  in  the  fall 
during  a  dedication  ceremony  at  the  Castle 
overlook,  the  new  home  for  an  artifact  with 
links  to  American  hero  Paul  Revere. 

"Today  marks  a  special  moment  in  our 
university's  fifty-eight-year  history — the 
dedication  of  the  Usen  Castle  bell,  an 
important  link  to  our  treasured  past,"  Jay 
Mandel  "80,  the  driving  force  behind 
the  bell's  restoration,  said  during  the  cere- 
mony. "It  is  indeed  fitting  that  this  year,  as 
we  celebrate  the  150th  anniversary  of 
Justice  Brandeis's  birth,  we  again  ring  the 
bell  that  meant  so  much  to  Brandeis  Uni- 
versity's first  students." 


The  effort  to  restore  the  bell  to  its  former 
glory  began  two  and  a  halt  years  ago  when 
Mandel  was  visiting  campus  for  the  dedica- 
tion of  his  late  great-aunt  and  -uncle's  music 
book  collection.  He  stopped  by  the  Casde, 
where  he  had  lived  as  a  senior,  and  was  sur- 
prised to  see  the  bell  in  the  same  spot  where 
it  had  been  twenty-five  years  earlier. 

Mandel  suggested  to  fellow  members  of  his 
25th  Reunion  Committee  that  the  Class  of 
'80,  as  part  of  its  class  gift,  raise  funds  to 
restore  the  bell  and  present  it  to  Brandeis. 
The  committee,  which  was  chaired  by  Janis 
Boyarsky  SchifF'80  and  also  included  present 
Alumni  Association  vice  president  Clare  Tully 
'80,  voted  to  proceed  with  the  restoration. 


16 


Branili'is  University  Magazine  |  S|jriiig '07 


Hope  for  promising  fat  substitute  melts  in  labs 

Losing  Intel  esterification? 


In  December,  New  York  City  outlawed  the 
use  of  partially  hydrogenated  oils,  known 
as  trans  fats,  in  restaurants.  A  ban  is  like- 
wise under  consideration  in  other  cities, 
including  Boston  and  Chicago.  Trans-fatty 
acids,  which  became  ubiquitous  in  baked 
goods,  processed  foods,  and  restaurant 
cooking  decades  ago  because  of  their  shelt 
life,  are  now  being  dropped  from  products 
like  cookies,  pies,  doughnuts,  and  French 
fries  because  they  raise  LDL  ("bad")  choles- 
terol, lower  HDL  ("good")  cholesterol,  and 
contribute  to  heart  disease. 

But  novel  research  conducted  in 
Malaysia  and  at  Brandeis  shows  that  a 
replacement  way  of  modifying  fat  to 
extend  food  product  freshness  raises  blood 
glucose  and  depresses  insulin  in  humans, 
common  precursors  to  diabetes.  Further- 
more, like  trans  tat,  this  method,  known  as 
interesterification,  still  adversely  depresses 
beneficial  HDL-cholesterol. 

The  new  study,  published  online  in 
Nutrition  iind Metiibolisni,  demonstrated  in 
human  trials  that  interesterified  fat — a 
modified  fat  using  hydrogenation  followed 
by  rearrangements  of  fat  molecules 
enriched  with  saturated  stearic  acid — 
impaired  metabolism  of  lipoproteins  and 
glucose,  compared  to  the  unmodified,  nat- 
ural saturated  fat  palm  olein. 

"An  interesting  implication  of  these  find- 
ings is  that  our  time-honored  focus  on  fat 
saturation  may  tell  only  part  of  the  story," 


said  Brandeis  biologist  K.  C.  Hayes,  who 
collaborated  on  the  study  with  nutritionist 
Kalyana  Sundram  of  the  Malaysian  Palm 
Oil  Board  in  Kuala  Lampur.  Both  experts 
on  human  lipid  metabolism,  the  two  were 
instrumental  in  the  development  of  Smart 
Balance®  spread,  a  blend  of  vegetable  oils 
that  improves  the  cholesterol  ratio. 

The  researchers  compared  trans-rich 
and  interesterified  fats  with  the  unmodi- 
fied saturated  fat  palm  olein  to  evaluate 
their  relative  impact  on  blood  lipids  and 
plasma  glucose.  Thirty  volunteers  each 
consumed  three  different  four-week  diets 
in  random  rotation.  The  investigation 
confirmed  previous  studies  indicating 
that  trans  fat  negatively  affect  LDL  and 
HDL  cholesterol. 

Surprisingly,  though,  the  researchers  also 
found  that  the  interesterified  fat  had  a  sim- 
ilar, though  weaker,  impact  on  cholesterol. 
What's  more,  they  learned  that  while  trans 
fat  also  has  a  weak  negative  influence  on 
blood  glucose,  the  new  interesterified  fat 
performed  even  worse  in  that  regard,  ele- 
vating glucose  20  percent  in  a  month. 

Noted  Sundram,  "This  is  the  first 
human  study  to  examine  the  metabolic 
effects  of  the  two  most  common  replace- 
ment fats  for  a  natural  saturated  fat  widely 
incorporated  in  foods.  It  is  somewhat 
alarming  that  both  modified  fats  failed  to 
pa.ss  the  sniff  test  for  metabolic  perform- 
ance compared  to  palm  olein." 


Nutritionist  and  biologist  K.  C.  Hayes  collaborated  with  a  Malaysian  researcher  on  a  study  of 
modified  fats. 


newsmakers 


Deborah  F.  Kuenstner, 

former  managing  director 
of  research  for  the  Boston- 
based  financial  services 
firm  Fidelity  Management 
and  Research  Co.,  has 
been  appointed  chief 
investment  officer  at 
Brandeis.  In  this  position,  she  will  direct  the 
university's  asset  allocation  and  investment 
policy  and  supervise  investment  advisers, 
among  other  responsibilities.  She  holds  an 
MBA  from  New  York  University. 

Eric  Chasalow,  professor  of  composition, 
won  the  2006  Sylvia  Goldstein  Award  for  his 
work  "Flute  Concerto."  The  award,  admin- 
istered by  the  Copland  House,  helps  support 
the  recording,  performance  or  publication  of 
one  outstanding  work  each  year  written  at 
least  in  part  at  Copland  House  by  an  Aaron 
Copland  Award  resident  composer. 

Jason  Kohn  '01  captured 
the  top  documentary  award 
at  this  year's  Sundance  Film 
Festival,  the  nation's  top 
showcase  for  independent 
movies.  Manda  Bala  (Send 
a  Bullet)  illuminates  gov- 
ernment corruption  and 
kidnapping  in  Brazil.  The  film  also  won  the 
documentary  cinematography  prize,  which 
was  award  to  Heloi'sa  Passes. 

Antony  Polonsky,  the  Albert  Abramson  Pro- 
fessor of  Holocaust  Studies,  was  recently 
awarded  the  Statuette  of  Felek  Scharf  Estab- 
lished by  the  Judaica  Foundation  in  Krakow, 
Poland,  in  2004,  the  award  is  given  in  recog- 
nition of  outstanding  achievement  in  both 
preserving  and  making  known  the  heritage 
of  Polish  Jewry. 

Joan  Wallace-Benjamin, 

a  1980  graduate  of  the 

Heller  School  for  Social 

Policy  and  Management 

and  the  former  president 

and  chief  executive  officer 

of  the  Home  for  Little 

Wanderers,     has     been 

appointed  as  chief  of  staff  to  Deval  Patrick, 

Massachusetts's  new  governor.  She  also  serves 

as  a  member  of  Heller's  Board  of  Overseers. 


Spring.   (1-  I  Hi- 


.l.-is  I 


iTjiltv  .Magazine 


17 


A  past  priest,  psychotherapist,  and  show-biz 

whiz  kid  utilizes  his  array  of  experiences  to  guide 
Brandeis's  museum  through  its  next  transformation. 

BY  THERESA  PEASE 

PHOTOGRAPHY  BY  MIKE  LOVETT 


D  R  E  € 


/ 


/        ' 


f  the  Rose  Art  Museum's  director  looks  familiar,  you  might 
have  encountered  him  at  the  Yale  Art  Gallery  when  he 
worked  as  critic  for  the  Neiv  Haven  Register  or  seen  his 
photo  on  the  jacket  of  a  book  about  new  media.  Perhaps 
you  spotted  him  jumping  over  a  new  Toyota,  eyed  him  as  a 
potential  killer  on  TV's  Law  and  Order,  or  heard  him  ren- 
der Stephen  Sondheim's  deliciously  cynical  lyrics  in  an  off- 
Broadway  revue.  Then  again,  he  could  have  treated  you  for 
emotional  distress — or  even  absolved  you  of  your  sins. 
Michael  Rush,  who  was  named  Henry  and  Lois  Foster  Director  of 
the  Rose  in  December  2005,  is  no  dilettante,  because  dilettantes  skim 
the  surface.  Rush  goes  deep. 

When  the  entertainment  jones  first  tickled  him  as  a  teen  in 
Chatham,  New  Jersey,  forty-five  minutes  from  Broadway,  he  didn't 
hook  up  with  other  kids  and  do  a  skit;  he  got  himself  cast  in  the  title 
role  in  Hamlet.  Before  high  school  graduation,  he  had  followed  his 
sister,  noted  actress  Deborah  Rush,  onto  the  professional  stage. 

When  he  decided  at  age  eighteen  to  pursue  a  clerical  vocation.  Rush 
bypassed  the  order  of  diocesan  priests  who  taught  him  at  Seton  Hall 


And  when  the  interactions  he  observed  as  a  priest  sparked  an 
interest  in  human  behavior.  Rush — then  Father  Rush — responded  by 
earning  a  doctorate  in  theology  and  psychology  at  Harvard.  He  next 
entered  an  internship  in  clinical  psycholog)'  at  New  York's  Bellevue 
Hospital.  He  did  this  not  to  better  advise  troubled  parishioners  in  the 
confessional  booth  but  to  explore  schizophrenia  and  other  serious  psy- 
chiatric diseases,  treat  patients  at  Bellevue,  and  serve  on  the  New  York 
University  medical  facultv. 

YOU  CAN  GET  HERE  FROM  THERE 

When  the  theater  bug  returned  to  take  another  nip — Rush  calls  it  his 
"first  midlife  crisis" — he  left  the  Jesuit  order  and  found  a  warm  embrace 
in  the  casting  agencies  of  New  York.  He  not  only  was  tapped  for  Toyota 
and  other  advertising  spots,  but  acted  in  TV  dramas  and  trod  the  boards 
of  the  legitimate  stage.  His  favorite  role,  he  says,  was  as  a  singing  Bard  of 
Avon  in  the  off-Broadway  rock  musical  Shakespeare  in  Love. 

Moreover,  the  pavement  he  pounded  as  an  actor  branched  off  to 
other  creative  pathways  as  experimental  theater  work  exposed  Rush  to 
fascinating  multimedia  artists.  Over  a  decade  and  a  halt,  he  created. 


THE  UNIFYING  THEME  IS  THAT  I  HAVE  ALWAYS  BEEN  FASCINATED  BY  BEING  AT  LIFE'S  EDGES. 


Prep  and  went  to  the  Jesuits — literally,  the  Society  of  Jesus,  known  for 
their  unblemished  idealism,  intellectual  breadth  and  rigor,  and  torce- 
fulness  within  the  power  structure  of  the  Catholic  Church.  He  lived 
within  the  exacting  demands  of  the  Jesuit  community  for  fifteen  years, 
initially  studying  philosophy,  drama,  and  Spanish  at  St.  Louis 
University,  where  he  earned  bachelor's  and  master's  degrees. 


Willem  de  Kooning  (1913-19801  was  born  in  the  Netherlands,  but  considered  a  leading 
American  painter.  On  view  through  April  1  is  his  Untitled  1961,  oil  on  canvas.  On  facing  page, 
Rush  attends  to  the  installation  of  an  exhibition. 


performed,  and  directed  visually  oriented  theater  works,  formed  two 
pioneering  troupes,  and  collaborated  with  eminent  avant-garde  artists. 

Through  friends  in  the  visual  arts.  Rush  encountered  the  legendary 
Marcel  Duchamp,  the  audacious  Frenchman  who  inverted  the  definition 
of  art.  It  was  Duchamp  who  shocked  Paris  and  New  York  with  his 
seminal  1912  painting  Nude  Descending  a  Staircase,  Duchamp  who 
turned  a  common  urinal  into  a  work  of  art  by  redubbing  it  Fountain,  and 
Duchamp  who  delineated  a  key  participatory  role  for  the  spectator, 
relieving  the  artist  of  sole  creative  responsibiliry  for  the  artistic  product. 

"I've  had  many  'aha'  moments  in  my  life,"  Rush  says,  "but  when  I 
discovered  the  legacy  of  Duchamp  and  confronted  what  people  were 
writing  and  saying  about  him,  it  unlocked  a  lot  of  doors  for  me.  It  gave 
me  a  whole  new  way  ot  thinking  about  the  expansiveness  ot  art  and  the 
liberating  realization  that  almost  anything  can  be  art." 

FROM  STAGE  TO  PAGE 

Rush  was  still  reeling  under  Duchamp's  provocative  influence  when  he 
added  "arts  writer"  to  his  varied  resume.  He  had  launched  an  experi- 
mental theater  company  in  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  where  a  group 
of  affiliated  visual  artists  asked  him  to  help  prepare  text  for  a  brochure 
accompanying  their  exhibition.  His  booklet  caught  the  eye  of  the  Neu' 
Haven  Register,  which  offered  him  a  position  as  art  critic. 

Though  not  formally  educated  in  the  fine  arts,  Rush  says  it's  not  an 
unusual  scenario:  Many  an  art  critic  learned  the  craft  by  applying 
already  well-honed  creative  sensibilities  to  researching  and  writing 
about  art.  With  each  assignment,  he  immersed  himself  in  learning 
about  a  new  movement,  exhibition,  artist,  or  period.  He  began 
penning  art  pieces  for  Art  New  England,  the  New  York  Times,  and  Art 
in  America  and  soon  wrote  his  first  book  on  art.  His  titles  include  New 
Media  in  Late  Twentieth-Century  Art  (1999),  Video  Art  (2003),  and 
New  Media  in  Art  (2005). 

In  2000,  Rush  was  primed  for  another  change — "they  seem  to  happen 
in  fifteen-year  cycles,"  he  comments — when  he  was  called  on  to  review  a 
video  exhibition  in  a  new  Florida  art  museum.  The  Palm  Beach  Institute 
of  Contemporary  Art  (ICA)  had  a  curatot  and  a  business  manager.  Rush 


20 


iniiulcis  I'liix cisily  Magazine  [  Spniig   ()? 


W/'^ 


says,  but  no  director  to  articulate  a  mission,  construct  a  budget,  spear- 
head fundraising,  marshal  volunteers,  develop  audiences,  and  define  a 
place  in  the  community.  Believing  Rush's  nonprofit  experience — first  as 
a  priest  and  later  as  the  founder  and  head  of  performing  groups — was 
easily  transferable,  the  ICA  invited  him  to  apply,  and  he  was  hired. 

LIFE  AT  THE  EXTREMES 

Although  Rush's  itinerary — from  child  actor  to  priest,  psychologist  to  thes- 
pian,  and  playwright  and  director  to  art  critic  and  contemporary  curator — 
may  be  a  previously  uncharted  one,  Rush  sees  it  as  a  continuous  route. 

"The  unifying  theme  is  that  I  have  always  been  fascinated  by  being  at 
life's  edges, "  he  says.  When  he  decided  to  explore  acting  as  a  child,  it  was 
Shakespeare  and  the  tormented  Prince  of  Denmark  that  beckoned  to 
him.  "When  he  felt  the  call  of  the  cloth,  he  was  attracted  to  the  heavy- 


FLORIDA  TAKES  ART  TO  HEART 

If  the  career  path  that  led  Rush  to  the  Palm  Beach  Institute  of  Contem- 
porary Art  was  an  unusual  one,  so  were  the  opportunities  and  chal- 
lenges before  him. 

"I  pretty  much  had  carte  blanche,"  recalls  Rush,  who  signed  on  as 
both  director  and  chief  curator  at  the  nascent  museum.  Analogous  to 
the  roles  of  director  and  producer  in  the  theater,  the  curator  has  spe- 
cific creative  responsibility  for  maintaining  and  presenting  the  collec- 
tion or  exhibition,  while  the  director  oversees  the  entire  operation, 
including  creative,  business,  public  relations,  education,  publication, 
and  management  functions  of  the  institution.  In  a  short  time.  Rush 
developed  a  hefty  following  tor  the  museum,  which  emerged  in  a  com- 
munity that  had  been  hungry  for  culture  but  largely  unfamiliar  with 
contemporary  art.  During  Rush's  Palm  Beach  tenure,  the  New  York 


I  DO  HAVE  THIS  PASSION  TO  UNDERSTAND,  AND  THAT  LEADS  ME  TO  FOLLOW  THESE 
PROFOUND  IMPULSES  IN  A  SERIOUS  WAY. 


duty  Jesuit  community  and  to  what  he  calls  "mysticism  and  other 
extreme  religious  experience."  When  he  added  Doctor  to  the  title  of 
Father,  he  found  his  niche  in  schizophrenia  and  other  dark  corners  of 
the  human  psyche.  When  he  returned  to  the  stage,  it  was  experimental, 
cutting-edge  theater  that  ignited  his  passion.  And  when  the  visual  arts 
world  opened  its  doors  to  draw  him  in,  it  was  modern  and  contempo- 
rary art  and  new  media  that  provided  his  sustenance. 

"The  thread  that  has  run  throughout  my  entire  tapestry,"  Rush 
explains,  "is  this  very  antsy  hunger  to  investigate  the  deepest  parts  of 
the  human  experience.  Maybe  it  shows  a  neurotic  personality  to  keep 
lusting  after  that,  although  I  think  I'm  fairly  healthy.  But  I  do  have  this 
passion  to  understand,  and  that  leads  me  to  follow  these  profound 
impulses  in  a  committed  and  serious  way." 


Times,  Artforum,  and  Art  in  America  selected  programs  and  exhibitions 
at  the  small  museum  for  various  accolades. 

"We  showed  people  things  they  had  never  seen  before,"  he  says,  "and  I 
took  great  pains  to  educate  them  about  the  exhibitions.  Artists  were  always 
speaking  there,  and  we  woiJd  frequently  offer  panel  discussions  with 
artists  and  collectors.  Florida  critics  and  arts  writers  were  not  particularly 
attuned  to  contemporary  art,  but  they  were  very  open.  We  engaged  them 
in  the  process,  and  people  began  to  pay  a  lot  of  attention  to  us,  nationally 
and  locally.  By  and  large,  it  was  a  sweet  experience  to  create  a  genuinely 
edgy,  contemporary  program  in  a  community  that  was  not  used  to  it." 

By  the  end  of  four  years,  the  museum  had  an  annual  attendance  of 
about  eleven  thousand  visitors — slightly  below  the  traffic  level  Brandeis 
records  each  year  at  the  Rose.  Despite  the  institution's  rapid  growth  and 


.Spring   07  I  Braiitlei^,  liiiversity  Magazine 


21 


positive  presence  in  Palm  Beach,  though,  the  museum  closed  its  doors 
in  2004  after  its  major  funder  withdrew  support.  Rush  returned  to 
New  Yorii  to  rejoin  his  longtime  domestic  partner,  theatrical  director 
Bill  Castellino,  and  continue  his  writing  career. 

RUSH  TO  THE  ROSE 

In  October  2005,  Brandeis  announced  that  Rush  would  be  joining  the 
Rose  Art  Museum  as  director  that  December,  replacing  Joseph  Ketner 
II,  who  had  resigned  the  previous  spring  to  become  chief  curator  of  the 
Milwaukee  Art  Museum.  In  introducing  Rush  to  the  community, 
Provost  Marty  Wyngaarden  Krauss,  PhD'81,  called  him  "a  visionary 
and  innovative  leader  who  will  bring  the  Rose  to  the  next  level  ot  excel- 
lence." Professor  of  Fine  Arts  Nancy  Scott,  who  had  served  on  the 
director  search  committee,  lauded  his  "multifaceted  intellectual  forma- 
tion," and  Gerald  Fineberg,  chairman  of  the  museums  board  of  over- 
seers, said,  "He  is  a  very  respected  fellow  and  highly  knowledgeable 
about  contemporary  art."  Search  committee  member  Lois  Foster,  chair 
of  the  overseers  for  more  than  a  decade,  declared,  "I  think  he  has  every- 
thing you  would  want  in  a  director." 

With  reciprocal  enthusiasm.  Rush  embraced  the  leadership  ot  the 
Rose  as  a  kind  of  dream  job. 

"I  was  interested  in  finding  a  university  situation.  My  whole  lite  had 
been  about  interdisciplinary  thinking,  so  the  idea  of  having  multiple 
departments  to  both  draw  on  and  feed  into  in  an  intellectual  environ- 
ment was  enormously  appealing  to  me,"  he  says. 

Indeed,  the  situation  awaiting  him  in  Waltham  could  hardly  have  been 
more  different  from  Palm  Beach.  Instead  of  being  tasked  to  create  a 
museum — collection,  program,  funding,  audience,  and  support  net- 
work— from  scratch.  Rush  was  being  handed  the  keys  to  a  thriving 
museum  with  a  multimillion-dollar  endowment,  a  committed  board  of 
overseers,  and  a  forty-six-year  history  of  artistic  vision  and  splendid  exhi- 
bitions. Not  long  afi:er  its  1961  opening,  for  instance,  the  Rose  had  fea- 
tured the  first  solo  showing  of  works  by  Buckminster  Fuller.  It  played 
host  to  Louise  Nevelson's  first  one-person  exhibition  in  1967,  and  in 


Blue  White,  a  1962  oil  on  canvas  by  Ellsworth  Kelly  (b.  1923),  is  part  of  the  Rose's 
permanent  collection. 


1 970  it  was  the  first  U.S.  museum  to  hold  an  exhibition  of  video  art.  The 
institution  was  also  known  for  its  robust  lecture  and  education  programs 
serving  community  members,  Waltham  public  school  students,  Brandeis 
fine  arts  classes,  curatorial  interns  from  Brandeis's  student  body,  and 
teachers-in-training  from  the  university's  education  department. 

A  CREATIVE  PROFUSION 

Then  there  was  the  collection.  As  the  head  ot  a  fledgling  museum  in 

Palm  Beach,  Rush  had  entered  the  tray  with  no  previous  acquisitions 


to  draw  on,  a  limited  purchase  program,  and,  of  necessity,  a  practice  of 
mounting  shows  fashioned  largely  around  borrowed  works  and  spon- 
taneous installations.  He  vearned,  he  admits,  to  get  his  hands  on  a 
treasure  trove  of  art  that  would  be  his  to  curate,  exhibit,  study,  build 
upon,  and  love. 

Further,  given  his  taste  for  modern  art  (work  from  roughly  the  turn 
of  the  twentieth  century  through  the  1960s)  and  contemporar)'  art 
(creative  products  of  the  late  1960s  to  the  present),  he  could  hardly 
have  found  a  more  agreeable  berth.  Spanning  the  nineteenth  century  to 
the  present  and  boasting  a  particular  strength  in  holdings  that  reflect 
the  ascendancy  of  American  art  in  the  post- World  War  II  period,  the 
Rose  is  rich  with  works  by  the  likes  of  Jasper  Johns,  Roy  Lichtenstein, 
Morris  Louis,  Robert  Rauschenberg,  James  Rosenquist,  and  Andy 
Warhol.  Also  represented  in  the  collection  are  Willem  de  Kooning, 
Wassily  Kandinsky,  Philip  Guston,  and  emerging  international  artists 
whose  presence  bespeaks  a  canny  collecting  policy  on  the  part  of  the 
Rose's  earlier  donors  and  curators.  Of  some  six  thousand  works  in  the 
permanent  collection.  Rush  deems  at  least  one  hundred  to  be  iconic  in 
stature — that  is,  easily  recognizable  to  and  beloved  by  connoisseurs. 

"Everyone  in  the  art  world  knows  about  the  Brandeis  collection.  It's  the 
gem  of  modern  and  contemporary  art  in  New  England  and  one  of  the 


uled  for  completion  in  2008.  The  total  includes  a  generous  lead  gift 
from  Fineberg. 

A  DREAM  AMPLIFIED 

lust  because  the  Rose  was  neither  a  new  museum  in  need  ot  shaping 
nor  a  broken  one  in  need  of  fixing  doesn't  mean  Rush  didn't  have  his 
work  cut  out  for  him.  While  the  museum's  chief  curator,  Raphaela 
Platow,  had  been  doing  an  admirable  job  as  acting  director  during  the 
search,  Rush  brought  with  him  the  clear  eye  of  a  newcomer  to  discern 
the  tasks  ahead — to  dream,  as  it  were,  a  new  dream  for  the  Rose. 

The  dream  is  multifaceted,  perhaps  visionary,  and  by  any  account 
ambitious.  It  starts  with  the  collection  and  expands  throughout  the 
physical  plant,  staffing,  education  programs,  philosophy,  and  adminis- 
tration of  the  institution.  Since  its  threads  are  closely  intertwined  and 
interdependent,  it's  hard  to  tease  out  an  unraveled  timetable  for  the 
work  at  hand  and  ahead.  Some  aspects: 

Adding  value.  While  the  Rose  blooms  in  a  milieu  highly  committed  to 
the  arts,  boasts  avid  supporters  within  the  university,  and  has  creative 
neighbors  like  the  Spingold  Theater  Center  and  Slosberg  Hall,  home  of 
Brandeis's  music  program.  Rush  is  not  convinced  the  community  fully 


A  centerpiece  of  the  current  Rose  exhibition  is  Allegory,  a  work  in  casein  on  brown  paper  mounted  on  canuas  More  than  fifteen  feet  long,  it  was  painted  by  modern  master  Philip  Guston 
II913-I980I  in  1947  as  a  mock-up  for  a  mural  commission  that  was  never  executed. 


great  gems  of  university  art  collections  in  the  nation, "  says  Rush,  who  esti- 
mates the  value  of  Brandeis's  art  holdings  in  the  hundreds  of  millions. 

REPOniNG  THE  ROSE 

What's  more.  Rush  found  in  Waltham  a  core  constituency  committed 
to  maintaining  and  expanding  upon  the  extraordinary  assets  in  hand. 
Indeed,  before  Rush  came  along,  Brandeis  already  had  under  way  a 
fundraising  campaign  for  an  expansion  and  renovation  that  will 
nearly  double  the  size  of  the  museum  to  almost  34,000  square  feet. 
On  display  in  the  Rose  is  a  model  of  the  building  design  by  architect 
Shigeru  Ban,  designated  by  Time  magazine  as  likely  to  become  one  of 
the  most  innovative  people  ot  the  twenty-first  century,  and  his 
associate,  Dean  Maltz. 

In  the  architects'  vision,  the  new  exhibition  space  and  a  dedicated 
education  suite  will  incorporate  and  rise  above  the  original  mu.seum  and 
its  2001  addition,  the  Lois  Foster  Wing.  A  1974  addition  comprising 
largely  the  lower  level  of  the  current  ficiliry  will  be  reconfigured  as  office 
and  much-needed  storage  space.  When  the  design  was  unveiled  in  2004, 
the  building  program  was  tagged  at  $8  million,  Rush  says,  but  with 
inflation  the  estimated  cost  of  the  project  has  climbed  to  $15  million. 
Thus  far,  Brandeis  has  raised  some  $3.5  million  for  the  project,  sched- 


grasps  the  splendor  and  value  of  its  holdings.  With  key  members  of  the 
arts  community,  Rush  reckoned  by  "eyeball,"  he  says,  that  the  works  in 
hand  are  worth  at  least  $300  million.  Rather  than  operating  on  an  edu- 
cated guess,  though,  he  has  engaged  Christie's  Fine  Art  Auctioneers  of 
New  York  to  do  a  formal  evaluation.  He  admits  the  move  is  less  fot 
insurance  purposes  than  it  is  to  demonstrate  to  Brandeis  the  value  of  its 
artworks.  At  the  same  time,  he  has  begun  work  on  an  online  catalog  to 
provide  closer  control  of  and  access  to  the  museum's  holdings.  "I'm 
confident,"  he  says,  "that,  after  its  real  estate,  art  is  the  university's 
largest  financial  asset,  and  I  want  everyone  to  know  it." 

Spotlighting  the  collection.  Beyond  securing  ptoper  recognition  for 
the  Rose  collection  on  its  home  soil,  Rush  aims  to  proclaim  its  impor- 
tance to  a  wider  audience.  While  the  museum  is  already  known  far  and 
wide  as  a  place  where  wondrous  things  exist  in  storage.  Rush  has  a 
larger  ambition:  He  wants  to  make  the  Rose  a  destination  for  travelers. 
He'd  like  to  see  the  day  when,  just  as  voyagers  to  Italy  wouldn't  think 
about  visiting  Florence  without  eyeing  the  Botticellis  in  the  Uffizi 
Gallery,  a  Boston  visit  will  be  unthinkable  without  a  drive  to  Waltham 
to  view  the  Warhols  at  the  Rose.  To  make  the  collection  fully  accessi- 
ble, though.  Rush  has  to  improve  storage  and  retrieval  systems  and. 


Spring;  ()7  j  Braiulcis  I  rii 


Maiiazinc 


23 


Sometimes  you  look  at  modern  art,  and  sometimes  you  enter  into  it  Here,  a  visitor  to  the  Rose  steps  mside  an  environment  to  sample  artist  John  Armleder's  Flower  Power  {200'i).  Armleder 
will  be  featured  April  25  to  July  29  in  the  new  exhibition  Everything  Is  Not  Enough. 


most  of  all,  get  more  works  out  of  storage  and  into  the  galleries.  With 
that  in  mind,  he  asked  the  architects  to  reconfigure  a  quantity  of  new 
space  in  the  expanded  facility  not  as  a  gallery  for  temporary  exhibi- 
tions, but  as  a  place  where  the  Rose's  most  significant  works  can  pre- 
dictably be  seen.  In  the  short  term,  though.  Rush  began  2007  by 
mounting  an  exhibition  called  RoseArt:  Works  from  the  Permanent 
Collection.  The  show  continues  through  April  1 . 

Developing  the  collection.  While  creating  proper  reverence  tor  the 
works  already  in  hand,  Rush  would  like  to  escalate  the  museum's  acqui- 
sitions program  to  fill  in  some  blanks.  This  means  defining  a  purchase 
policy  in  view  of  some  philosophical  questions.  For  example,  should 
the   museum   spend   the  annual   income   from   its   Rose   and   Hayes 


Justice  Louis  D.  Brandeis,  was  presented  to  the  Rose  last  fall  by  New 
York  art  dealer  Ronald  Feldman  and  his  family.  Part  of  a  Warhol  series 
on  influential  Jews,  the  piece  was  officially  unveiled  during  the 
November  13  celebration  of  Louis  Brandeis's  150th  birthday.  Rush  is 
hoping  donors  will  help  the  institution  to  build  upon  its  strengths  by 
augmenting  the  quantity  of  works  by  artists  already  in  the  Rose's 
catalog — artists  like  Rosenquist,  Johns,  and  Josef  Albers.  Also  on  what 
Rush  calls  his  "wish  list"  for  future  acquisitions  are  works  by  Bruce 
Nauman,  Ann  Hamilton,  and  other  contemporary  artists. 

Populating  the  art  community.  The  art  world  is  perhaps  uniquely 
exempted  from  the  old  adage  "paper  is  cheap,  people  are  expensive";  the 
Rose's  works  on  paper  are  plenty  dear.  Still,  Rush  attaches  high  value  to 


I  WANT  THIS  PLACE  TO  BE  A  HUB;  I  WANT  THE  TRIBUTARIES  TO  BE  MANY  AND 

TO  FLOW  VERY  RAPIDLY  THROUGHOUT  THE  CAMPUS. 


Purchase  Fund  endowment  on  fewer,  greater  works,  or  allot  less  money 
per  item  to  buy  numerous  works  of  more  modest  value? 

It  also  means  trying  to  ratchet  up  the  gifts  of  artwork  to  the  institu- 
tion. In  its  early  days.  Rush  explains,  the  Rose  grew  rapidly  because  col- 
lectors were  eager  to  share  their  treasures  with  the  public  by  giving 
them  to  museums.  As  the  value  of  individual  artists'  work  skyrocketed, 
though,  the  quantity  of  in-kind  gifts  diminished.  There  are  welcome 
exceptions  to  this  trend,  of  course,  including  the  recent  gift  of  six 
Robert  Motherwell  works  and  a  Charles  Bell  painting  from  Jonathan 
Novack  '75,  a  member  of  the  board  of  overseers.  In  addition,  an  Andy 
Warhol  portrait  of  the  university's  namesake,  former  Supreme  Court 


having  in  place  the  right  people  to  move  the  museum  forward.  He  began 
by  inviting  individuals  with  a  strong  interest  in  his  mission  to  join  the 
Rose's  board  of  overseers,  which  includes  numerous  professionals  from 
the  world  of  art.  In  addition,  the  new  director  envisions  increasing  the 
number  of  full-time  staffers  from  five  to  ten  by  the  time  the  reconfigured 
museum  is  up  and  running.  Recent  additions  to  the  staff  are  Elizabeth 
Thach,  director  of  education,  and  Adelina  Jedrzejczak,  named  to  the  Ann 
Tanenbaum  '66  Curatorial  Fellowship. 

In  terms  of  audience  development,  Rush  has  plans  to  raise  the 
museum's  profile  through  aggressive  public-relations  efforts,  while  a 
recruitment  drive,  launched  in  September  with  a  10,000-piece  mailing. 


24 


Branilcis  I  nixcrsity  Majiazine  |  Sjtring  "07 


has  already  doubled  membership  dollars.  Memberships,  he  notes,  cost 
between  $50  and  $10,000,  with  various  levels  of  benefits;  because  some 
participants  increased  their  membership  level,  the  doubling  of  dollars 
does  not  add  up  to  the  doubling  of  members — that's  a  potential  goal 
for  the  future.  Meanwhile,  the  Rose  recently  acquired  software 
allowing  for  membership  sales  online. 

Professionalizing  the  operation.  New  directors  use  the  verb  "profes- 
sionalize" at  their  own  political  risk.  Rush  says  he  does  not  mean  to 
diminish  the  efforts  and  achievements  of  either  his  predecessors  or  his 
existing  staff  when  he  talks  about  professionalizing  the  museum's 
administration.  Rather,  he  is  seeking  access  to  the  inner  circle  of  art 
institutions  by  applying  tor  professional  accreditation  through  the 
American  Association  of  Museums.  The  organization  codifies  ethics, 
disseminates  "best  practice"  standards  for  museum  operations  and 
planning,  shares  knowledge,  and  provides  advocacy  on  issues  of  con- 
cern to  the  entire  museum  community.  Reflecting  on  another  benefit 
of  accreditation,  he  notes,  "The  process  of  certification  is  such  a 
detailed  one,  involving  such  rigorous  self-analysis  and  outside  analysis, 
that  it's  extremely  helpful  for  an  institution  to  go  through  it. " 


Second  Time  Painiing,  a  1961  oil  and  assemblage  by  Robert  Rauschenberg  (b.  1925),  is  one 
of  the  treasures  of  the  Rose. 


Knocl<ing  down  disciplinary  fences.  Among  the  most  inspirational  of 
Rush's  ambitions  is  one  that  involves  taking  advantage  of  Brandeis's 
scholarly  kaleidoscope  to  position  the  museum  as  a  center  of  intellec- 
tual activity. 

Sharing  the  resources  of  the  Rose  with  professors  from  far-flung 
fields  is  nothing  new,  of  course.  Classes  from  departments  ranging 
from  German  to  cultural  production  and  from  history  to  science 
already  mine  the  treasures  of  the  Rose  in  a  number  of  ways.  What  gives 
Rush  a  rush  is  the  idea  of  collaborative  scholarly  investigations,  discus- 
sions, and  presentations  around  a  uniting  theme. 

A  sterling  example  emerges  from  a  fall  symposium  held  in  conjunc- 
tion with  Balance  and  Power:  Performance  and  Surveillance  in  Video 
Art,  a  traveling  exhibition  that,  by  chance.  Rush  had  organized  on  con- 
tract for  the  Krannert  Art  Museum  at  the  University  of  Illinois  before 
coming  to  Waltham.  The  exhibition,  which  ran  from  September  20 
through  December  17  at  the  Rose,  focused  on  privacy  rights  in  a  video- 
saturated,  surveillance-happy  world. 

The  symposium.  Rush  says,  included  presentations  by  more  than 
twenty  scholars,  most  of  them  Brandeis  professors  with  expertise  in 
philosophy,  classics,  anthropology,  gender  studies,  English,  law,  ethics, 
and  other  disciplines.  Topics  ran  the  gamut  from  surveillance  in  the 
early  Roman  Empire  to  reality  television.  The  symposium  finale,  which 
Rush  calls  "one  of  the  most  stirring  experiences  I've  had  here,"  featured 
a  performance  by  the  allied  Brandeis-Wellesley  Orchestra  of  music  that 
Russian  composer  Dmitri  Shostakovich  devised  while  he  was  under 
surveillance  as  a  prisoner. 

Following  the  orchestra's  triumphant  performance.  Rush 
approached  director  Neal  Hampton,  associate  professor  of  music, 
with  an  invitation  for  the  ensemble  to  make  future  appearances  at 
the  museum. 

Calling  the  weekend  a  spectacular  success.  Assistant  Professor  of 
Anthropology  Mark  Auslander,  who  is  the  director  of  Brandeis's  multi- 
disciplinary  master's  program  in  cultural  production  and  was  the 
organizer  of  the  symposium,  entreated  Rush  to  make  such  collaborative 
programs  annual  events  on  the  Rose's  calendar. 

He  didn't  have  to  ask  twice. 

Says  Rush,  "1  want  this  place  to  be  a  hub;  1  want  the  tributaries  to 
be  many  and  to  flow  very  rapidly  throughout  the  campus." 

Putting  it  on  paper.  Another  massive  undertaking  in  the  works  at  the 
Rose  is  the  publication  of  the  museum's  first  comprehensive  catalog, 
due  to  be  released  by  New  York  art  publisher  Harry  N.  Abrams  Inc.  in 
2009.  Raphaela  Platow  is  organizing  the  megaproject,  a  team  effort  by 
the  Rose's  curatorial  staff — or,  as  Rush  describes  it,  "a  full-court  press." 
Partial  funding  for  the  endeavor  has  been  provided  by  donor  Michael 
Schulhof,  PhD'70.  Publishing  a  catalog,  Rush  says,  involves  gaining 
intimate  knowledge  of  the  collection,  photographing  the  collection, 
organizing  the  material,  and  assembling  a  cadre  of  writers  to  prepare 
essays  about  individual  items  in  the  collection. 

"One  of  the  biggest  challenges,"  Rush  says,  "is  figuring  out  how  to 
present  the  information  in  a  way  that  not  only  is  interesting  but  also 
depicts  the  collection  accurately.  It  involves  capturing  the  museum's 
spirit  and  plotting  out  its  story  as  you  go.  There  are  probably  a  thou- 
sand decisions  to  be  made,  a  thousand  corners  to  be  turned." 

In  that  case,  the  catalog  project  should  be  a  success;  turning  corners, 
after  all,  is  Rush's  specialty. 

Theresa  Pease  is  the  editor  o/"Brandeis  University  Magazine. 


S(n-inj4  "OT'  I  Hranclfi.-,  1  ni\'rrsilv  Magazine 


25 


A  New  Hampshire  teacher  gains  new  understanding 
of  the  Holocaust  by  tracing  a  relative's  heroic  route 


FLASH 


of 


In  front  of  us  flames.  In  the  air  that  smell  of 
burning  flesh.  It  must  have  been  about  mid- 
night. We  had  arrived — at  Birkenau,  reception 
center  for  Auschwitz. 

"Men  to  the  left!  Women  to  the  right!" 
Eight  words  spoken  quietly,  indifferently,  ivith- 
out  emotion.  Eight  short,  simple  words.  Yet  that 
ivas  the  moment  when  I  parted fivm  my  mother 

So  began  fifteen-year-old  Elie  Wiesel's 
first  day  in  Auschwitz,  depicted  in  his 
autobiography,  Night,  a  book  read  in 
many  high-school  classrooms  and  fea- 
tured by  Oprah's  Book  Club.  Night  tells  the 
story  of  the  year  Wiesel  witnessed  the  mass 
murder  of  thousands  of  Jews,  including  his 
whole  family.  This  passage  appears  a  third  of 
the  way  into  the  book,  and  at  this  point  one  of 
my  students  at  Conant  High  School  in  Jaffrey, 
New  Hampshire,  inevitably  asks,  "Why  didn't 


By  Marjorie  Margolis 


they  fight?  There  are  only  a  handful  of  Nazis, 
and  thousands  of  Jews!  Why  did  they  follow 
orders  and  just  walk  on  to  the  gas  chambers?" 
Over  the  years,  I've  come  to  realize  this  is 
one  of  the  most  essential  questions  of  the 
Holocaust.  Like  so  many  other  questions,  it 
cannot  be  answered  simply,  but  it  must  be 
addressed.  As  a  teacher,  1  want  my  students  to 
make  connections.  Studying  the  Holocaust 
inevitably  forces  them  to  conlront  the  power 
of  hate,  an  emotion  most  of  them  know.  How- 
ever, a  focus  on  the  perpetrators  is  only  one 
sliver  of  this  story  in  which  human  nature  is 
continuously  tested.  Like  peeling  the  skin  of 
an  onion,  exploring  how  individuals  reacted  in 
a  world  in  a  parallel  universe,  one  with  its  own 
amoral  code,  reveals  the  many  facets  of  our 
human  potential.  Though  millions  of  Holo- 
caust victims  walked  to  their  deaths,  hundreds 
of  thousands  resisted.  Discovering  these  stories 


Clockwise,  from  top  left:  Rachel  Margolis  as  a  toddler;  in  1931,  as  a  big  sister  to  Josek; 
in  1970,  as  a  faculty  member  at  Vilnius  University;  and  in  1945,  two  years  after  her  family's  execution. 


/€> 


ilp 


r 


:'  V 


Author  Marjorie  Margolls  visits  the  museum  at  Fort 
Nine,  outside  the  killing  fields  at  Kaunas,  where  the 
collection  of  Lithuanian  partisan  artifacts  includes  (at 
right)  a  1944  photograph  of  her  cousin  Rachel. 


of  resistance,  like  stories  of  rescue,  opens  new 
perspectives  on  the  human  spirit  far  different 
from  the  images  of  inhumanity  the  word 
Holocaust  evokes.  Like  sparks  of  light  in  the 
darkness,  these  stories  provide  an  antidote  to 
the  macabre  details  of  the  Nazi  killing 
machine.  Two  years  ago,  I  discovered  a  story  of 
a  young  Jewish  woman  who  escaped  the  Vilna 
Ghetto  to  join  the  partisans  in  the  forest, 
blowing  up  bridges  and  helping  others  to 
safety.  This  woman  is  my  own  cousin,  Rachel 
Margolis,  and  this  past  summer  I  was  fortu- 
nate to  spend  a  week  with  her  in  Lithuania,  the 
bifthplace  of  all  four  of  my  grandparents. 

My  parents  never  knew  about  their  extended 
families.  Their  parents  were  immigrants  who 
focused  on  their  new  lives  in  America.  Until 
very  recently,  Jews  from  Eastern  Europe  inter- 


an  ex-wife  in  Norway,  who  were  all  shot  by 
Einsatzgnippen,  SS  mobile  killing  squads.  This 
researcher  also  introduced  us  to  her  hero  and 
our  cousin,  Rachel  Margolis,  a  retired  biology 
professor  of  the  University  of  Vilna,  a  former 
partisan,  and  our  European  family's  only  sur- 
vivor of  the  Holocaust. 

In  December  2004,  just  two  months  after  we 
had  learned  of  Rachel's  existence,  Smithsonian 
magazine  featured  a  story  about  her  work  at  the 
Jewish  Museum  in  Vilna.  Pictures  of  her  past 
and  present  family  members  (my  family  mem- 
bers!) graced  the  pages  of  this  article,  along 
with  a  brief  summary  of  the  pivotal  years  of  her 
life,  from  ages  eighteen  to  twenty-two,  which 
she  spent  living  under  German  occupation  and 
the  daily  threat  of  death. 

Rachel  Margolis  was  born  to  a  privileged 


Roundups  for  forced  "labor"  were  frequent,  but  what 
awaited  these  laborers  was  not  work,  but  the  pits  of 
Ponary,  where  60,000  Jews  lost  their  lives. 


ested  in  genealogy  hit  a  brick  wall  erected  by 
the  Soviet  Union,  which  kept  its  archives  under 
lock  and  key.  With  the  dissolution  of  the  USSR 
in  1989,  access  to  records  became  possible. 
Since  then,  Jewish  genealogy  has  flourished 
into  a  thriving  enterprise.  Two  years  ago,  my 
cousins  hired  a  Lithuanian  researcher  to  explore 
the  Margolis  family  records,  and  we  learned  for 
the  first  time  of  our  grandfather's  three 
Lithuanian  cousins  and  their  families,  as  well  as 


family,  her  father  a  well-respected  doctor  who 
had  one  of  the  city's  few  X-ray  machines.  In 
January  1939,  Rachel  was  skiing  in  the  Tatra 
Mountains,  taking  a  break  from  studying  for 
her  entrance  exams  to  the  Sorbonne  in  Paris. 
Eighteen  years  old  in  a  time  of  political  turbu- 
lence, with  the  Nazis  just  across  the  border 
from  her  hometown  of  Vilna,  Poland,  Rachel 
immersed  herself  in  intense  discussions  with 
friends  who  belonged  to  political  organiza- 


Rachel's  mother  (center)  is  shown  with  her  son  Josek 
and  daughter  Emma  in  1933.  All  three  died  ten  years 
later,  just  three  days  before  their  village  was  liberated. 


28  Braiidcis  Iniversit)  Magazine  |  Spring '07 


tions  that  thtived  among  the  intelligentsia. 
Seven  months  later.  Hitler  invaded  Poland, 
and  in  less  than  a  year  the  German  SS  was  in 
Rachel's  city.  Fearing  her  political  affiliations 
would  mark  her  for  certain  death,  Rachel's 
father  paid  a  Lithuanian  family  to  take  her 
into  hiding.  A  month  later,  he — along  with 
Rachel's  mother  and  brother  and  the  rest  of 
Vilna's  Jews — was  marched  into  the  cramped 
Jewish  district  of  Vilna,  now  surrounded  with 
barbed  wire.  Not  knowing  the  fate  of  her  fam- 
ily. Rachel  could  not  endure  this  separation, 
and  nine  months  later  she  smuggled  herself 
from  safety  into  the  Vilna  Ghetto. 

Overcrowding,  starvation,  and  disease  were 
the  least  of  the  worries  for  the  Jews  in  the 
ghetto.  Roundups  for  forced  "labor"  were  fre- 
quent, but  what  awaited  these  laborers  was 
not  work,  but  the  pits  of  Ponary,  where  sixty 
thousand  Jews  and  ten  thousand  Poles  lost 
their  lives.  Bucolic  Ponary  forest,  where  fami- 
lies picnicked  before  the  war,  is  only  a  few 
miles  outside  the  city  limits.  During  the  four- 
month  Soviet  occupation  in  1940,  the  Red 
Army  dug  twelve  large  pits  there  for  storing 
their  army's  petrol  supply.  When  the  Germans 
invaded,  they  turned  these  pits  into  sites  for 
mass  murder.  The  killing  squads  would  have 
their  victims  disrobe  on  the  path  down  to  the 


pits  and  walk  a  plank  stretched  across  the 
chasm,  where  their  bullet-ridden  bodies 
would  fall  upon  one  another.  On  a  few  occa- 
sions, a  victim  would  survive  and  climb  out  of 
the  pits,  eventually  making  it  back  to  the 
ghetto  to  warn  others.  At  first,  no  one  would 
believe  these  eyewitness  accounts,  but  the 
longer  loved  ones  didn't  return  home  from 
their  "labor  assignments, "  the  more  credible 
these  stories  of  slaughter  became.  In  response 
to  these  reports  of  the  extermination  of  the 
Jews  from  Vilna,  several  young  ghetto  resi- 
dents formed  the  FPO  {United  Partisan 
Organization),  and  together  they  pledged  to 
die  fighting. 

Once  settled  in  the  ghetto,  Rachel  joined 
the  FPO,  which  had  contacts  with  under- 
ground organizations  outside  of  the  ghetto 
who  smuggled  Jews  seeking  to  join  bands  of 
resistance  fighters.  At  the  same  time,  the  FPO 
was  assembling  a  small  arsenal  of  its  own. 

The  members  were  divided  about  their 
mission.  Should  they  organize  an  uprising,  as 
did  their  counterparts  in  the  Warsaw  Ghetto, 
who  had  fought  the  Germans  for  forty  days 
until  the  SS  set  fire  to  the  enclave,  where  the 
few  survivors  were  smoked  out  and  sent  to 
Auschwitz?  Or  should  they  escape  the  ghetto, 
leaving  their  loved  ones  behind,  to  join  the 


Immediately  above,  victims  of  the  killing  squads  at 
Ponary  await  their  walk  across  the  long  plank  (at 
right),  where  each  will  be  shot  and  fall  into  the  pit 
below.  Top  photo  shows  a  memorial  marking  the  loca- 
tion of  one  of  the  pits. 


S|iiiiif;   ll"  I  HiiiiMlci..  I  nivcrsity  Magazine 


29 


partisans  in  the  forest?  On  September  11, 
1942,  four  days  before  the  ghetto  was  liqui- 
dated, Rachel  and  a  dozen  other  FPO  mem- 
bers escaped  its  confines  to  begin  a  new  series 
of  adventures  and  hardships.  Hiding  in  the 
forest  from  the  Germans,  surrounded  by  hos- 
tile Lithuanian  national  partisans,  Rachel  and 
her  band  survived  the  next  two  years  sabotag- 
ing the  enemy  when  possible  and  providing 
safe  passage  for  other  escapees.  In  July  1944 
Rachel  returned  with  Red  Army  liberators  to 
her  city,  where  she  remained  for  fifty  years, 
earning  a  doctorate  in  biology  and  teaching  at 
the  University  of  Vilna. 

After  her  retirement,  Rachel  devoted  all 
her  energy  to  the  resurrection  of  the  Jewish 
Museum  in  Vilna,  which  had  been  closed  by 
the  Soviets  in  1949.  She  searched  state 
archives  for  materials  and  prepared  exhibi- 
tions about  the  annihilation  of  Jews.  Now 


choice  of  dress  and  whether  it  suited  me  well. 
However,  each  day  I  noticed  how  her  green 
eyes  would  light  up  upon  greeting  me,  and 
she'd  flash  me  a  smile  of  deep  appreciation.  I 
am  family,  and  it  was  important  to  Rachel  to 
relate  personally  to  me  the  fate  of  our  family. 
The  forest  of  Ponary  is  a  quiet  place  marked 
by  three  memorials.  Three  of  the  twelve  pits 
remain  open — though,  due  to  the  accumula- 
tion of  the  victims'  ashes,  they  are  not  as  deep 
as  they  once  were.  Here  Rachel  told  me  of  her 
family's  deaths  just  three  days  before  Vilna  was 
liberated.  As  a  physician,  Samuel  Margolis 
had  always  told  his  daughter,  he  would  find  a 
way  out  of  the  hell  created  by  the  Germans  or 
would  be  the  last  Jew  killed.  After  all,  the  SS 
depended  on  his  medical  skills.  However, 
these  skills  became  meaningless  once  the  Ger- 
mans began  their  retreat;  in  fact,  Margolis  was 
now  a  liability  as  witness  to  the  genocide  of 


Of  all  she  has  accomplished  in  her  life,  Rachel  is  most 
proud  of  discovering  and  publishing  an  eyewitness 
account  of  the  mass  murders  at  Ponary. 


Damaged  photo  of  Rachel's  father,  Samuel  Margolis, 
was  found  among  belongings  discarded  along  the  path 
to  the  death  pits  at  Ponary.  Possibly  kept  alive  because 
the  Nazis  relied  on  his  skills  as  a  physician,  he  was 
one  of  the  last  eighty  Jews  of  Vilna  to  be  exterminated. 


eighty-five  years  old,  Rachel  spends  ten 
months  a  year  with  her  daughter  and  grand- 
daughter in  Israel  but  returns  every  summer 
to  work  in  her  beloved  museum. 

Upon  learning  all  this,  my  father  and 
brother  flew  to  the  land  of  my  ancestors  to 
meet  this  heroic  cousin.  They  were  so  touched 
by  this  encounter  that  soon  I,  too,  found 
myself  making  the  journey.  I  arrived  in  Vilna 
at  midnight,  and  there  she  was,  a  sign  with  my 
name  on  it  in  her  hand.  Since  English  is  not 
among  the  seven  languages  Rachel  speaks 
(Polish,  Russian,  German,  French,  Lithuan- 
ian, Hebrew,  and  Yiddish),  she  was  accompa- 
nied by  English-speaking  Stefan,  a  museum 
intern  from  Austria.  (Conscription  into  the 
service  is  mandatory  for  young  men  in  Aus- 
tria, but  they  may  choose  not  to  join  the  mil- 
itary and  commit  those  years  instead  to 
placement  in  one  of  three  fields:  peace  work. 
Holocaust  education,  or  humanitarian  aid.) 
They  took  me  to  a  lovely  hotel,  and  Rachel 
arranged  for  me  to  meet  her  at  the  museum 
the  next  afternoon  for  a  tour  of  the  killing 
fields  ot  Ponary. 

Over  the  next  week,  I  learned  that  when 
Rachel  Margolis  speaks,  people  listen.  Rachel 
stands  erect  and  talks  in  a  commanding  tone. 
She  has  no  time  for  small  talk,  and,  always 
through  Stefan,  Rachel  would  appraise  me 
each    day   on    my   appearance,    judging    my 


his  people.  True  to  his  word,  on  July  5,  1943. 
Margolis — along  with  his  wife,  Emmy,  and 
his  son,  Josek — were  among  the  last  eighty 
Jews  of  Vilna  to  be  exterminated  at  Ponary. 
His  photograph  was  later  discovered  among 
the  belongings  shed  along  the  path  to  his 
place  of  execution. 

Of  all  she  has  survived  and  accomplished  in 
her  life,  Rachel  is  most  proud  ot  discovering 
and  publishing  an  eyewitness  account  of  the 
mass  murders  at  Ponary  from  1941  to  1942. 
Shortly  after  the  war,  she  learned  about  the 
writings  of  Kazimierz  Sakowicz,  a  Polish  jour- 
nalist who  lived  in  the  village  of  Ponary.  He 
documented  the  daily  mass  murders  on  loose 
sheets  of  paper  then  sealed  and  buried  them  in 
lemonade  bottles.  After  the  war,  his  neighbors 
dug  them  up  and  gave  them  to  the  Jewish 
Museum.  In  1949,  the  Soviets  closed  the 
museum,  and  all  its  documents  were  placed  in 
the  Central  State  Archives  of  Lithuania.  For 
decades,  Rachel  sought  permission  to  search 
for  the  Sakowicz  diary,  but  the  government 
refused  to  open  the  archives,  perhaps  due  to 
the  documented  participation  of  Lithuanian 
nationals  as  riflemen.  Thus,  for  half  a  century, 
the  Sakowicz  testimony  was  unknown  to  the 
world.  Upon  the  restoration  of  Lithuanian 
independence,  the  museum  was  reopened  in 
1989,  and  in  1991  Rachel  was  given  access  to 
Sakowicz's  diary  for  two  days.  Sakowicz's  diary 


30  Brarideis  riiiversity  Magazine  |  Spriii"   07 


recorded  the  number  of  victims  brought  daily 
to  the  kilUng  fields  ot  Ponary,  the  number  of 
trucks  and  automobiles  that  transported 
them,  and  descriptions  of  the  clothing  they 
wore,  scribbled  on  sixty-six  scraps  of  paper, 
some  less  than  three  inches  wide. 

The  publication  of  these  documents  in  a 
book  titled  Ponary  Diary:  1941-1943: 
A  Bystander's  Account  of  a  Mass  Murder  pro- 
vided firsthand  testimony  of  the  slaughter  of 
Vilna's  Jews,  which  the  Nazis  had  attempted 
to  cover  up.  In  making  this  evidence  available 
to  the  world,  Rachel  has  memorialized  tens  of 
thousands  of  nameless  men,  women,  and 
children.  She  believes  it  her  duty  to  remember 
those  killed — the  victims  and  heroes — 
because  as  long  as  their  memory  lives  they  arc 
still  alive. 

After  our  last  meal  together,  Rachel  insisted 
on  taking  the  streetcar  alone  to  her  apartment. 

"I  may  be  old,  but  I  know  how  to  get 
around  my  own  cit)', "  Stefan  translated. 

When  we  said  goodbye,  she  kissed  me 
tearfully,  saying,  "Now  I  have  family." 


"I  do,  too,"  I  insisted. 

"But  you've  always  had  family.  Until  now,  it 
was  just  me  and  my  daughter.  Now  I  have  you." 

I  don't  know  whether  I  will  see  Rachel 
again,  but  I  have  accepted  the  mission  of 
having  her  memoir,  which  was  written  in 
Russian,  translated  and  published  in  the 
United  States.  Its  title  is  A  Flash  of  Light  in 
the  Darkness,  which  is  exactly  what  Rachel's 
story  has  given  me,  a  model  of  resilience 
and  determination  in  exposing  the  destruc- 
tive power  ot  hate.  Pursuing  its  publication 
gives  me  a  way  to  do  something  about  the 
past,  to  touch  it,  and  in  some  way  to  reduce 
the  pain  still  radiating  from  the  Holocaust. 
Most  of  all,  I  need  to  have  this  document, 
the  story  of  my  relative,  in  my  hand  the 
next  time  a  student  asks  me  why  Jews  didn't 
fight  back. 

Marjorie  Margolis  '77  teaches  at  Conant 
High  School  in  Jajfrey,  New  Hampshire, 
where  she  shares  her  passions  jor  human  rights 
and  Shakespeare  with  her  students. 


Rachel  Margolis  as  photographed  in  1998  at  the  State 
Jewish  Museum  in  LIthatian. 


^|iriii^ '()"■  I  Hi:uicli-i-  I  iiivcrsity  Magaziiif 


31 


So  You  Want  to 
Land  a  Book  Deal? 


A  literary  agent  tells  you  how- 
to  avoid  the  ten  most  common 
mistakes  aspiring  authors  make  on  the 
road  to  publication. 

By  Noah  Lukeman 

During  my  ten  years  as  a  literary  agent,  thousands  of  query 
letters  have  crossed  my  desk.  It  never  ceases  to  amaze  me 
that  so  many  authors,  from  so  many  different  parts  of  the 
world,  are  doing  the  same  exact  things  wrong.  Unfortu- 
nately, there  are  many  authors  writing  brilliant  books  that  will  never  get 
published  solely  because  they  are  not  approaching  the  publishing  indus- 
try properly.  Most  authors  will  take  a  few  halfhearted  steps,  receive 
immediate  rejections  (often  from  people  who  have  never  read  their 
work),  and  then  give  up  for  a  lifetime.  This  is  tragic,  for  these  authors' 
works  would  have  been  taken  seriously  if  they  had  just  avoided  a  few 
common  mistakes.  I  will  list  those  mistakes  here  and  impart  simple  tips 
that  can  give  you  a  huge  advantage  in  getting  a  book  deal. 

Photography  by  Mike  Lovett 


33 


1.  Writing  an  ineffective  query  letter 

The  single  biggest  mistake  authors  make  is  underestimating  the  importance  of  the  query  letter. 
As  a  prerequisite  for  submitting  your  manuscript,  most  agents  and  editors  require  this  one-page 
letter,  which  introduces  you  and  your  book  in  a  pithy  way. 

Many  authors,  after  carefully  spending  years  on  their  manuscripts,  will  write  a  hasty  query  let- 
ter and  mail  it  off  with  little  thought.  The  query  letter,  though,  is  the  first  impression  an  agent 
or  editor  has  of  your  writing.  If  the  agent  or  editor  is  not  impressed,  your  manuscript  will  never 
even  be  read. 

From  the  author's  viewpoint  this  may  seem  unfair.  But  agents  and  editors  have  to  make 
instant  judgments,  often  fielding  as  many  as  one  hundred  submissions  in  a  single  day;  they  do 
not  have  the  luxury  of  reading  one  hundred  manuscripts  a  day.  They  must  make  a  judgment 
based  on  the  query  letter.  Instead  of  trying  to  fight  the  system  (by,  for  example,  mailing  an  entire 
manuscript  and  hoping  it  gets  read),  the  author  should  concentrate  on  crafting  a  brilliant  query 
letter  that  entices  agents  or  editors  to  read  more.  Indeed,  this  is  the  sole  goal  of  the  query  letter, 
and,  if  it  can  accomplish  only  this,  the  query  letter  is  a  success. 

The  query  letter  is  an  art  form  in  and  of  itself  Entire  books  have  been  devoted  to  teaching 
writers  how  to  craft  one — I've  written  one  such  book  myself  There  isn't  room  to  go  in  depth  in 
this  article,  but  here  are  a  few  rules  of  thumb  to  consider: 

Keep  it  short.  In  no  case  exceed  one  page,  and,  if  possible,  limit  your  letter  to  three  brief  para- 
graphs. The  first  paragraph  should  comprise  one  sentence  only,  stating  why  you  are  contacting 
that  specific  agent  (for  this,  you'll  need  to  do  research,  which  we'll  discuss  later).  The  second 
paragraph  should  contain  a  plot  summary.  Try  to  get  it  down  to  one  sentence — and  in  no  case 
exceed  three.  Many  authors  make  the  mistake  of  devoting  several  paragraphs  to  detailed  plot 
description,  when  agents  at  this  stage  want  only  a  broad  idea  of  the  concept.  The  third  paragraph 
should  present  your  author  biography.  Again,  keep  it  short,  and  include  only  information 
directly  relevant  to  your  writing  credentials. 


8.  Targeting  the  wrong  agents 

Another  primary  reason  authors  get  rejected  is  that  they  have  targeted  inappropriate  agents. 
There  are  thousands  of  literary  agents  out  there;  hundreds  are  good.  As  you  might  imagine,  these 
agents  differ  tremendously  in  their  needs  and  preferences.  Some  might  specialize  in  children's 
books,  others  in  science  fiction,  others  in  cookbooks,  others  in  memoir.  Even  among  the  agents 
who  say  they  are  open  to  "literary  fiction "  or  "commercial  fiction,"  selection  criteria  can  vary 
wildly.  Some  might  prefer  historical  commercial  ficrion,  while  others  might  be  on  the  prowl  for 
modern  legal  thrillers;  some  agents  might  consider  a  novel  too  literary,  while  others  might  find 
the  same  novel  not  literary  enough.  You  might  send  your  novel  to  ten  agents  who  claim  they 
want  "commercial  fiction"  and  receive  ten  rejections — yet  the  next  "commercial  fiction"  agent 
on  your  list  might  love  it. 

Your  job  as  an  author  is  to  get  your  manuscript  into  the  right  hands.  You  must  narrow  down 
potential  agents'  preferences  as  much  as  possible  so  you  don't  waste  your  time  querying  people 
who  are  not  good  matches  for  you  or  your  writing.  This  is  where  the  research  comes  in. 


33 


Most  authors  are  impatient  when  they  finally  finish  their  manuscripts,  and,  in  addition  to 
writing  a  hasty  quen,'  letter,  they  devote  little  time  to  research,  often  choosing  a  random  guide 
(or  Web  site)  that  lists  literary  agents  and  haphazardly  selecting  names.  It  is  inevitable  these  care- 
less choices  will  not  be  perfect  matches.  If  you  spent  two  years  writing  your  book,  you  can  surely 
devote  two  months  (instead  of  two  hours)  to  research.  This  will  make  all  the  difference,  and  it 
can  be  done  concurrently  with  writing  your  manuscript,  so  no  time  need  be  wasted  once  you 
finish  the  writing. 

The  best  source  fot  research  is  the  free  newsletter  "Publishers  Lunch,"  which  can  be  found  at 
www.publishersmarketplace.com.  Each  issue  reports  weekly  on  dozens  of  the  latest  book  deals, 
naming  agents  and  agencies.  By  studying  this  newsletter  for  an  extended  period  of  time,  you 
will  amass  an  excellent  database  ot  timely  agent  information. 

This  Web  site  also  offers  a  paid  service  that  allows  you  to  search  its  database  of  deals  consum- 
mated over  the  last  several  years.  Writersmarket.com  offers  a  similar  service,  while  the  site  Agent- 
research.com  has  a  more  customized,  more  expensive  search  product.  Publishersweekly.com  offers 
a  lot  of  agent  information,  and  much  can  be  gleaned  from  searching  Google  and  from  visiting 
individual  agency  sites.  Bound  books  are  also  worth  checking,  including  Writer's  Digest's  Guide 
to  Literary  Agents,  Writer's  Digest's  Writer's  Market.  Jeff  Herman's  Writer's  Guide  to  Book  Editors, 
Publishers,  and  Literary  Agents,  and  Literary  Marketplace  (known  as  the  LMP).  Also  check  the 
acknowledgment  pages  of  books  similar  to  yours;  authors  often  thank  their  agents.  Investigate 
as  many  sources  as  possible,  and  cross-reference  them  all. 


',?!■, 1 


^^the  instant 

you  finish  one 

book  you 

should  begin 

writing 

another. 


3.  Approaching  the  agent  in  the  wrong  way 

You  can  write  a  great  query  letter  and  still  not  get  the  response  you  want.  The  way  you  approach 
an  agent  is  as  important  as  the  content  of  the  letter.  For  example,  being  too  aggressive — say  by 
phoning  an  agent  or  showing  up  at  an  agent's  door — can  cripple  your  chances. 

More  subtle  missteps  can  also  hurt.  Keep  in  mind  that  many  agents  receive  fift)'  or  more 
query  letters  a  day.  These  inevitably  go  into  a  stack,  and  often  they  are  read  only  periodically  by 
overworked  interns  or  assistants.  One  way  to  help  your  query  letter  stand  out  is  to  send  it  via 
FedEx  or  by  some  other  guaranteed  delivery  signature  method.  This  is  more  cosdy,  and  it  might 
be  considered  too  aggressive  by  some  agents,  but  other  agents  might  take  notice  in  a  more  favor- 
able way.  At  the  very  least,  it  might  prevent  your  letter  from  languishing  at  the  bottom  of  a  pile 
for  weeks  or  months. 

Never  forget  to  include  a  self-addressed,  stamped  envelope  (SASE).  This  industry  standard 
allows  an  agent  to  respond  to  you  quickly  and  easily.  If  you  do  not  supply  one,  you  might  not 
receive  a  reply  at  all.  This  is  especially  damaging  if  for  some  reason  you  forget  to  include  your 
contact  information.  As  an  agent,  I  have  been  in  situations  where  I  encountered  a  query  letter 
I  liked  but  couldn't  contact  the  author  because  no  SASE  was  provided  and  no  contact  informa- 
tion appeared  in  the  letter. 

Printing  your  query  letter  on  bright  pink  paper  or  using  a  cheap  printer  or  a  hard-to-read  font 
can  all  hurt  your  chances  of  gaining  acceptance.  So  can  disregarding  an  agent's  submission 
requirements.  Some  authors,  for  example,  mail  three  hundred  pages,  assuming  that  if  all  those 
pages  just  turn  up  on  an  agent's  desk,  the  agent  will  drop  everything  and  read  them.  Not  true — 
in  fact,  sometimes  a  bulky  package  will  be  opened  later.  Some  agents  might  indeed  request  you 
supply  a  sample  chapter  or  two,  but  unless  they  specifically  request  this  you  should  query  with 
only  a  single-page  letter. 

4.  Not  querjring  enough  agents 

To  some  degree,  getting  published  is  a  matter  of  playing  the  numbers.  You  can  write  a  great 
query  letter,  approach  agencies  properly,  and  yet  still  not  find  an  agent,  simply  because  you  have 
not  maximized  your  odds.  So  much  of  publishing  is  subjective;  editors  depend  on  their  unique, 
idiosyncratic  tastes  when  debating  whether  to  acquire  a  book,  and  agents  do  the  same.  History 
has  shown  numerous  examples  of  critically  acclaimed  and  best-selling  books  that  were  initially 
rejected  by  the  publishing  industry. 

The  way  to  counteract  this  is  to  show  your  work  to  as  many  decision  makers  as  possible. 
This  means  showing  your  manuscript  not  to  merely  five  or  ten  agents  (as  most  authors  do 
before  giving  up),  but  to  at  least  fifty.  It  takes  strength  not  to  be  discouraged  after  forty-nine 
agents  have  told  you  your  book  won't  sell,  but  this  perseverance  can  make  all  the  difference  in 
your  getting  published. 


34 


BrandiMs  Lhiiversitv  Magazine  |  Spring  '07 


5.  Waiting  too  long  to  hear  back 

I  can't  tell  you  how  many  authors  I've  encountered  who  have  spent  months — even  years — 
waiting  to  hear  baclc  from  a  certain  agent.  This  is  a  huge  mistake.  You  should  give  an  agent  two 
weeks  (or  four  at  the  most)  to  answer  your  query  letter,  or  eight  weeks  (or  twelve  at  the  most) 
to  read  your  manuscript.  If  a  specific  agent  expresses  genuine  interest  and  asks  for  a  specific  time 
extension,  then  you  might  grant  it;  otherwise,  move  on. 

More  importantly,  you  should  submit  to  multiple  agents  simultaneously  to  condense  your 
waiting  time.  1  recommend  submitting  in  rounds  of  at  least  ten,  beginning  with  your  top 
choices.  If  you  send  out  query  letters  to  ten  agents,  wait  only  two  weeks,  and  then  send  out 
another  round,  you  will  have  submitted  to  fifty  agents  within  ten  weeks.  This  is  far  preferable 
to  waiting  years  to  hear  back  from  one  or  two  agents  (which  many  authors  do).  Submitting  to 
many  agents  at  once  will  also  help  keep  you  from  dwelling  on  any  one  agent  and  thus  help  you 
take  it  less  personally  when  rejections  come. 

6.  Putting  yoiir  career  on  hold  while  you  wait 

Some  writers  wait  to  hear  the  reaction  to  their  first  book  as  if  waiting  to  see  whether  the  literary 
world  will  accept  or  reject  them;  it  is  as  if  they  need  a  green  light  from  "the  industry"  in  order  to 
consider  themselves  official  authors.  Do  not  wait  for  validation.  The  publishing  industr)'  is  sub- 
jective and  not  necessarily  a  good  barometer  for  the  quality  ot  your  work.  The  same,  incidentally, 
holds  true  tor  writing  teachers  and  writing  colleagues.  You  must  not  look  to  others  for  permis- 
sion to  write. 

The  instant  you  finish  one  book  you  should  begin  writing  another.  By  doing  so,  you  will  not 
only  put  yourself  on  the  road  to  becoming  a  better  writer,  but  you  will  also  begin  to  build  a 
storehouse  of  manuscripts  that  one  day  might  all  hit  the  shelf.  You  will  also  shift  your  focus  to 
the  process  of  writing,  which  takes  your  attention  off  the  submission  process. 


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7.  Querying  editors  instead  of  agents 

Throughout  this  article  we've  been  referring  to  agents  (not  editors)  for  good  reason.  Beginning 
authors  are  sometimes  tempted  to  slcip  agents  and  submit  directly  to  publishers.  This  can  be  a 
costly  error.  The  majority  ol"  editors  at  large  publishing  houses  will  not  even  read  a  query  letter 
or  manuscript  if  it  doesn't  come  from  an  agent.  Even  if  an  editor  does  consider  your  work,  it 
will  be  read  with  a  negative  bias,  since  it  does  not  come  with  an  agent's  endorsement.  If  by  some 
chance  you  should  be  so  lucky  as  to  receive  an  offer,  the  terms  will  be  worse  and  the  contract 
less  attractive  in  every  sense.  You  will  have  no  leverage  to  negotiate.  And  throughout  the  pub- 
lishing process,  when  an  editor  has  to  prioritize  among  the  thirty  books  being  juggled  at  any 
given  time,  the  agentless  authors  work  will  fall  to  the  bottom  of  the  pile  time  and  again. 

Querying  publishers  directly  can  also  hurt  your  chances  of  getting  an  agent.  If  for  exam- 
ple, you  query  editors  all  over  town,  and  you  happen  to  choose  appropriate  editors,  and  they 
happen  to  read  your  work  and  reject  it,  you  have  effectively  closed  the  door  for  potential 
agents  to  submit  to  these  same  editors  on  your  behalf  With  nowhere  left  for  agents  to  sub- 
mit, they  will  be  less  likely  to  want  to  represent  you.  If  you  had  submitted  via  an  agent  to 
begin  with,  not  only  would  the  submission  have  been  considered  more  closely,  but  the  agent 
might  also  have  first  offered  you  comments  for  revision  that  could  have  made  the  proposal  or 
manuscript  stronger.  But  when  you  queried  directly,  your  only  chance  with  that  editor  (and 
publisher)  was  ruined. 

There  are  a  couple  of  exceptions  to  this  rule.  If  your  book  is  academic,  bear  in  mind  that  uni- 
versity presses  are  usually  open  to  considering  manuscripts  directly  from  authors;  the  same  holds 
true  if  your  book  is  of  a  local  or  regional  nature,  or  if  it  is  highly  technical  or  specialized. 

8.  Signing  with  the  wrong  agent 

The  only  thing  worse  than  not  landing  an  agent  is  landing  an  agent  who  takes  advantage  of  you, 
who  is  wrong  for  you,  who  is  ineffective,  or  who  ties  up  your  career.  Unfortunately,  in  publishing. 


36 


liraiuii-is  I'liiversity  .Magaziiu-  |  .Sprinj;  07 


as  in  every  industry,  there  are  some  unethical  people.  There  are  agents  who  will  lead  authors  on, 
charging  them  reading  fees  or  editorial  fees  or  referring  them  to  editorial  services  that  charge  fees, 
while  never  truly  intending  to  represent  them.  There  is  a  schism  between  agents  who  charge 
reading  fees  and  those  who  do  not.  When  querying  agents,  deal  only  with  those  who  do  not  charge 
such  fees.  There  is  no  reason  you  should  have  to  pay  a  fee  simply  to  get  read.  You  should  also  never 
have  to  pay  a  fee  for  any  sort  of  editorial  revision  or  editorial  referral. 

More  insidious  is  the  agent  who  is  not  very  good  at  what  he  does  or  is  not  well-respected.  Such 
an  agent  might  take  you  on  and  then  send  your  manuscript  to  only  one  or  two  publishers  over 
the  course  of  several  years,  or  send  it  to  the  wrong  publishers,  or  to  the  wrong  editors  at 
publishing  companies.  The  agent  might  also  refuse  to  let  you  break  free  of  an  agency  agreement, 
in  effect  preventing  you  from  seeking  more  effective  representation.  While  most  agencies  will  ask 
you  to  sign  an  agency  agreement  if  they  offer  to  represent  you,  you  should  be  sure  the  contract 
includes  an  "out"  clause  that  allows  you  to  terminate  the  agreement  after  a  certain  period  ot  time 
(say,  one  year)  if  your  manuscript  hasn't  sold. 

Before  choosing  an  agent,  do  your  homework.  Find  out  how  many  books  the  prospective 
agent  has  sold,  whether  these  books  were  sold  to  major  publishers,  how  many  years  the  agent 
has  been  working,  and  how  many  legitimate  clients  the  agent  represents.  And  don't  forget  to 
investigate  the  reputation  of  the  agency. 

Keep  in  mind,  too,  that  securing  the  services  of  an  agent  does  not  necessarily  mean  you  will 
land  a  publishing  contract.  There  are  many  fine,  legitimate  agents  who  work  very  hard  for  their 
clients  and  do  a  great  job,  yet  still  cannot  sell  their  manuscripts.  Landing  a  book  deal  is  not  easy, 
even  for  agents.  So,  while  it  is  important  to  be  cautious,  don't  become  too  suspicious  and  assume 
your  agent  is  inept  if  your  manuscripts  do  not  sell. 


9.  Not  networking 

Writing  is  a  solitary  profession,  and  many  authors  tend  not  to  make  an  effort  to  socialize  with 
other  authors,  much  less  with  industry  people.  But  such  an  effort  must  be  made.  In  publishing, 
as  in  any  industry,  contacts  and  relationships  are  often  key  ingredients  in  your  recipe  for  suc- 
cess. If  you  have  endorsements  in  hand  from  Stephen  King  and  John  Grisham,  it  will  be  easier 
to  land  an  agent — and,  by  extension,  a  publisher.  If  your  writing  teacher  is  Toni  Morrison, 
agents  will  pay  attention.  This  is  fairly  obvious.  But  even  on  a  smaller  level  there  is  much  you 
can  do  to  build  a  network.  You  can  attend  writing  conferences,  colonies,  retreats,  workshops,  or 
talks  that  feature  agents,  editors,  or  well-known  writers.  You  can  try  to  establish  personal  con- 
nections. You  might  attend  writing  classes  with  successful  authors  and  try  to  line  up  their 
endorsements.  At  the  very  least,  you'll  better  your  writing  in  the  process.  You  can  make  an  effort 
to  get  to  know  authors  who  have  agents  and  see  whether  they  can  refer  you.  Even  if  you  are 
unsuccessful  in  landing  an  agent  this  way,  communicating  with  these  people  will  help  you  to 
gather  intelligence  on  the  industry  and  to  become  more  savvy  about  who  is  representing  whom 
and  who  is  looking  for  what.  Remember:  having  even  one  key  contact,  or  one  key  piece  of  infor- 
mation, can  make  all  the  difference. 


don't  take 
agents'  and 
editors' 
personal 
opinions  too 
much  to  hearth 


10.  Giving  up 

The  biggest  mistake  authors  make  on  their  road  to  publication  is  taking  themselves  off  the  road. 
Hang  in  there.  Simply  by  virtue  of  your  doing  so,  things  will  happen.  Over  time,  if  you  are  per- 
sistent and  diligent,  your  writing  will  improve;  you  will  learn  a  tremendous  amount  about  the 
industry;  you  will  establish  relationships.  Eventually,  if  you  are  tenacious  enough,  you  will  get 
published.  Some  authors  I  represent  spent  twenty  years  searching  for  an  agent.  Other  authors 
finally  land  an  agent  and  even  then  spend  many  additional  years  waiting  to  land  a  publishing 
contract.  If  these  authors  had  given  up  after  years  of  searching,  or  years  of  representation,  they 
wouldn't  be  published  today.  You  have  to  prepare  for  a  marathon.  Don't  take  agents'  and  edi- 
tors' personal  opinions  too  much  to  heart,  and  do  not  let  it  slow  you  down  if  you  receive  rejec- 
tions from  fifry  agents.  Remember:  Stephen  King's  first  four  novels  were  rejected.  If  he  can  hani 
in  there,  you  can,  too. 


Noah  Lukeman  '95  is  president  of  Lukeman  Literary  Management  Inc.  in  New  York  City  and 
author  of  the  best-selling  book  The  First  Five  Pages:  A  Writer's  Guide  to  Staying  Out  of  the 
Rejection  Pile  (Simon  &  Schuster,  1999).  For  more  tips  on  how  to  improve  your  query  letter,  visit 
Lukeman's  Web  site:  www.  ivriteagreatquery.  com. 


nr 


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S[niiii;   (l~'  I  lir  amlris  I  iii\rtsii\    M.'ijia/inc 


37 


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BY  MICHAEL  N.  KALAFATAS 


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77wj'f  M'Ao  have  seen  Mr.  Justice  Brandeis  are  aware  of  the  startling  physical  likeness  to 
Abraham  Lincoln.  There  [are]  the  same  high  forehead,  the  same  pensive  brow,  the  mouth  of 
inflexible  decision.  The  face  is  pale  and  worn,  with  an  expression  of  which  the  serenity  does  not 
conceal  a  brooding  melancholy  beneath;  and  the  eyes,  capable  at  times  of  a  piercing  clarity,  [are] 
yet  in  general  shrouded  as  if  enfolded  in  some  inner  vision. 

The  physical  resemblance  is  not  unconnected  with  a  certain  moral  likeness  also.  In  both,  the  genius 
for  public  service  was  a  clamant  instinct  impossible  to  evade.  In  both,  there  has  been  a  willingness  to 
bear  without  repining  the  heavy  burden  of  public  sorrow.  In  both,  the  wisdom  of  experience  and  the 
passionate  respect  for  the  dignity  of  humble  men  have  been  the  groundwork  of  action. 

Abraham  Lincoln,  of  course,  was  tried  and  proved  upon  tlie  theater  of  supreme  events; 
Mr  Justice  Brandeis  has  played  his  part  in  a  more  limited  and  provincial  drama.  But  it  is  not, 
I  think,  fancifiil  to  imagine  that  Lituvln  would  have  recognized  in  Mr  Justice  Brandeis's  life  work 
something  of  the  spirit  he  contributed  to  the  heritage  of  America;  and  he  would  have  added  that  in 
that  recognition  there  was  a  proud  delight  that,  however  different  the  medium  of  its  exercise,  its 
quality  was  not  diminished  nor  its  strength  abated. 


yy 


The  man  who  might  have  become 
founding  president  of  Brandeis 
University  wrote  those  words  in  a 
Harpers  Magazine  imde  in  1934. 
I  don't  speak  of  Abtam  Sachar,  the 
actual  founding  president  of  the  universit)',  but 
rather  of  Harold  J.  Laski,  brilliant  British  social- 
ist and  England's  great  public  intellectual  of 
that  epoch.  So  dazzling  was  Laski  as  a  lecturer 
that  capitalist  Joseph  P.  Kennedy  Sr.  sent  his 
sons  Joe  Jr.  and  John  F.  Kennedy  to  study  at 
Laski 's  feet  at  the  London  School  of  Economics. 
(Alas,  the  things  we  do  for  our  children!) 

Not  in  Laskis  eyes  would  he  have  been 
president  of  Brandeis,  but  in  the  eyes  of  Albert 
Einstein,  whose  early  support  of  the  university 
was  like  a  pulsar  from  Einstein's  Universe:  a 
galactic  radio  signal  of  short  period,  on-again, 
off-again.  Laski  gracefully  brushed  aside 
Einstein's  approach,  rightfully  saying  he  was 
"temperamentally  unsuited"  for  the  post  and 
didn't  wish  to  leave  his  beloved  London 
School  of  Economics. 

But  Laski  had  spent  years  in  North 
America — at  McGill,  Harvard,  and  Yale — and 
had  come  to  see  America  with  the  piercing  clar- 
ity of  those  foreign  intellectuals  who  have 
understood  us  better  than  we  understand  our- 
selves: de  Tocqueville,  Lord  Bryce,  and  G.  K. 
Chesterton.  In  the  parlance  of  business  and  sci- 
ence writer  Malcolm  Gladwell,  Laski  "in  a 
blink"  saw  Brandeis  in  the  stamp  of  American 
icon  Abraham  Lincoln.  The  two  were  born  in 
Kentucky  a  half-century  apart — Lincoln  in  the 


wilderness  at  Hodgen's  Mill  and  Brandeis  in 
Louisville.  One  was  a  backwoods  rail-splitter 
who  saved  a  nation;  the  other  was  the  scion  of 
forebears  from  the  failed  liberal  revolutions  of 
1848,  himself  now  altering  the  course  of 
American  law.  As  former  Brandeis  dean  of 
admissions  Fred  Luddy,  who  spent  years  in 
Kentucky  as  founding  head  of  the  Lexington 
School,  says  of  Justice  Brandeis,  "He  was  the 
true  Louisville  slugger:  He  went  to  bat  for  the 
long-overdue  extension  of  justice." 

Laski  was  not  alone  in  discerning  something 
Lincolnesque  in  Brandeis;  both  Lincoln  and 
Brandeis  were  "at  once  compassionate  and 
commanding:  tall,  spare,  ascetic,  with  deep-set 
dark  penetrating  eyes,"  as  one  source  describes 
them.  Even  today,  we  find  in  the  countenance 
of  both  Lincoln  and  Brandeis  a  quality  pulled 
up  from  deep  human  experience,  from  Jungian 
archetype  and  scripture:  "Those  who  teach 
justice  will  shine  like  the  stars." 

TRISM  IN  THE  ATTIC 
As  I  read  Laski's  essay,  given  to  me  by  Fred 
from  his  stash  of  Kentucky  ephemera,  I  real- 
ized it  was  a  kind  of  prism — like  a  child's  toy 
I'd  found  in  the  attic  treasure  chest  of  a  stately 
old  Louisville  home.  In  the  dust-filled  attic 
sunlight,  1  could  refract  anew  borh  Justice 
Brandeis  and  Brandeis  University  and  see 
them  in  their  constituent  parts. 

Here  was  Lincoln's  "lost  brother,"  if  you 
will — struggling  to  "let  America  be  America 
again,"  in  the  haunting  words  of  Langston 


40 


Br;imioi„  I  iiiv< 


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Hughes.  Justice  Brandeis  had  fought  to  give 
citizens  an  opportunity  "that  is  real"  against 
bigness.  But  he  was  "no  economic  radical,"  as 
Laski  observes;  there  was  no  proletarian  tem- 
per about  him.  Brandeis's  social  philosophy 
was  "a  kind  of  modified  Jefifersonian  democ- 
racy," a  twofold  belief  that  the  state  consists  in 
the  aggregate  worth  of  individual  citizens  and 
that  only  a  society  of  equals  can  be  free. 
Brandeis  had  closely  read  the  ancient  Greeks 
and  doubtless  knew  his  Herodotus:  "A  people 
ruling — the  very  name  of  it  so  beautiful." 

Working  within  the  interstices  of  the  law,  as 
Supreme  Court  justices  must,  dealing  only 
with  cases  brought  before  them,  Brandeis 
sought  to  update  Jeffersonian  democracy 
within  the  dramatic  reality  of  the  rise  of  mod- 
ern America.  Giant  industry  and  giant  finance 
had  come  to  dominate  what  in  the  eighteenth 
century  had  been  a  small  agricultural  country, 
but  now  was  turned  world  power.  An  "impe- 
rial autocracy"  seemed  to  hold  sway.  The 
interests  of  bigness  were  sheltered  by  judges 
who  looked  upon  the  Constitution  as  "an 
instrument  devised  to  prevent  the  invasion  of 
the  claims  of  private  property  by  public  poli- 
cies put  forward  in  the  interest  of  social  well- 
being."  U.S.  judges  still  viewed  the  state  as 
based  on  the  individualistic  natural-rights  phi- 
losophy of  the  eighteenth  century  and  espe- 
cially on  the  idea  that  "freedom  of  contract" 
was  "sacred"  and  best  for  the  populace.  The 
most  diligent,  informed  student  of  the  U.S. 
economy  ever  to  sit  on  the  Supreme  Court, 


Harold  Laski  (above),  Albert  Einstein's  pick  for 
founding  president  of  Brandeis  University, 
expounded  on  tfie  Lincoln-Brandeis  similarities 
in  Harpers  Magazine  (lacing  page)  seven  years 
prior  to  Brandeis's  deattn. 


Brandeis  believed  free  competition  was  no 
longer  possible,  "because  liberty  of  contract 
can  exist  only  where  there  is  equality  of  bar- 
gaining power."  Hence,  the  state  has  the 
authority  and  the  moral  responsibility  to 
maintain  equal  bargaining  power.  Otherwise, 
the  claim  of  the  individual  to  adequate  self- 
expression  is  unlikely  to  secure  recognition; 
the  common  citizen  will  be  "crushed"  in  any 
attempt  to  express  creativity  within  the  eco- 
nomic and  political  system,  condemned  to  be 
"a  wage  slave"  and  "a  victim  to  bigness." 

Ordinary  men  and  women  must  be  given  a 
fair  chance  against  "the  prehensile  ingenuity" — 
that  is,  the  grasping  ingenuity — of  American 
capitalism,  Laski  reported  of  Justice  Brandeis's 
view;  therefore,  the  state  has  every  right  "to 
enforce  competition,  to  regulate  prices,  and  to 
recognize  trade  unions."  As  American  Socialist 
labor  messiah  Daniel  De  Leon  wrote,  and  as 
Louis  Brandeis  empirically  knew  true  from  his 
contact  with  industrial  workers,  "As  sure  as  a 
man  will  raise  his  hand  by  some  instinct,  to 
shield  himself  against  a  blow,  so  surely  will 
workingmen,  instinctively,  periodically,  gather 
into  unions.  The  union  is  the  arm  that  labor 
instinctively  throws  up  to  screen  its  head." 

fANfARE  FOR  THE  COMMON  MAN 
At  Harvard,  Harold  Laski  had  struck  up 
close  friendships  with  Justice  Oliver  Wendell 
Holmes  and  Justice  Brandeis,  and  he 
admired  both.  But  in  Brandeis  Laski  saw 
someone  whose  legal  philosophy  was  rooted 
in  an  understanding  of  the  inner  workings  of 
the  modern  American  economic  system, 
someone  willing  to  use  the  power,  passion, 
and  poetry  of  the  law  to  protect  humble  men 
and  women. 

Lost  in  time  in  my  mythical  Louisville 
attic — peering  through  my  magical  prism — I 
envisioned  a  clearing  in  a  Kentucky  forest  and  a 
lank  and  lean  duo,  Lincoln  and  Brandeis,  taking 
on  all  comers  in  a  heart-thumping  ideal  of  the 
American  Way:  one-on-one  in  a  fair  fight,  the 
action  scored  with  "Fanfare  for  the  Common 
Man,"  written  by  Aaron  Copland,  who  briefly 
taught  at  Brandeis  University.  All  made  sense 
now:  Lincoln  and  Brandeis  were  fighters,  even 
troubadours,  for  the  common  man,  and  the 
university  .somehow  entwined  with  the  two. 
I  was  now  in  full-flight  into  the  mylhopoetic. 

NAME  CHILDREN  SOME  NAMES 
Lincoln  and  Brandeis  believed  in  the  elemen- 
tally American  notion  of  giving  the  ordinary 
person  a  fair  shake  against  the  odds.  It  was  not 


much  of  a  leap  for  me  to  realize  that  I,  too,  a 
son  of  working  people,  had  been  given  a  fair 
shake  against  odds  by  the  university  named 
for  Justice  Brandeis,  my  intellectual  lamps  lit 
by  an  incandescent  faculty,  my  presence  possi- 
ble through  the  university's  generosity. 

When  Robert  Frost  spoke  at  Castle  Com- 
mons at  Brandeis — and  returned  often,  always 
taking  note  of  "his"  birches  on  campus — 1 
wonder  whether  he  thought  of  the  wisdom 
compressed  in  one  line  of  his  poetry:  "Name 
children  some  names  and  see  what  you  do." 
Here,  too,  at  Brandeis  University  we  find,  as 
Laski  wrote  of  President  Lincoln  and  Justice 
Brandeis,  "the  genius  for  public  service  ...  a 
clamant  instinct  impossible  to  evade."  Here, 
too,  "the  wisdom  of  experience  and  the  pas- 
sionate respect  for  the  dignity  of  humble  men 
have  been  the  groundwork  of  action."  And 
here,  too,  sadly,  "a  willingness  to  bear  without 
repining  the  heavy  burden  of  public  sor- 
row"— for  while  Brandeis  did  not  experience 
the  bloodshed  and  public  martyrdom  that 
befell  Lincoln,  his  service  on  the  Supreme 
Court  from  1916  to  1941,  during  an  age  of 
intense  political  turmoil  and  great  suffering  in 
the  United  States  and  around  the  world,  made 
him  no  stranger  to  the  heavy  weight  of  office. 
"Brandeis  is  not  a  name  that  can  merely  be 
adopted;  it  must  be  achieved,"  Einstein 
famously  warned — a  challenge  Abram  Sachar 
eagerly  took  up.  During  his  inauguration  as 
Brandeis's  first  president,  held  at  Boston's  Sym- 
phony Hall  in  1948,  Sachar  promised  Brandeis 
woiUd  always  be  a  place  of  opportunity.  A  fair 
shake  against  the  odds  had  been  etched  into  the 
universitys  bones  like  an  intaglio. 

As  director  of  admissions  at  Brandeis  across 
a  quarter  of  a  century,  I  often  spoke  of  the 
launching  of  Brandeis  University  as  a  deeply 
American  story  and  of  Brandeis  University  as 
perhaps  the  most  American  of  American  uni- 
versities because  of  its  creation  story.  Fully  half 
the  university's  founding  board  members  were 
immigrants  who  had  fled  Eastern  Europe  for 
the  United  States  seeking  personal  safety  but 
also  discovering  economic  prosperity  here. 
Their  lives  revolutionized  by  the  American 
experience,  they  simply  wanted  to  return  a 
favor.  And  they  did  so  with  apt  generosity 
from  the  People  of  the  Book,  launching  a  uni- 
versity of  first  rank  open  to  all. 

And  why  not  open  to  all?  They  knew  better 
than  many  Americans  what  kind  of  country 
this  is,  alone  among  nations  in  having  as  sym- 
bol of  entry  a  foreign-born  statue.  Lady  Lib- 
erty is  a  naturalized  citizen. 


Sprint;  "07  |  BrjuMlri^  I  iiixcrsily  Majiazinc 


41 


JML_ 


•'•^'fiJIP'    ,i^ 


i^      f^ 


A  CHAPEL  ELOQUENCE: 

DEAN  IN  THE  RED  DUST 

Much  of  the  material  in  "Kentuci^y  Brethren"  comes  from  Fred  Luddy,  former 
Brandeis  dean  of  admissions,  who  hired  me  in  1967,  when  I  was  rwenty-three. 
In  so  doing,  he  set  my  feet  upon  the  path  of  Hfe:  a  thirty-five-year  admissions  career. 
Fred  himself  served  at  Brandeis  from  1964  until  1973. 

As  was  said  of  David  Lloyd-George,  British  Liberal  prime  minister,  Fred  has  "a  chapel 
eloquence."  As  a  teenager  out  of  smalltown  western  Massachusetts,  Fred  finished  loftily 

in  the  region  in  the  American  Legion's 
national  oratorical  contest,  the  same 
competition  won  a  few  years  earlier  by 
future  senator  Frank  Church  of  Idaho, 
the  passionate  liberal  legislator  of  oro- 
tund tones.  Who  else  but  Fred  Luddy, 
so  literate,  would  instruct  me, 
"Michael,  a  good  college  interview,  as 
Robert  Frost  said  of  a  good  poem,  is 
'like  ice  on  a  hot  stove — it  moves  on  its 
own  melting'"?  That  was  Fred's  way  of 
reproving  me  for  my  rigid  list  of  ques- 
tions as  I  was  about  to  lead  my  first  col- 
lege admissions  interview.  His  words 
remain  Lesson  One  for  any  college 
admissions  officer:  Listen  to  applicants; 
don't  simply  extrude  them  through 
your  questions. 

As  a  gimlet-eyed  Lexington,  Ken- 
tucky, horse  breeder  might  say,  Fred 
had  "good  conformation"  for  a  life 
given  over  to  leadership,  service,  and 
writing.  His  bachelor's  degree  was  from 
Amherst  College,  where  Robert  Frost  and  Henry  Steele  Commager  were  his  teachers;  he 
served  as  an  education  officer  in  Korea,  a  teacher  at  Portland,  Oregon's,  Catlin  Gabel 
School,  founding  head  of  the  Lexington  School  in  Lexington,  Kentucky,  and,  of  course, 
dean  of  admissions  at  Brandeis.  After  Brandeis,  Fred  moved  to  Michigan,  where  he 
became  chief  officer  of  an  international  student  exchange  program  and  then  governor 
William  Milliken's  head  of  that  state's  model,  far-flung  program  of  volunteers  in  service. 
Today,  Fred  lives  again  in  western  Massachusetts  with  his  wife  Judy,  a  daughter  of 
Bluegrass  Kentucky,  and  he  writes  about  things  he  loves,  including  Robert  Frost. 

One  Brandeis  story  stands  out  as  an  example  of  Fred's  ethics  in  action.  (Is  that  not 
what  Justice  Brandeis  was  all  about?)  Early  in  the  1970s,  amid  the  hurly-burly  of  college 
admissions,  Fred  arranged  a  meeting  in  Washington  with  two  Massachusetts-based  U.S. 
cabinet  officers,  Elliot  Richardson  and  John  Volpe,  and  urged  that  a  company  of 
American  college  admissions  deans  travel  to  Vietnam  to  offer  college  counseling  to 
soldiers  in  the  field — those  about  to  reenter  American  life,  neglected  if  not  abused  by  a 
nation  confused  by  the  war  in  Southeast  Asia.  Because  of  Fred's  logic  and  soaring  elo- 
quence, the  plan  was  swiftly  approved.  Fred  helped  lead  the  mission  as  planes  landed, 
swirling  up  the  red  dust  of  Vietnam.  Even  now  I  recall  the  immediacy  of  Dean  Luddy's 
work.  As  a  still-young  admissions  officer,  I  received  back,  unopened,  a  letter  I'd  sent  to 
a  soldier  who'd  met  with  Fred  in  Vietnam;  the  crumpled  envelope,  covered  in  red  dust, 
was  stamped  "Deceased:  Return  to  Sender." 

To  borrow  from  Justice  Brandeis  a  phrase  that  both  describes  Fred  Luddy's  life  and  is 
emblematic  of  many  of  those  individuals  who  built  Brandeis  University,  "He  found  a 
spark  of  idealism  and  fanned  it  into  a  flame." 

— M  a: 


^  ^ 

\ 

\ 

\    ^ 

■ 

imr^rti*^ 

r 

\              ^i_,A 

-    \ . 

1 

/■ 

M 

^^^^^^H 

Hi 

^^^^it^m^J^^tm  '-M^L- 

m 

iicir-     ^ 

jH 

Dean  of  Admissions  Fred  Luddy 


42 


Biiinilcis  rnivcrsity  Mapaziiic  |  Spring   07 


Out  of  this  creation  story  came  the  wun- 
derkind  of  American  higher  education.  In 
1961,  thirteen  years  after  the  university's 
founding.  Phi  Beta  Kappa  granted  Brandeis 
membership  in  America's  oldest,  most 
esteemed  academic  society.  It  was  the  youngest 
university  to  be  so  honored  since  the  eighteenth 
century.  Even  today,  less  than  10  percent  of 
institutions  of  higher  learning  in  the  United 
States  have  Phi  Beta  Kappa  chapters. 

In  retrospect  the  recognition  of  precocious 
academic  excellence  seems  fitting:  Thelma 
Sachar,  wife  of  Abram  Sachar,  president  of 
Brandeis  through  its  first  twenty  years,  owned 
a  charm  bracelet  with  five  gold  Phi  Beta 
Kappa  keys  on  it:  hers,  Abe's,  and  their  three 
sons'.  And  Abram  Sachar,  raised  in  St.  Louis, 
Missouri,  earned  the  first  PhD  ever  awarded 
by  Cambridge  Universiry  in  England. 

ABE'S  LINCOLN 

It  is  hard  to  imagine  a  more  powerful  Ameri- 
can icon  than  Abraham  Lincoln,  to  whom  any 
American  would  relish  comparison.  Merrill 
Peterson,  dean  of  students  at  Brandeis  when  I 
arrived  as  a  student  in  1961,  was  a  great 
Jefferson  scholar,  later  to  occupy  the  Thomas 
Jefferson  Chair  in  American  History  of  the 
Universit}'  of  Virginia.  But  Peterson  has  also 
written  of  Lincoln's  hold  on  the  American 
mind.  In  Lincoln  in  American  Aiemory  he 
invoked  these  words  about  Lincoln  from  a  dra- 
matic advertisement  published  in  1952  by  the 
John  Hancock  Life  Insurance  Company:  "Abe 
Lincoln  always  did  what  most  people  would 
have  done,  said  what  most  people  would  have 
said,  thought  what  most  people  would  have 
thought  when  they  stopped  to  think  about  it." 

He  was  everybody — grown  a  little  taller — 
living  proof  of  our  American  faith  that  great- 
ness comes  out  of  everywhere  when  it  is  tree 
to  come. 

There  it  is  again  as  American  ideal:  A  fair 
shake  against  the  odds. 

Even  Abram  Sachar,  with  his  Cambridge 
PhD,  brilliant  books,  and  honorary  degrees 
in  double  digits,  could  not  escape  a  nation's 
impulse  of  honor  by  association  with 
Lincoln.  Abram  Leon  Sachar,  himself  a  son  of 
a  border  state,  Missouri,  often  signed  corre- 
spondence A.  L.  Sachar.  I  always  wondered 
whether  A.  L.  Sachar  had  not  consciously  or 
subconsciously  moved  a  small  step  toward 
how  Abraham  Lincoln  signed  his  name: 
A.  Lincoln.  Abram  L.  Sachar  and  Abraham 
Lincoln  infused  with  a  sense  of  history: 
Abram  and  Abraham,  both  souls  "rocked  in 


m  mA 


KF.tM.JlJ 


m 


I  HRbN 


the  bosom  of  Abraham, "  to  borrow  words 
from  an  old  African-American  spiritual. 

Fred  Luddv  has  reminded  me  of  how  our 
rollickingly  clever  Brandeis  students  used  to 
call  Dr.  Sachar's  fine  black  Sacharmobile 
"Abe's  Lincoln. " 

Peterson  reported  there  were  three  Jewish 
delegates  to  the  1860  Republican  Conven- 
tion that  nominated  Abraham  Lincoln  for 
president  (and  changed  the  course  of  Amer- 
ican nationhood);  one  was  Louisville  attor- 
ney Lewis  N.  Dembitz,  uncle  of  Louis 
Brandeis.  The  boy,  originally  called  Louis 
David  Brandeis,  so  adored  his  uncle  that  he 
changed  his  middle  name  to  Dembitz  and 
entered  the  law. 

A  SECOND  PATRIARCH 
By  the  time  of  his  death,  Lincoln  had  won  a 
special  place  in  American  Jewish  affections. 
In  office  Lincoln  had  taken  actions  to  right 


the  seed  of  Israel.  But  in  truth  you  might  have 
called  him  'Abraham,  the  child  of  our  father 
Abraham.'  For  indeed,  of  all  Israelites 
throughout  the  LJnited  States,  there  was  none 
who  more  thoroughly  fitted  the  ideal  of  what 
a  true  descendant  of  Abraham  ought  to  be 
than  Abraham  Lincoln.  And,  if  he  was  uncir- 
cumcised,  we  are  told,  'all  the  nations  are 
uncircumcised  in  flesh,  but  all  they  of  Israel 
are  circumcised  in  heart.'" 

One  week  after  Lincoln's  death,  Rabbi  Isaac 
Wise  of  Cincinnati,  who  became  the  father  of 
American  Reform  Judaism,  preached  a  ser- 
mon in  which  he  lauded  the  martyred  presi- 
dent as  "the  highest  jewel,  the  greatest  hero, 
and  the  noblest  son  of  the  nation." 

EACH  LAWYER'S  BUSINESS 
Although  the  idea  is  anathema  to  some  on 
today's    Supreme    Court,    Justice    Brandeis 
believed  that  "the  validity  of  the  legal  result  is 


tion  law)'er  of  Boston,  representing  the  'trac- 
tion' companies  (streetcars)  and  the  public 
utilities,"  and  added,  "This  did  not  make  him 
any  less  a  crusader  for  popular  causes." 

VITALLY  AMERICAN 

In  Brandeis's  "positive  liberalism" — a  belief 
that  the  state  can  create  and  maintain  condi- 
tions for  "an  idealized  capitalism" — the  British 
Laski  saw  how  "vitally  American"  were  "both 
its  springs  and  its  expression." 

"The  intellectual  seed  from  which  [such 
positive  liberalism]  grows,"  Laski  wrote,  "is 
that  which  underlay  the  profound  sense  of 
injustice  in  Shays's  Rebellion,  which  dictated 
Thoreau's  noble  defiance  of  his  epoch,  which 
moved  Abraham  Lincoln  to  the  melancholy 
perception  that  an  America  could  not  endure 
which  was  half-slave,  half-free.  For  it  is,  above 
all,  an  essay  in  the  philosophy  of  freedom,  an 
insistence  that  no  system  can  be  preserved  save 


^y^^c^Uc^rUiy- 


wrongs  affecting  American  Jews.  As  presi- 
dent, for  example,  he  had  appointed  Jewish 
hospital  chaplains,  setting  aside  previous  laws 
restricting  chaplaincies  to  those  of  "some 
Christian  denomination."  And  he  revoked 
General  Grant's  General  Order  No.  1 1 , 
which  had  barred  Jews  from  trading  with  the 
army  of  Tennessee.  Lincoln  was  the  first 
American  folk  hero  among  American  Jews, 
Peterson  noted,  saying,  "In  his  person,  as  in 
his  ideals,  he  was  the  hero  with  whom  they 
could  most  closely  identify.  Common, 
honest,  and  upright,  man  of  sorrows  and  man 
of  laughter,  someone  with  a  sense  of  kinship 
with  the  poor  and  downtrodden." 

As  Peterson  wrote,  "Upon  the  president's 
death,  it  was  inevitable  that  Jews  should  look 
at  Lincoln  as  a  modern  Moses  who  had 
brought  them  within  sight  of  the  Promised 
Land,  alternately  as  a  second  patriarch — was 
his  name  not  Abraham? — of  their  people." 
And,  as  president,  Lincoln,  who  was  some- 
thing of  a  spiritualist,  never  united  with  any 
Christian  church.  When  Lincoln  was  assassi- 
nated, Lewis  N.  Dembitz,  mourning  the  loss 
of  the  president,  addressed  his  synagogue, 
saying,  "You  often  called  him,  jocosely,  Rabbi 
Abraham,  as  if  he  were  one  of  our  nation — ol 


always  the  function  of  its  social  consequence." 
He  also  believed  it  was  as  much  "each  lawyer's 
business"  to  protect  the  public  as  it  was  to 
safeguard  vested  interests.  In  1905  he 
addressed  a  Harvard  meeting  on  the  lawyer's 
responsibility,  saying,  "Instead  of  holding  a 
position  between  the  wealth  and  the  people, 
prepared  to  curb  the  excesses  of  either,  able 
lawyers  have,  to  a  great  extent,  allowed  them- 


as  it  is  built  upon  a  respect  for  the  eminent 
dignity  of  humble  men." 

In  addition  to  Brandeis's  wellspring  of 
Americanism,  Laski  expounded  on  another, 
prophetic  source  of  the  lamed  justice's  moral 
vision,  saying,  "There  are  those  who  have 
found  Justice  Brandeis  cold.  But  this,  I 
think,  is  to  mistake  for  coldness  the  protec- 
tive armament  ot  a  proudly  sensitive  nature. 


BY  THE  TIME  OF  HIS  DEATH, 

LINCOLN  HAD  WON  A  SPECIAL  PLACE  IN 

AMERICAN  lEWISH  AFFECTIONS. 


selves  to  become  adjuncts  of  great  corpora- 
tions and  have  neglected  their  obligation  to 
use  their  powers  for  the  protection  of  the  peo- 
ple. We  hear  much  of  the  'corporation  lawyer" 
and  far  too  little  sympathy  tor  the  'people's 
lawyer."  Defining  himself,  Brandeis  offered, 
"I  would  rather  have  clients  than  be  some- 
body's lawyer." 

In  The  Betrayed  Profession,  Ambassador  Sol 
Linowitz,  a  lawyer  himself,  recalled  that  Louis 
Dembitz  Brandeis  was  "the  premier  corpora- 


No  one  would  call  him  cold  who  has  been 
intimate  with  him.  No  one  who  has  seen 
him,  for  instance,  in  the  company  of  Mr.  Jus- 
tice [Oliver  Wendell]  Holmes  but  must  have 
delighted  in  the  radiance  of  that  friendly 
interchange  of  thought.  He  [Brandeis]  can 
be  severe.  I  have  heard  him  dismiss  a  publi- 
cist of  our  time  who,  like  Jeshurun  had  in 
success  waxed  fat,  in  stinging  phrases,  which 
bit  and  were  intended  to  bite.  But  I  have 
heard  him  also  take  eager  pains  to  explain 


SpriTiu   (ir"  I  lirMiiili'i',  I  uiMTsiiv    \l;i^:izirir 


43 


To  beard  or  not  to  beard?  Lincoln  (left)  sported  ttie  same  clean-shaven  look  as  Brandels  (right)  until,  historians  note,  eleven-year-old  Grace  Bedell  penned  a 
letter  to  the  presidential  nominee  in  1860  suggesting  he  would  get  more  votes  if  he  sprouted  a  beard.  He  wrote  her  a  noncommittal  answer,  but  less  than  a 
month  later  his  look  changed,  and  journalists  quipped,  "Old  Abe  ...  is  puttin'  on  (h)airs!" 


some  difficult  act  of  a  politician  of  whose 
bona  fides  he  was  convinced  in  the  most  gen- 
erous way.  1  should  not  think  of  coldness  in 
the  context  of  his  character.  There  is  a  real 
aloofness  of  temper,  a  detachment  from  the 
obvious  or  immediate.  But  this,  I  think,  is  an 
essential  part  of  that  prophetic  insight  which 
is  in  him  almost  a  racial  gift.  No  one  can  see 
him  in  action  without  a  new  understanding 
of  the  Hebraic  gift  of  moral  vision.  It  is  not 
for  nothing  that  he  is  of  the  people  from 
whom  Isaiah  and  Maimonides  and  Spinoza 
were  born." 

At  the  core  of  Justice  Brandeis's  metho- 
dology was  law  as  living  function  rather  than 
law  as  historic  principle,  Laski  said, 
explaining,  "The  American  Constitution 
would  not  have  survived  if  the  Supreme 
Court  had  been  content  to  seek  its  meaning 
in  the  climate  of  opinion  which  determined 
the  operation  of  its  original  substance.  It  is  a 
framework  into  which  new  ideas  must  be 
fitted,  not  a  barrier  against  their  access  to 
constitutional  status.  It  is  because  he  has 
approached  his  judicial  work  in  this  temper 
that   Mr.   Justice   Brandeis   is   likely   to   be 


regarded  as  one  of  the  essential  figures  in  the  Louis  Dembitz  Brandeis  died  in  October 

history  of  the  Supreme  Court."  1 94 1 .  His  influence  will  live  on  in  American 

No  one  since  Chief  Justice  John  Marshall  so  life,    surviving   what    Lincoln    called    "the 

shaped  the  future  of  the  U.S.  Supreme  Court.  silent  artillery  of  time."  So,  too,  will  Bran- 

Brandeis  served  on  the  Court  from  1916  until  deis  University. 


THE  YEAR  WILSON  APPOINTED  BRANDEIS 
TO  THE  SUPREME  COURT  HE  DEDICATED  A 
NATIONAL  LINCOLN  BIRTHPLACE  SHRINE. 


he  retired  on  February  13,  1939,  one  day  after 
the  130th  anniversary  of  Lincoln's  birth.  In 
1916,  the  year  he  appointed  Brandeis  to  the 
Supreme  Court,  President  Woodrow  Wilson 
traveled  by  train  to  Kentucky  to  dedicate  on 
Labor  Day  a  national  Lincoln  birthplace 
shrine  at  Knob  Hill.  Pointing  to  the  Lincoln 
family  log  hut,  Wilson  declared,  "Genius  is  no 
snob.  Here  is  proof  of  it."  Doubtless  these 
dates  lay  as  life  coincidence,  but,  as  1  learned 
from  Brandeis  poet-in-residence  and  dear 
friend  Olga  Broumas,  "Serendipity  is  God's 
way  of  being  present." 


"Name  children  .some  names  and  see  what 
you  do."  We  at  Brandeis  are  Justice  Brandeis's 
"birches,"  silver-barked  and  value-laden. 

Michael  N.Kalafatas  '65  served  in  the  Ojfice  of 
Admissions  at  Brandeis  from  1967  until  2002, 
two-thirds  of  that  time  as  director  of  admissions. 
His  book.  The  Bellstone:  The  Greek  Sponge 
Divers  of  the  Aegean,  One  American's  Journey 
Home  (Brandeis  University  Press  2003),  is 
being  made  into  an  educational  film  by 
Immersion  Presents,  founded  by  underwater 
explorer  Robert  Ballard. 


44  Braiiili-is  liniversity  Magaziiu-  |  Sprinu   07 


lieldwork 


Spice  Is  Nice 


Bringing  a  dash  of  salsa  to  the  cultural  table. 


Music  gives  people  language  to 
express  things  they  sometimes 
can't  otherwise  articulate,  says 
Marisol  Negron.  And,  articulate  though  she 
is,  Negron  herself  turns  to  music  to  answer 
questions  she's  been  exploring  much  of  her 
academic  career. 

That's  what  she  does  during  a  conversa- 
tion in  Shiffman  Hall,  where  Negron 
arrived  over  the  summer  on  a  Florence  Levy 
Kay  Fellowship  in  Latino  Studies,  a  two- 
year,  interdisciplinary  faculty  position  for 
which  she  conducts  research  and  teaches  a 
course  each  semester.  She's  speaking  about 
salsa  music,  a  Latin  rhythmic  style  often 
associated  with  Cuba.  But  it's  also  connected 
to  Puerto  Rican  identity,  as  Negron  demon- 
strates by  playing  a  Willie  Colon  song  from 
the  late  1960s.  Called  "Guisando,"  it's  a 
cautionary  tale  about  a  thief,  set  on 
1 1 0th  Street  and  Lexington  Avenue  in  the 
heart  of  New  York's  Spanish  Harlem.  Like 
many  salsa  songs,  she  says,  it's  a  window  on 
the  Puerto  Rican  experience  of  that  time 
and  place. 

"You  are  hearing  these  sounds  that  are 
part  of  your  social  experience  and  that 
inform  who  you  are, "  says  Negron.  "You  see 
yourself  in  the  music,  and  so  then  the  music 
reinforces  that  sense  ot  who  you  are  when 
you  listen  to  it. " 

For  her  PhD  dissertation,  called  "Salsa  as 
Commodity  and  Cultural  Signifier:  An 
Analysis  of  Nuyorican  Musical  Form," 
Negron  delved  into  what  has  been  dubbed 
the  Nuyorican  culture,  which  melds  New 
York  and  Puerto  Rican  influences.  She  inter- 


By  Lewis  I.  Rice 


Thursday 


«m&?M 


AUGUST  26 


viewed  people  in  the  Latin  music  industry 
and  fans  whose  lives  revolved  around  it.  She 
focused  on  salsa  music  in  the  1970s,  exam- 
ining the  rise  of  the  recording  label  Fania 
Records  and  how  the  commercial  success  of 
the  music  both  embodied  and  empowered 
New  York's  Puerto  Rican  community. 

According  to  Negron,  who  is  the  child 
of  Puerto  Rican  immigrants,  the  music 
reflected  the  community  through  its  lyrics, 


through  album  covers  showing  familiar 
locales,  and  through  its  rhythms,  which 
borrowed  soul  and  funk  beats  from 
African-American  music  in  the  area.  The 
music  also  reflected  the  politics  of  the 
times,  with  calls  for  social  justice  in  minor- 
ity communities.  One  musician  Negron 
spoke  with  recalled  performing  in  the  park 
while  fires  burned  in  nearby  buildings,  set 
by  landlords  to  collect  insurance  money; 


Spritiij  O'^  I  iir;inilris  I  rii\fr>ilv  Ma^HzilK* 


45 


I  work 


Marisol  Negron 


one  recorded  song  even  used  fire  sirens  as 
part  of  the  rhythm. 

"Its  not  that  musicians  were  carelessly 
playing  while  the  city  burned.  It  was  their  way 
of  resisting  what  was  happening  to  their  com- 
munity," she  says.  "The  music  became  a  way 
to  express  the  outrage  and  condemnation." 

At  the  same  time,  the  music  launched 
another  of  the  several  Latin  booms  in  the 
music  industry  since  the  1920s — booms 
that  reverberated  far  afield  from  the  streets 
of  New  York,  even  in  Europe  and  Asia. 
While  appealing  to  a  wider  audience,  the 
music  illuminated  the  Nuyorican  identity 
to  the  marketplace,  she  says. 

"A  lot  of  what  we  hear  suggests  that  once 
music  becomes  commodified  it  loses  its  cul- 
tural meaning,"  says  Negron.  "What  I've 
found  instead,  in  the  case  of  salsa,  was  that 
there  was  a  mutually  reciprocal  relation- 
ship— not  one  without  tension,  but  also 
not  one  where  culture  was  always  subsumed 
to  market  interests."  Salsa  musicians,  she 
explains,  by  and  large  did  not  change  their 
music  to  appeal  to  majority  audiences,  and 
at  the  same  time  Fania  Records  tried  to 
identify  with  the  community  and  its 
cultural  practices.  What  tensions  did  arise 
related  to  disputes  about  royalties  and 
about  creative  autonomy — concerns  not 
uncommon  in  any  recording  studio. 


The  idea  for  her  dissertation  arose  when 
she  taught  a  course  on  Latinos  in  the  music 
industry  during  a  fellowship  at  Stanford, 
where  she  earned  a  master's  and  a  PhD. 
During  her  first  semester  as  a  Kay  fellow  at 
Brandeis,  she  taught  a  course  on  Latin 
music  in  the  United  States  since  the  early 
twentieth  century.  She  has  heard  the  occa- 
sional joke  about  studying  a  seemingly 
nonacademic  subject  like  salsa  music.  But 
popular  culture  is  coming  to  be  respected 
within  academia  as  a  means  of  examining 
social  issues,  she  says. 

"Music,"  says  Negron,  "can  provide  a 
comfortable  vehicle  through  which  to  start 
talking   about   the   transnational   flows   of 


salsa  and  Latin  music  shows  that  Latinos 
have  influenced  the  broader  U.S.  culture; 
Witness  the  planned  release  later  this  year 
of  a  new  movie  called  El  Cantante,  starring 
Marc  Anthony  and  Jennifer  Lopez,  about 
the  life  of  Nuyorican  salsa  star  Hector 
Lavoe.  Yet  many  people  still  see  Latinos  as 
only  immigrants  or  criminals,  she  says. 

The  discussions  are  also  personal  for 
Negron,  who  was  born  and  raised  in  Con- 
necticut. Now  thirty-five,  she  grew  up  after 
the  period  she  studied  and  calls  herself  a 
child  of  the  hip-hop  generation.  Attending 
college  at  Dartmouth,  she  began  reading 
Nuyorican  poetry.  "It  made  me  realize,"  she 
says,  "that  my  experience  as  a  Puerto  Rican 


'It's  not  that  the  musicians  were  carelessly  playing 
while  the  city  burned.  It  was  their  way  of  resisting 
what  was  happening  to  their  community." 


music  and  what  that  means  for  the  transna- 
tional flows  of  the  economy  and  of  people 
crossing  borders." 

Indeed,  for  Negron,  a  discussion  about 
the  popularity  of  Latin  music  leads  to  her 
questioning  the  terms  on  which  Latinos  are 
being  asked  to  integrate  into  U.S.  society. 
On  the  one  hand,  the  ongoing  success  of 


young  woman  at  the  time,  of  my  family  in 
this  country,  was  not  an  individual  experi- 
ence, but  one  which  existed  in  a  historical 
context."  That  history  and  its  rhythms  have 
moved  her  ever  since. 

Lewis  I.  Rice  '86  is  a  freelance  ivriter  in 
Arlington,  Massachusetts. 


Briiiuleis  University  Magazine  |  Sqiiiig  "0? 


deisarts 


music 


Peter  Pan  Grows  Up 

Bernstein's  forgotten  music  gets  a  fresh  hearing. 


By  Ken  Gornstein 


Like  Peter  Pan  himself,  Leonard  Bernstein's  music  tor  the 
1950  Broadway  production  of  J.  M.  Barries  fantastical 
childhood  classic  seemed  destined  to  never  grow  up. 

For  starters,  two  of  the  eight  songs  Bernstein  penned  for  the 
show  were  cut  due  to  the  limited  vocal  ranges  of  Boris  Karloff,  who 
starred  as  Captain  Hook,  and  Marcia  Henderson,  who  played 
Wendy.  Further,  Bernstein's  incidental  score  was  dropped  in  subse- 
quent recordings  of  the  show  in  favor  of  music  by  Alec  Wilder.  And 
although  the  show  enjoyed  critical  acclaim  and  a  successful  year- 
long run,  it  was  soon  eclipsed  in  popularit)'  by  the  1954  version 
starting  Mary  Martin  and  Cyril  Ritchard. 

Bernstein's  Pan  languished  in  relative  obscurity  until  it  was  pub- 
lished on  CD  by  Koch  International  Classics  in  2005.  Now,  a 
Brandeis  undergraduate  hopes  to  conduct  the  score's  first  live  per- 
formance at  this  year's  Leonard  Bernstein  Festival  of  the  Creative 
Arts,  the  five-day  extravaganza  started  by  the  maestro  himself  during 
his  teaching  days  at  Brandeis  in  the  early  fift;ies. 

"I  love  Peter  Pan — I  think  its  historic  importance  may  be  under- 
played a  bit,"  explained  Deniz  Cordell  '07,  an  English  and  Ameri- 
can literature  and  creative  writing  major  originally  from 
Poughkeepsie,  New  York.  'And  I've  loved  Leonard  Bernstein's 
music  for  a  very  long  time.  It  strikes  a  very  American  chord  but  also 
a  very  emotional  chord.  So,  after  listening  to  the  [Koch]  CD,  I 
thought,  'Someone  really  needs  to  bring  this  back  in  a  live  setting.'" 

Cordell  describes  Bernstein's  Pan  as  a  "fascinating  bridge"  to  two 
of  his  better-known  theatrical  works,  Cand'tde.  produced  in  1956, 
and  West  Side  Story,  which  made  its  Broadway  debut  in  1957. 

"In  the  more  rambunctious  sections  oi  Peter  Pan,  you  can  see  the 
seeds  of  what  Bernstein  would  do  in  those  later  works,"  Cordell  said. 

For  his  concert,  scheduled  for  April  29  at  5;30  p.m.  at  Slosberg 
Music  Center,  Cordell  envisions  a  small  chamber  orchestra,  rwo 
soloists  (playing  the  roles  of  Captain  Hook  and  Wendy),  a  small 
male  chorus  of  pirates,  and  a  small  female  chorus  of  water  nymphs. 

In  the  spirit  of  Bernstein's  "intellectual  and  artistic  curiosity," 
Cordell  plans  to  open  the  show  with  a  brief  talk,  explaining  the 
motifs  and  thematic  ideas  that  Bernstein  employed  throughout  the 
score,  as  well  as  certain  "in  jokes"  contained  in  the  score. 


"I  want  this  to  reflect  the  Bernstein  ethos,"  Cordell  explained. 
"He  loved  outreach  and  talking  and  teaching  about  his  music. " 

Further  cementing  the  Bernstein  connection,  Cordell  has  invited 
Bernstein's  children,  Jamie,  Alexander,  and  Nina,  and  his  brother. 
Burton,  to  attend  the  performance. 

Ken  Gornstein  is  the  publisher  o/Brandeis  University  Magazine. 


S|)riii^ '07  [  lirarnlris  I  iii\i-isil\    M.iiiMziiie 


47 


larts 


Highlights 


Wednesday,  April  25 
Festival  Grand  Opening 

Opening  of  spring  exhibitions  by  John  Armleder  at  the  Rose  Art 
Museum  and  by  students  in  the  postbaccalaureate  studio  art 
program  in  the  Spingold  Theater  Center. 

Thursday,  April  26 
Symposium  on  Creativity 

Artist-scholars  from  the  Women's  Studies  Resource  Center  share 
their  sources  of  inspiration. 

Friday,  April  27 
The  Dream  Project 

Dreams  become  real  in  this  innovative  production  by  the  Brandeis 
Theater  Company. 


Saturday,  April  28 

Brahms'  Ein  Deutsches  Requiem 

The  Brandeis-Wellesley  Orchestra,  the  Brandeis  University 
Chorus,  and  Chamber  Choir. 

Sunday,  April  29 
Performing  Arts  Festival 

Throughout  the  afternoon,  more  than  two  hundred  actors, 
singers,  dancers,  and  musicians  perform  in  locations  across  the 
Brandeis  campus.  Perfect  for  families. 

Many  events  are  free,  and  most  are  open  to  the  public.  For  a 
complete  schedule,  visit  wimv.  brandeis.edu/arts/festival. 


Biandi-is  I'liiviTsity  Magazine  |  .Spriiin  '07 


deissports 


track  and  field 


Right  on  track 

Senior  sprinter's  success  is  no  surprise. 


Senior   track-and-field    captain    Machel    Charles    is    full    of 
surprises. 
Though  he  never  competed  formally  in  track  and  field 
before  his  sophomore  year,  as  a  junior  he  won  the  2006  University 
Athletic  Association  crown  in  the  400-meter  run. 

Away  from  the  track,  he  plays  four  musical  instruments — violin, 
saxophone,  flute,  and  tuba — sometimes  practicing  hours  at  a  time. 
And  after  completing  graduate  school  in  business  to  prepare  for 
a  career  in  finance,  he  wants  to  become  a  Navy  SEAL. 

A  native  of  Hamilton,  Bermuda,  Charles  attended  prep  school  in 
New  Mexico  and  spent  a  year  at  LaSalle  University  in  Philadelphia 
before  transferring  to  Brandeis  after  seeing  its  name  on  a  list  of  top 
computer  science  programs. 


Ksiajyijinii 


By  Adam  Levin 

His  ttack  experience  started  with  a  rite  of  passage  many  Brandeis 
students  dread:  physical  education  testing.  Charles  shone  during  a 
running  event  in  which  participants  wete  awarded  a  popsicle  stick 
for  each  lap  they  completed  around  the  track. 

As  chance  would  have  it,  one  of  those  handing  out  sticks  that  day 
was  sprinting  coach  Mark  Reytblat.  "I  could  tell  right  away  that  he 
was  quite  an  athlete  and  could  be  a  good  track  man,"  says  Reytblat 
says,  who  immediately  tapped  Charles,  with  his  extremely  long 
strides,  for  the  400  event. 

"Mark  said  come  to  practice  the  next  day,"  Charles  recalls. 
"I  came  at  3:30  p.m.  and  never  stopped  coming.  Now,  track  is  the 
reason  I  get  up  in  the  morning." 

Sure,  there  are  the  academic  responsibilities  that  come  with  being 
a  Brandeis  student-athlete — and  Charles,  having  already  completed 
an  economics  major  and  started  another  in  computer  science,  has 
demonstrated  his  commitment  in  that  arena — but  running  track  is 
his  first  love. 

"The  guys  you  work  with  make  it  all  worthwhile,"  he  says,  "but 
you  get  that  same  rush  even  if  it's  just  you  when  the  gun  goes  off." 

Of  course,  track  is  also  helping  Charles  keep  fit  for  what  he  hopes 
will  be  a  future  calling — service  in  the  Navy  SEALs,  an  elite  mili- 
tary force  trained  to  do  unconventional  warfare,  reconnaissance, 
and  recovery  missions  on  the  land,  sea,  and  air.  He  got  a  taste  for 
wilderness  training  as  a  student  at  the  Armand  Hammer  United 
World  College  ot  the  American  West  in  Montezuma,  New  Mexico, 
a  prep  school. 

"Those  experiences  made  me  realize  I  wanted  to  work  with  a 
group  of  people  who  are  ridiculously  motivated  and  qualified  at 
what  they  do.  And  that's  what  the  SEALs  are,"  he  says. 

Why  does  someone  whose  dream  is  to  join  an  elite  military 
group  decide  first  to  attend  an  academically  demanding  university 
like  Brandeis? 

"I  wanted  the  mental  fortitude  that  you  get  from  a  rigorous  edu- 
cation," Charles  says.  "Eventually,  I  will  do  what  I  studied.  But 
first,  I  want  a  shot  at  doing  something  I've  dreamed  about." 

Adam  Levin  '94  is  director  of  sports  information. 


S[Mini:  O""  I  IJtJiridri.s  l'ni\rrsit\'  Magazine 


49 


ADVERTISEMENT 


n 


FROM  BRANDEIS  UNIVERSITY  PRESS 


AT 


oj  ri_r\\^i_!xi    \^rr  i\l.O 


Creating  Virtue  at 
an  American  Corporation 

DANIEL  TERRIS 


ULAR  LIST  PRICE  FOR  BRANDEIS  READERS 


Ethics  at  Work:  Creating  Virtue  at  an 
American  Corporation 

By  Daniel  Terris 

A  fascinating  assessment  of  the  etiiics  program  at  Lockheed  Martin,  one  of  the 
world's  largest  defense  contractors.  This  book  begins  with  a  survey  of  American 
attitudes  toward  ethics  in  business  over  the  past  century,  raising  the  question  of 
whether  ethics  can  be  genuinely  built  into  the  modern  megacorporation.  Daniel 
Terris  spent  two  years  researching  Lockheed  Martm  materials  and  interviewing 
its  ethics  officers  and  ordinary  employees  to  develop  this  rich  case  study. 

"Innovative  ...  a  case  study  in  blending  praise  and  criticism." 
— Chronicle  of  Higher  Education 

Paperback,  978-1-58465-478-0,  176  pp.  •  List  Price  $17.95 


Jewish  Roots  in  Southern  Soil:  A  New  History 

Edited  by  Marcie  Colien  Ferris  and  Marl<  I.  Greenberg 
Foreword  by  Eli  N.  Evans 

This  new  book  offers  essays  that  address  historical  issues  from  the  colonial  era  to 
the  present  and  in  every  region  of  the  South. 

"With  /eu'/'i"/;  Roots  in  Southern  Soil,  the  history  of  Jews  in  the  South  has  finally 
come  of  age.  Boldly  asserting  the  power  of  place,  it  demonstrates  Southern  Jews 
negotiating  complicated  identities  across  time  and  space.  The  result,  these  essays 
masterfully  convince,  is  a  claim  for  this  particular  and  unique  American  identity." 
— Pamela  S.  Nadell,  professor  of  history,  American  University 

Brandeis  Series  in  American  Jewish  History,  Culture,  and  Life 
Paperback,  978-1-58465-589-3,  384  pp.,  42  illus.  •  List  Price  $29.95 


Please  use 
code  #ADB2 

when  you  place 
your  order  with 
UPNE  by  phone, 
fax,  or  online. 


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(603)  448-9429  fax 
www.upne.com 


I 


Leo  Strauss  and  the  Politics  of  Exile:  The  Making 
of  a  Political  Philosopher 

By  Eugene  R.  Sheppard 


A  probing  study  that  demystifies  the  common  portrayal  of  Leo  Strauss  as  the 
inspiration  for  American  neoconservatism  by  tracing  his  philosophy  to  its 
..,.      German  Jewish  roots. 

"With  a  graceful  weave  of  biography,  historical  context,  and  philosophical 
analysis,  Eugene  Sheppard  presents  an  intellectual  portrait  of  Leo  Strauss  that 
boldly  challenges  the  cliches  that  becloud  his  legacy." 
— Paul  Mendes-Flohr,  Divinity  School,  University  of  Chicago 


Tauber  Institute  for  the  Study  of  European  Jewry  Series 
Hardcover,  978-58465-600-5,  188  pp.  •  List  Price  $24.95 


I 


deisbooks 


I      A  «r-jii 


Faculty 

Glorious,  Accursed  Europe: 
An  Essay  on  Jews,  Israelis, 
Europe,  and  Western  Culture 
By  Jehuda  Reinharz,  PhD'72,  and 

Yaacov  Shavit 
237  pages, 
Am  Oved  Publishers  Ltd. 

Brandeis  president  Reinharz,  an 
authority  on  Jewish  history,  and 
Shavit,  a  professor  at  Tel  Aviv 

University,  write 
about  the  dual  atti- 
tude (glorious, 
accursed)  that  Jews 
living  in  Europe 
have  had  over  the 
years  toward  the 
Continent,  its  values, 
and  its  ideals.  The 
attitudes  can  be  dis- 
cerned through  vari- 
ous predictions  ot 
Jews  about  the 
future  of  Europe  and  through  the  ten- 
sion between  the  trends  of  accultura- 
tion of  Jews  within  the  various 
European  countries  and  the  trends 
toward  reshaping  a  distinct  Jewish 
identity,  culture,  and  heritage. 


Alumni 

ABCs  for  Seniors:  Successful 
Aging  Wisdonn  from  an 
Outrageous  Gerontologist 

By  Ruth  Harriet  Jacobs, 

MA66,  PhD'66 
208  pages,  $19.95, 
Hatala  Geroproducts 

Social  worker  and  gerontologist 
Jacobs  has  put  together  a  playful 
book  with  a  serious  purpose:  to 
bring  seniors  messages  of  impor- 
tance on  themes  from  pets  to 
depression,  sexuality  to  voluntarism, 
enjoyment  of  nature  to  special  serv- 
ices that  are  available  to  them.  The 
author  shares  her  wisdom  in  an 


A  i  C's 
seniors 


ABC  of  verses  ("F 
is  for  fun/Do  have 
a  ton/Alone  or  with 
a  mate/You  should 
celebrate")  and  over 
thirty  brief  essays 
on  topics  including 
humor,  communi- 
cating with  doctors, 
and  beating  the 
summer  heat. 


Ihe  Actor's  Other  Career 
Book:  Using  Your  Chops  to 
Survive  and  Thrive 

By  Lisa  Mulcahy  '86 

206  pages,  $19.95,  Allworth  Press 

If  the  smell  of  the  greasepaint  has 
lured  you  to  pound  the  pavement  in 
New  York,  you've  likely  given  some 
thought  to  waiting  on  tables,  because, 
hey,  it's  a  tough  city,  and  what's  an 
out-ot-work  actor  to  do?  Interviewing 
dozens  of  sometime  thespians, 

Mulcahy,  an  actor, 
teacher,  director, 
and  writer,  has  come 
up  with  an  array  of 
alternative  answers. 
Through  short  pro- 
files, she  sheds  light 
on  gainlul  jobs  that 
build  upon  the  same 
talents  that  make  for 
good  acting.  Beyond 
talking  with  people 
in  obviously  related 
jobs — like  doing  voice-overs  and 
teaching  acting — the  author  shows 
how  players  earn  their  bread  as 
communications  consultants,  product 
demonstrators,  and  fitness  instruc- 
tors, as  well  as  in  other  pursuits. 


Bridges  of  Faith 

By  Monique  L.  Spalding  '93 
207  pages,  $13.99,  Xulon  Press 

A  born-again  Christian,  past 
Catholic,  and  onetime  U.S.  soldier. 


The  Actor's 


Career  Book 


Spalding  now  serves  as  a  deaconess  at 
the  Yoido  Full  Gospel  Church  in 
Korea,  where  she  is  working  on  a 
master  of  divinity  degree.  Vibrant 
with  gratitude, 
Spalding  discerns 
miracles  in  small 
things — from  veter- 
J]])(^]|^3    4      ans' tuition  benefits 
A-/T  T  J—f':      to  a  deli  owner's  gift 
of  free  pizza  to  the 
courage  to  shout 
down  a  Satan  wor- 
shipper in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ. 
With  humor  and 
conviction,  Spalding 
tells  of  her  faith  in  Christ  and  of 
many  instances  in  which  she  per- 
ceived his  personal  blessings. 


Chicken  on  Church  and 
Other  Poems 

By  Jeremy  Earner  '58 
100  pages,  $14.95, 
Big  Rooster  Press 

A  novelist,  screenwriter,  and  free- 
lance journalist.  Earner  won  a  Best 
Original  Screenplay  Academy  Award 
in  1973  for  The  Candidate.  His  arti- 
cles and  short  stories  have  appeared 
in  numerous  magazines,  including 

the  Paris  Review  and 
Life.  Chicken  on 
Church,  his  first 
poetry  collection,  is 
accompanied  by  a 
CD  of  him  reading 
poems  that  vary 
widely  in  length, 
mood,  and  subject. 
The  briefest:  "Duty 
is  proof,  proof 
duty:/That  is  all  ye 
know/In  hell,  and 
even  that/Ye  don't  know  very  well. " 
Lamer  was  inspired  to  write  the 
book  upon  wandering  Lower  Man- 
hattan and  bumping  into  a  giant 
chicken  on  the  corner  of  Church  and 
White  Streets. 


dei.^ 


books 


52 


The  Engaged  Sociologist: 
Connecting  the  Classroom 
to  the  Community 
By  Kathleen  Odell  Korgen  and 

Jonathan  M.  White  '90 
208  pages,  $26.95, 
Pine  Forge  Press 

The  Engaged 
Sociologist  brings 
the  public  sociology 
movement  into  the 
classroom,  as  it 
teaches  students  to 
use  the  tools  of 
sociology  to  become 
effective  partici- 
pants in  our 
democratic  society. 
Through  exercises 
and  projects,  authors  White,  assistant 
professor  of  sociology  at  Bridgewater 
State  College,  and  Korgen,  associate 
professor  of  sociology  at  William 
Patterson  University,  encourage 
students  to  practice  the  application 
of  these  tools  in  order  to  get  both 
hands-on  training  in  sociolog)'  and 
experience  with  civic  engagement  in 
their  communities. 


Enter  at  Your  Own  Risk: 
The  Dangerous  Art  of 
Dennis  Cooper 

Edited  by  Leora  Lev  '82 

278  pages,  $49.50, 

Fairleigh  Dickinson  University  Press 

Dennis  Cooper  has 
been  both  praised 
and  censured  as  the 
most  controversial 
writer  working 
today  for  his 
creation  of  a 
searing,  outlaw 
textuality  that 
charts  psychosexual 
terrain  uncensored 
by  desire  police. 
This  volume  is  the  first  to  explore 
Cooper's  significance  as  a  pioneering 


Biaiiilei>  I 'tii\ersity  Magazim-  |  Srpiiiti  "07 


literary  artist  who  illuminates  the 
hidden  or  repressed  extremities  of 
the  fin  de  millennium  American 
Zeitgeist.  Lev,  an  associate  professor  at 
Bridgewater  State  College,  has 
assembled  a  roster  of  internationally 
acclaimed  scholars,  fiction  writers, 
filmmakers,  and  artists  who  conjure 
a  provocative  encounter  between 
Cooper's  fiction  and  European  trans- 
gressive  literature  and  philosophy 
and  American  psychocultural 
topographies. 


The  Exodus  Haggadah 

By  Seth  Ben-Mordecai 

(ne  Watkins)  '77 
160  pages,  $24.95, 
Vayomer  Publishing  Company 

Published  in  Hebrew  and  English, 
this  Haggadah — an  account  of  the 
Exodus  story  designed  for  reading  at 
the  Passover 
Seder — attempts  to 
address  the  need 
among  contempo- 
rary Jews  for  a 
Haggadah  that 
respects  tradition 
but  is  accessible  to 
all,  regardless  of 
schooling  in  Jewish 
history  or  tradition. 
Prepared  by 
Ben-Mordecai,  a 
Semitic  linguist  and  lawyer,  the  book 
renders  the  Hebrew  text  in  clear, 
contemporary  English.  Alongside  the 
story.  The  Exodus  Haggadah  contains 
rabbinical  commentary,  prayers,  and 
ritual  instructions. 


Hell's  Belles 

By  Jacqueline  Morse  Kessler  '92 
320  pages,  $15, 
Kensington/Zebra  Books 

Jezebel's  not  your  average  exotic 
dancer.  For  one  thing,  she's  a  four- 
thousand-year-old  succubus.  For 


another,  she's  on  the  run  from  Hell 
(which  isn't  easy  to  do  in  high 
heels).  Hiding  on  the  mortal  coil  as 
a  human  doesn't 
protect  her  from 
muggers,  lactose 
intolerance  ...  or 
having  feelings  for 
Paul  Hamilton,  a 
man  haunted  by  his 
past.  Demons  are 
closing  in,  which  is 
enough  to  make 
Jezebel  shiver  in  her 
G-string.  But  it's 
her  love  for  Paul 
that's  going  to  have  deadly  conse- 
quences. (Humans,  she  laments, 
really  should  come  with  instruction 
manuals.)  This  debut  novel  by 
Kessler,  who  has  several  short  stories 
to  her  credit,  has  been  praised  as 
"steamy,  humorous,  and  fast-paced. " 


How  Bush  Rules:  Chronicles 
of  a  Radical  Regime 

By  Sidney  Blumenthal  '69 
416  pages,  $26.95, 
Princeton  University  Press 

In  a  series  of  columns  and  essays 
that   former  Clinton  adviser  Sidney 
Blumenthal  wrote  in  the  three  years 
following  the  2003  invasion  of  Iraq, 
a  unifying  theme  began  to  emerge: 
that  Bush,  billed  by  himself  and  by 
many  others  as  a 
conservative,  is  in 
tact  a  radical.  In 
Hou'  Bush  Rules, 
Blumenthal  pro- 
vides a  trenchant 
and  vivid  account 
of  the  progression 
of  Bush's  radical 
style,  from  his 
reliance  on  one- 
party  rule  and 
his  unwillingness 
to  allow  internal  debate  to  his 
elevation  of  the  power  of  the 
vice  president. 


SIDNEYBUIMENIHAl 


10^^  ye 


GHRONICUSOFA 
RADICALREGIME 


How  to  Survive 
Getting  into  College 

Edited  by  Rachel  Korn  '97 
260  pages,  $13.95, 
Hundreds  of  Heads  Books 


How  to  Survive 
Getting  Into 

College 


This  book  amalga- 
mates advice  from 
liLiiidreds  of 
successful  college 
applicants  to 
provide  a  survival 
roadmap  for  those 
who  follow.  It  offers 
suggestions  on 
everything  from 
filling  out  the 
common  applica- 
tion to  remembering  to  smile  during 
the  interview,  covering  test-taking 
strategies,  selection  criteria,  school 
visits,  and  essay  writing.  Formerly  a 
member  of  the  admissions  staff  at 
Brandeis,  Korn  holds  a  master's  in 
higher  education  administration 
from  Harvard. 


It  Can  Happen  Here: 
Authoritarian  Peril  in  the 
Age  of  Bush 

By  Joe  Conason  '75 
256  pages,  $24.95, 
Thomas  Dunne  Books 


JOE  CONASON 


In  1935,  Nobel 
Prize-winning 
author  Sinclair 
Lewis  depicted 
authoritarianism 
American-style  in 
his  sardonically 
titled,  grim  novel  It 
Can't  Happen  Here. 
Now,  best-selling 
political  journalist 
Conason  argues  that 
it  can  happen  here — and  a  select 
group  of  extremely  powerful  right- 
wing  ideologues  are  driving  us  ever 
closer  to  the  precipice.  In  this  com- 
pelling, impassioned,  yet  rational  and 
fact-based  look  at  the  state  of  the 


IT  CAN  HAPPEN 

HERE 

AUTHORITARIAN  PERIL 
IN  THE  AGE  OF  BUSH 


nation,  Conason  shows  how  and 
why  America  has  been  wrenched 
away  from  its  founding  principles 
and  is  being  dragged  toward 
authoritarianism. 


Jasper  Johns:  From 
Plate  to  Print 

By  Elizabeth  DeRose  '97 

1 12  pages,  $24, 

Yale  University  Art  Gallery 

The  exhibition 
Jasper  Johns:  From 
Plate  to  Print, 
which  continues 
through  April  1  at 
the  Yale  University 
Art  Gallery,  is  the 
first  professional 
show  ever  organ- 
ized by  DeRose, 
the  Florence  R. 
Selden  Curatorial 
Assistant  at  the  gallery.  In  the  exhibi- 
tion and  accompanying  catalog, 
DeRose  takes  an  in-depth  look  at  the 
contemporary  artist's  intaglio  print 
Untitled  {\999),  a  response  to  Ger- 
man Renaissance  artist  Matthias 
Greenwald's  dramatic  Resurrection 
panel  from  an  early  sixteenth-century 
altarpiece.  In  his  foreword  to  the 
book,  Jock  Reynolds,  director  ol  the 
gallery,  notes  that  the  unusual  struc- 
ture of  the  exhibition  offers  "an 
unprecedented  opportunity  to  visually 
follow  one  of  the  preeminent  artists  of 
our  time  through  his  process  of  artis- 
tic creation." 


Nobody  Gonna  Turn  Me 
'Round:  Songs  and  Stories 
of  the  Civil  Rights  Movement 

By  Doreen  Rappaport  61 
63  pages,  $19.99, 
Candlewick  Press 

In  this  concluding  book  of  their 
award-winning  trilogy  about  the 
black  American  experience  that 


enna. 


(iohet{u  (7( 


includes  No  More!  (2002)  and  Free  at 
Last!  (2004),  Rappaport,  the  author 
of  nearly  twenty  juvenile  fiction  and 
nonfiction  books, 
partnered  with  illus- 
trator Shane  W. 
Evans.  The  book 
draws  on  songs, 
poems,  memories, 
letters,  court 
testimony,  and  first- 
person  accounts  to 
provide  a  moving 
portrayal  of  the 
experiences  of 
African  Americans 
from  the  1955  Montgomery  Bus 
Boycott  to  the  Voting  Rights  Act  in 
July  1965.  Along  the  way,  Rappaport 
introduces  little-known  as  well  as 
famous  figures  and  incidents  in  a 
way  that  is  fresh  and  informative. 


One  World:  A  View 
of  Fifty  Countries 

By  Michael  S.  Lewis  '64 

280  pages,  $49.95,  Self-published 

Lewis,  an 
orthopedic 
surgeon  and 
avid  photog- 
rapher, has 
collected  235 
of  his 
favorite 

images  from  the  past  thirty  years  into 
this  beautiful  coffee-table  book.  The 
photographs  are  not  intended  to  be 
representative  of  the  places  Lewis  has 
visited  during  his  extensive  travels, 
but  are  rather,  as  he  writes  in  the 
book's  foreword,  "scenes,  animals,  or 
people  that  caught  one  person's  atten- 
tion." Proceeds  from  the  book  benefit 
the  Himalayan  Cataract  Project,  an 
organization  dedicated  to  establishing 
a  sustainable  eye-care  infrastructure 
in  the  Himalayan  countries  of  Nepal, 
Tibet,  China,  Bhutan,  India,  Sikkim, 
and  Pakistan.  The  book  is  available  at 
michaelslewismd.com. 


(I(MS 


booke 


54 


The  Poetry  of  Louise  Gluck: 
A  Thematic  Introduction 

By  Daniel  Morris,  MA'88,  PhD'92 
274  pages,  $42.50, 
University  of  Missouri  Press 

In  this  new  study  ot  the  work  of 
Louise  Gluck,  Morris,  a  professor  ot 
English  at  Purdue  University,  explores 
how  the  acclaimed 
poet  and  former 
visiting  professor  at 
Brandeis  uses  char- 
acters from  history, 
the  Bible,  and  even 
fairy  tales  to  treat 
her  persistent 
themes  of  desire, 
hunger,  trauma,  and 
survival.  He  particu- 
larly shows  how 
Gluck's  creative 
reading  of  past  poets  expresses  her 
vision  of  Judaism  as  a  way  of 
thinking  about  canonical  texts. 


Reflections:  Auschwitz, 
Memory,  and  a  Life 
Recreated 

By  Agi  Rubin  and  Henry 

Greenspan,  PhD'86 
226  pages,  $14.95,  Paragon  House 

The  fruit  of  a 
twenty-five-year  con- 
versation between 
Rubin,  a  Holocaust 
survivor,  and 
Greenspan,  a  psy- 
chologist and  play- 
wright, Reflections 
describes  the  fate  of 
Holocaust  memories 
over  the  course  of  an 
entire  life.  "New 
experiences  reflect  old  ones,"  Rubin 
notes.  "They  put  them  in  a  different 
light,  or  a  different  darkness."  These 
reflections,  the  continuing  dialogue 
between  past  and  present,  are  the 
story  this  book  tells  about  Auschwitz, 
memory,  and  a  life  re-created. 


I!iaii(lii>  UniviTsily  Manazinr  |  SrpiTii;  "07 


Repairs 

By  Jessica  de  Koninck  '75 

26  pages,  $14,  Finishing  Line  Press 


REPAIRS 


Jessica   G.   de   Koninck 


De  Koninck,  who 
holds  a  law  degree 
and  has  long  been 
active  in  town  poli- 
'w        tics  and  community 
^^^^^^^^m         service  in  Mont- 
^^^^^^^^^V         clair.  New  Jersey, 

anthology  to  the 
memory  of  her  hus- 
band, Paul  '77,  who 
died  of  kidney 
cancer  in  2002.  In  twenty-three 
moving  poems,  she  writes  of  quiet 
memories,  vivid  dreams,  and  the 
pain  of  loss.  Comments  Baron 
Wormser,  former  poet  laureate  of 
Maine,  "Jessica  de  Koninck's  poems 
confront  the  presence  of  absence, 
that  sense  of  utter  loss  that  blinds  us 
while  it  illuminates  life's  starkest, 
most  touching  depths." 


Replays:  Using  Play  to 
Enhance  Emotional  and 
Behavioral  Development  for 
Children  v\/ith  Autism 
Spectrum  Disorders 

By  Karen  Levine  '82  and 

Naomi  Chedd 
137  pages,  $19.95, 
Jessica  Kingsley  Publishers 

In  Replays,  Levine,  clinical  director 
for  autism  and  developmental  dis- 
abilities at  the  Cambridge  Center  for 
Child  and  Adoles- 
cent Development 
in  Massachusetts, 
and  Chedd,  a  men- 
tal-health counselor 
and  educational 
consultant  in  pri- 
vate practice, 
address  the  chal- 
lenging behaviors  of 
children  with 
autism  spectrum 


disorders  through  interactive 
symbolic  play.  It  shows  parents  and 
ptofessionals  how  to  help  children 
access  their  emotions,  whether  the 
child  is  verbal  or  not,  cognitively 
able  or  impaired,  even-tempered  or 
volatile.  The  chapters  introduce  and 
show  readers  how  to  implement 
replays,  and  they  describe  ways  of 
adapting  this  intervention  to  address 
specific  issues  in  different  settings 
and  circumstances. 


Science  Giants:  Life  Science 

By  Alan  Ticotsky  '71 
140  pages,  $16.95, 
Good  Year  Books 

From  Rachel 
Carson  to  Louis 
Pasteur,  Charles 
Darwin  to  George 
Washington  Carver, 
Ticotsky  introduces 
youngsters  in  grades 
five  through  eight 
to  some  of  the  fore- 
most minds  in  the 
life  sciences.  Part  of 
a  series,  this  illus- 
trated workbook  demonstrates  how 
these  discoverers  came  upon  their 
"big  ideas."  An  elementary-school 
science  teacher  in  Massachusetts  for 
more  than  thirty  years,  Ticotsky  has 
worked  as  a  science  coordinator,  cur- 
riculum developer,  and  mentor  to 
other  teachers  in  his  school  district. 


Shoes  That  Don't  Hurt 

By  Daniel  Fried  '67 
76  pages,  $14, 
Trafford  Publishing 

New  York  attorney  Daniel  A. 
Fried  was  hurting  in  heart  and 
insole,  unable  to  find  a  shoe  he 
could  wear  in  comfort.  No  loafer,  he 
decided  to  take  matters  into  his  own 
hands  for  the  sake  of  his  feet. 
Hoping  to  find  lasting  comfort. 


SHOES  THAT 
DON'T  HURT 


he  attended  a  shoemaking  workshop 
and  made  a  meticulous  study  of  the 
biomechanics  of  walking  to  design 
what  he  calls  the  isodynamic  shoe. 
Had  he  been  an 
arch  heel,  he  would 
have  stuck  out  his 
tongue  and  kept  the 
technique  to  him- 
self Instead,  Fried 
tied  up  with  a  sup- 
portive publisher  to 
print  his  book  Shoes 
That  Don't  Hurt, 
saying,  in  effect, 
"Eyelet  you  in  on 
my  secret."  This 
volume  will  revamp  everything  you 
need  to  know  about  shoes,  paving 
the  way  to  happy  feet. 


Strange  Harvest: 
Organ  Transplants, 
Denatured  Bodies,  and 
ttte  Transformed  Self 

By  Lesley  A.  Sharp  78 
322  pages,  $24.95, 
University  ot  California  Press 


In  Strange  Harvest, 
Sharp,  professor  of 
anthropology  at 
Barnard  College  and 
associate  professor 
ot  anthropology 
and  sociomedical 


tj  illU  SULlUlliCUlCiU 

:^  sciences  at  the 

■H^tf^^ljl  Mailman  School  of 

-^■'"--^  Public  Health  at 

.j^gA  t-A)lumbia  University, 

^__^^HI  illuminates  the  won- 


drous yet  disquieting 
medical  realm  of  organ  transplanta- 
tion by  drawing  on  the  voices  of  those 
most  deeply  involved:  transplant 
recipients,  clinical  specialists,  and  the 
surviving  kin  of  deceased  organ 
donors.  In  this  rich  and  deeply 
engaging  ethnographic  study.  Sharp 
explores  how  these  parties  think 
about  death,  loss,  and  mourning, 
especially  in  light  of  medical  taboos 


Second  Edidoii 


MICHAEL 


surrounding  donor  anonymity.  As 
Sharp  argues,  new  forms  of  embodied 
intimacy  arise  in  response,  and  the 
riveting  insights  gleaned  from  her 
interviews,  observations,  and  descrip- 
tions of  donor  memorials  and  other 
transplant  events  expose  how  patients 
and  donor  lamilies  make  sense  ol  the 
transfer  ot  body  parts  from  the  dead 
to  the  living. 


Technical  Analysis  Plain 

and  Simple:  Charting  the 

Markets  in  Your  Language 

(Second  Edition) 

By  Michael  N.  Kahn  '80 

309  pages,  $24.99,  Prentice  Hall 


In  this  fully  updated  edition  ot  an  ear- 
lier publication,  Kahn  shares  invest- 
ment advice  based 
upon  his  more  than 
rwo  decades"  experi- 
ence as  a  product 
designer,  analyst, 
and  teacher.  Touted 
as  a  primer  for 
novice  investors,  the 
book  shows  how  to 
bring  clarity  and 
objectivity  to  invest- 
ment decisions, 
uncover  new  oppor- 
tunities, and  manage  risk.  A  widely 
sought-after  guest  on  financial  televi- 
sion networks,  Kahn  writes  extensively 
on  investment  both  in  his  proprietary 
newsletter.  Quick  Takes  Pro,  and  in 
columns  for  Barron's  Online. 


Technical 
Analysis 

Plain  and  Simp! 


Charting  the  Market: 
in  Your  Language 


Unruly  Immigrants:  Rights, 
Activism,  and  Transnational 
South  Asian  Politics  in  the 
United  States 

By  Monisha  Das  Gupta, 

MA94,  PhD'99 
318  pages,  $22.95, 
Duke  University  Press 

Das  Gupta,  assistant  professor  of 
ethnic  studies  and  women's  studies 


at  the  University  of 
Hawaii,  examines 
seven  progressive 
South  Asian  social 
movements  in  the 
post- 1965  United 
States.  Focusing  on 
feminist,  "queer," 
and  labor  organiza- 
tions, she  traces 
their  development 
and  politics  as  well 
as  the  conflicts  that  have  emerged 
within  the  groups  over  questions  of 
sexual,  class,  and  political  identities. 


Vision  Loss  in  Older  Adults: 
Nursing  Assessment  and 
Care  Management 

Edited  by  Susan  Crocker 

Houde,  PhD'96 
213  pages,  $45, 
Spring  Publishing  Company 

Listing  the  four  leading  causes  of  age- 
related  vision  loss  as  macular  degener- 
ation, cataracts,  glaucoma,  and 
diabetic  retinopathy,  Houde  provides 
information  tor 


VISION 
LOSS  IN 
OLDER 
ADULTS 


Nursing 
Assessment 
cmii  Care 
Management 


Susan  Crocker  Houde 


nursmg  practitioners 
on  the  causes  of 
these  conditions,  as 
well  as  their  effects, 
diagnoses,  and 
management. 
Chapters  on  the 
psychological  and 
social  impact  of 
vision  loss  will 
enable  nurses  to 
better  meet  the 
complex  needs  ot  patients  and 
their  families.  A  certified  nurse  prac- 
titioner, the  author  currently  serves  as 
an  associate  professor  of  nursing  and 
director  of  the  nursing  graduate 
programs  at  the  University  of 
Massachusetts-Lowell.  She  holds  a 
master's  degree  in  gerontological 
nursing  from  UMass— Lowell  and  a 
PhD  in  social  policy  with  a  specialty 
in  aging  from  the  Heller  School. 


dei> 


^is 


books 


56 


Brandeis  University 
Press 

Leo  Strauss  and  the  Politics 
of  Exile:  The  Making  of  a 
Political  Philosopher 
By  Eugene  Sheppard 
188  pages,  $24.95 

Born  in  rural 
Hesse,  Germany, 
Leo  Strauss 
(1899-1973) 
liecame  an  active 
Zionist  and 
philosopher  during 
the  tumultuous  and 
fractious  Weimar 
Republic.  As 
Sheppard,  associate 
professor  of  modern 
Jewish  thought  and  history  at 
Brandeis,  demonstrates  in  this 
groundbreaking  and  engaging  book, 
Strauss  gravitated  toward  such 
thinkers  as  Franz  Rosenzweig, 
Martin  Heidegger,  and  Carl  Schmitt 
as  he  sought  to  identify  and  over- 
come fundamental  philosophical, 
political,  and  theological  crises.  The 
rise  of  Nazism  impelled  Strauss  as  a 
young  Jewish  emigre,  first  in  Europe 
and  then  in  America,  to  grapple 
with — and  accommodate  his 
thought  to — the  pressing  challenges 
of  exile.  In  confronting  his  own  state 
of  exile,  Strauss  enlisted  premodern 
Jewish  thinkers  such  as  Moses 
Maimonides  and  Baruch  Spinoza, 
who  earlier  addressed  the  problem  of 
reconciling  their  competing  loyalties 
as  philosophers  and  Jews. 


Lone  Stars  of  David:  The 
Jews  of  Texas 

Compiled  and  edited  by 
HoUace  Ava  Weiner  and 
Kenneth  D.  Roseman 

307  pages,  $34.95 

Add  up  all  the  Jewish  people  in 
Texas  and  you'll  find  a  community 


■iincleis  L'liiversitv  Magazine  |  Srpiii^  '07 


not  quite  as  big  as  little  Brownsville. 
But  a  small  minority — just  six- 
tenths  of  1  percent  of  Texas's 
population — can  pack  a  big  cultural 
wallop.  Noting  that  "Jewish  life  in 
the  United  States  is  too  often  told 
from  an  East  Coast  perspective,"  the 
editors  of  this  generously  illustrated 
book  show  us  Jews  who  fought  for 
the  Confederacy,  Jews  who  drilled 
for  oil,  Jews  who  herded  cattle  on 
the  Chisholm  Trail,  and  Jews  who 
faced  up  to  the  Ku  Kliix  Klan.  In  a 
series  of  twenty-one  essays,  the  book 
introduces  the  founders  of  Neiman 
Marcus,  Zales  jewelers,  and  Dell 
Computer;  exposes  colorful  person- 
alities like  cowboy  music  songster 
and  gubernatorial  hopeful  Kinky 
Friedman,  musician  and  politician 
Anna  Hertzberg,  and  million-acre 
rancher  Mayer 
Halff;  and  spot- 
lights a  Holocaust 
museum  in  El  Paso, 
onetime  Zionist 
labor  camps  near 
Dallas,  and  a 
makeshift  Jewish 
Sunday  school  at 
Sam  Goldman's 
store  in  the  oil 
patch  of  East  Texas. 


Suddenly  Jewish:  Jews 
Raised  as  Gentiles  Discover 
Their  Jewish  Roots 

By  Barbara  Kessel 
137  pages,  $21.95 
(new  in  paperback) 

Whether  to  escape  persecution, 
impress  potential  employers, 
acclimate  to  an  adoptive  family, 
or  simply  fit  in  better  in  new  sur- 
roundings, many  Jews  have  dis- 
carded their  Jewish  identities  to  live 
"new"  lives.  Often,  they  have  not 
even  told  their  children  or  their 
children's  children  about  their  her- 
itage. Kessel,  an  administrator  for 
the  Board  of  Jewish  Education  of 


SUDDENLY 


rewisri 


Greater  New  York, 
relates  the 
stories  of  more 
than  160  people 
who  suddenly 
learned  their  for- 
bears were  Jewish. 
Some  reacted  with 
shock;  some  were 
only  mildly  inter- 
ested; some 
embraced  Jewish 
cultural  and  religious  traditions 
with  the  passion  of  a  convert. 
Many,  Kessel  found,  related  that 
they  always  somehow  "knew,"  and 
felt  they  had  never  quite  fit  in  their 
non-Jewish  surroundings.  Each 
anecdote  makes  for  fascinating, 
invariably  moving,  reading. 


Recordings 

The  Eternal  Question 
(Di  Alta  Kashe) 

Bv  Fraidy  Katz  (nee  Paula  F. 

'  Parsky,  MA'86) 
$15,  Kame'a  Media 

The  Etertuil 
Question  pres- 
ents thirteen 
;  Yiddish  songs 
;  in  musical 
:  settings  that 
l  deftly  shuffle 
:  time  and 
;  space,  each 
one  evoking 
a  different  world.  Drawing  from 
folk  and  popular  sources   Katz 
forges  a  unique  sound,  lovingly 
and  skillfully  built  on  traditional 
foundations  yet  boldly  and 
effortlesly  incorporating  new  sonic 
architecture  and  color.  Musical  fla- 
vors include  country-swing,  soul, 
tango,  jazz,  blues,  and  traditional. 
The  CD  includes  a  twenty-four- 
page  booklet  with  Yiddish  text, 
transliterations,  English  transla- 
tions, songwriter  bios,  and  more. 


develoDinentrfTatters 


Alumni  Establish 
High  Bar  for  Giving 

Many  gifts  reach  $1  million  or  more 

Bolstered  by  rwo  recent  anonymous  gifts, 
the  number  of  alumni  who  have  shown  their 
enduring  commitment  to  the  university  by 
making  gifts  of  $1  million  or  more  to  the 
Campaign  for  Brandeis  has  grown  to 
twenty-seven. 

The  donations  have  established  faculty 
chairs,  created  undergraduate  scholarships 
and  graduate  fellowships,  and  funded  capital 
projects.  The  $1  million  alumni  donors  are: 

Henry  Aboodi  '86 

Anonymous  (3) 

Leonard  Asper  '86 

Alex  Barkas  '68,  trustee 

Aileen  Cabitt  '53 

Jonathan  Davis  '75,  trustee 

Donald  Drapkin  '68,  trustee 

Moses  Feldman  '62 

William  Friedman  '65,  trustee 

Morton  Ginsberg  '56,  trustee 

Gary  Goldberg  '66 

Martin  Gross  '72,  P'Ol,  P'04,  P'08,  trustee 

Kenneth  Kaiserman  '60,  trustee,  and 
Ronald  Kaiserman  '63,  P'07 

Earle  Kazis  '55 

Myra  (Hiatt)  Kraft  '64,  trustee 

Jeanette  Lerman  '69,  trustee 

Ronald  Ratner  '69,  trustee 

Barbara  (Cohen)  Rosenberg  '54,  trustee 

Carol  (Richman)  Saivetz  '69,  P'97, 
P'Ol,  trustee 

Lewis  Serbin  '64  (deceased) 

Robert  Shapiro  '52,  trustee,  and 
Valya  (Kazes)  Shapiro  '61 

Barbara  (Cantor)  Sherman  '54, 
P'83,  fellow 

Robert  Sillerman  '69 

Donald  Soffer  '54,  fellow 

Paul  Zlotoff '72,  fellow 


Schusters  Endow  Institute 

Gift  to  help  train  next  generation  of  investigative  journalists 

Elaine  and  Gerald  Schuster  made  a  gift  of  $5  million  to  Brandeis's  newly  named 
Elaine  and  Gerald  Schuster  Institute  for  Investigative  Journalism,  a  first-of-its- 
kind  center  committed  to  in-depth,  nonpartisan  reporting  on  issues  with  broad 
public  interest. 

Since  its  founding  in  2004,  the  Schuster  Institute,  under  the  direction  of  lead- 
ing investigative  journalist  Florence  Graves,  has  raised  campus  consciousness 
about  journalism's  pivotal  role  in  the  pursuit  of  truth  and  justice,  helped  train  the 
next  generation  of  investigative  journalists,  and  established  a  reputation  for  pro- 
ducing high-quality  public-interest  and  investiga- 
tive journalism. 

"We  thank  the  Schusters  for  their  support  of  this 
groundbreaking  institute,  whose  mission  is  consistent 
with  the  university's  foundational  ideal  of  pursuing 
'truth,  even  unto  its  innermost  parts,'"  said  President 
Jehuda  Reinharz,  PhD'72. 

The  Schuster  Institute's  impact  has  been  felt  both  on 
and  off  campus.  The  institute  has  hosted  an  array  of 
speakers,  including  Pulitzer  Prize-winning  journalist 
Thomas  Friedman  '75,  former  Washington  Post  editor 
Ben  Bradlee,  and  Dead  Man  Walking  author  Sister 
Helen  Prejean,  who  have  reinforced  the  vital  role 
aggressive,  hard-hitting  media  play  in  a  democratic 
society.  The  institute's  major  journalism  projects  have  included  a  collaboration  with  the 
Washington  Post  on  a  story  about  the  Federal  Aviation  Administration's  failure  to  probe 
allegations  that  thousands  of  unapproved  parts  were  installed  on  Boeing  jets  and  a  story 
in  the  Boston  Globe  about  whether  lower  courts  will  narrow  a  U.S.  Supreme  Court  rul- 
ing that  should  make  it  easier  for  employees  to  sue  for  retaliation  in  federal  court. 

"We  are  happy  to  support  the  urgent  work  of  the  institute,  especially  in  this  era  when 
fewer  media  outlets  will  dedicate  the  resources  needed  to  dig  deeply  and  expose  wrong- 
doing," Elaine  Schuster  said.  "The  institute's  efforts  are  much  needed  in  bringing  to 
light  public  policy,  exposing  problems  in  the  criminal  justice  system,  and  pursuing 
often-overlooked  stories  about  injustices  to  women,  children,  and  families.  Brandeis  is 
just  the  right  place  for  this  institute." 

The  Schusters  have  long  been  enthusiastic  and  generous  supporters  of  Brandeis. 
Elaine  is  a  member  of  the  Women's  Studies  Research  Center's  national  board,  and  the 
Schusters  have  also  supported  the  Rose  Art  Museum. 

The  Schuster  Institute  pursues  stories  for  three  major  projects:  the  Political  and 
Social  Justice  Project,  the  Gender  and  Justice  Project,  and  the  Justice  Brandeis  Inno- 
cence Project.  Students  work  closely  with  institute  professionals  who  are  helping  to 
train  the  next  generation  of  investigative  reporters. 


Elaine  and  Gerald  Schuster 


Spriii^  ■()?  I  lir:nMli'i>  I  iiiMTMly  \l:i 


57 


t  , 


tilBlii 


FROM  THE  SENIOR  VICE   PRESIDENT 


Graduate  Engagement  Pays  Dividends 

Brandeis  ranks  twentieth  in  country  for  alumni  giving 


During  a  recent  media  interview,  I  outlined  many 
of  the  initiatives  Brandeis  has  undenaken  to  keep 
alumni  connected  to  the  university:  developing 
vibrant  club  programming,  enhancing  the 
alumni  Web  site,  and  reinvigorating  the  alumni 
travel  program  and  Alumni  Admissions  Council. 
In  the  discussion,  I  explained  to  the  reporter 
that  because  Brandeis  was  founded  in  1948  and 
its  alumni  base  is  so  young,  it  is  especially  important  to  meaning- 
fully engage  recent  graduates  to  keep  them  connected  to  their  class- 
mates and  the  university. 

I  also  had  the  pleasure  of  sharing  with  the  reporter  some  wonder- 
ful news:  These  efforts  seem  to  be  paying  off. 


In  the  most  recent  U.S.  News  &  WorU  Report  rankings  of  American 
research  universities,  Brandeis  was  twentieth  in  the  country  in 
alumni  giving  rate.  For  fisoil  year  2006,  Brandeis  alumni  gifts  totaled 
$19.7  million,  an  all-time  high  and  six  times  what  it  was  a  decade  ago. 

In  addition  to  providing  crucial  support  for  student  scholarships 
and  fellowships,  faculty  chairs,  and  capital  initiatives,  alumni  giving 
serves  as  an  important  gauge  for  the  outside  world  to  measure  how 
Brandeis  graduates  feel  about  their  education. 

Combined  with  the  traditional  support  we  receive  from  friends, 
alumni  giving  is  helping  us  embark  on  a  new  era  of  philanthropy 
at  Brandeis. 

— Nancy  Winship,  P'lO 
Senior  Vice  President  of  Institutional  Advancement 


Coinmuiiitv^  Mourns  Passing  of  Four  Prominent  Fellows 


The  Brandeis  community  mourns  the 
recent  passing  of  several  distinguished 
members  of  the  Board  of  Fellows — Edwin 
Jaffe,  P'74,  Melvin  Nessel,  Jill  Starr,  and 
Bertram  Tackeff,  P'76. 

"I  will  always  recall  with  fondness  the 
personal  time  I  spent  with  each  of  these 
individuals,  whose  enduring  support  of  the 
university  extends  back  to  its  earliest  days," 
said  Brandeis  president  Jehuda  Reinharz, 
PhD'72.  "The  impact  of  their  generosity 
and  leadership  will  be  felt  on  this  campus 
for  many  years  to  come." 

Jaffe,  who  died  on  February  14,  was  the 
son  of  Meyer  Jaffe,  one  of  the  university's 
founding  fathers.  In  honor  of  his  father 
and  brother,  Edwin  Jaffe  established  the 
Meyer  and  Walter  Jaffe  Chair  in  American 


Civilization  and  Politics  at  Brandeis.  He 
served  as  president  of  J  &  J  Corrugated 
Box  Corp.  in  Franklin,  Massachusetts, 
from  1946  until  the  company  was  sold  in 
1986.  At  the  time  of  the  sale,  the  firm  was 
the  largest  independent  company  in  the 
industry.  He  is  survived  by  his  wife,  Lola, 
three  sons  (including  Robert  '74),  a  daugh- 
ter, and  six  grandchildren. 

Nessel,  who  also  died  on  February  14, 
established  the  Melvin  and  Gail  Nessel 
House  at  the  Village  residential  complex  in 
2003.  He  made  his  first  gift  to  Brandeis  in 
1963.  He  founded  the  Fenton  Shoe  Corp.  in 
Cambridge,  Massachusetts,  and  helped  the 
company  become  one  of  the  country's  largest 
shoe  manufacturers.  He  is  survived  by  his  sec- 
ond wife,  Gail,  a  son,  and  two  grandchildren. 


Starr,  who  passed  away  on  January  31, 
served  as  chair  of  the  Board  of  Overseers  of 
the  Rose  Art  Museum  from  1995  to  2001 
and  was  a  life  member  of  the  Greater  Boston 
chapter  of  the  National  Women's  Commit- 
tee. She  and  her  husband,  Sherman,  funded 
the  Starr  Plaza  outside  the  Bernstein-Marcus 
administration  building.  In  addition  to  her 
husband,  she  leaves  four  sons,  two  daugh- 
ters, and  fourteen  grandchildren. 

Tackeff,  who  died  on  February  1 1 ,  served 
as  national  vice  chair  of  the  Board  of 
Fellows  and  traveled  extensively  across  the 
United  States  on  behalf  of  Brandeis.  He 
generously  supported  the  Annual  Fund  and 
Parents  Fund.  He  is  survived  by  his  wife, 
Sterra,  two  sons  (including  Roger  '76),  and 
six  grandchildren. 


ALUMNI  AND  DEVELOPMENT  CONTACTS 


Senior  Vice  President  of 
Institutional  Advancement 

Nancy  Winship,  P'lO 

781-7.%-4002 

winship@brandeis.edu 

Vice  President  of 
Development 

Myles  E.  Weisenberg  78 

781-736-4005 

weisen@brandeis.edu 


Associate  Vice  President  of 
The  Campaign  for  Brandeis 

Susan  Krinsky 
781-736-4006 
krinsky@brandeis.edu 

Assistant  Vice  President  of 
Alumni  and  University 
Relations 

Karen  A.  Engelbourg  '79 

781-736-4107 

kengel@brandeis.edu 


Assistant  Vice  President  of 
Development 

Mark  Ablenian 
781-736-4051 
mableman@brandeis.edu 

Senior  Director  of 
Corporation  and 
Foundation  Giving 

Robert  Silk  '90 
781-736-4052 
rsilk@brandeis.edu 


Director  of  Development 
Communications 

D.avid  E.  Nathan 
781-736-4103 
dnathan  1  @brandeis.edu 

All  naff  may  be  reached  at: 
Brandeis  University 
Mailstop  122 
PO  Box  5491 10 
Waltham,  MA  02454-91 10 


TRANSFORMING   THE  CAMPUS 


Heller  Gets  New  Home 

Schneider  and  Family  Building  captures  school's  pioneering  spirit 

"Without  Irving  Schneider,"  Brandeis  president  Jehuda  Reinharz, 
PhD'72,  said,  "we  wouldn't  be  standing  here." 

"Here"  was  the  Irving  Schneider  and  Family  Building,  the  new 
home  for  the  Heller  School  for  Social  Policy  and  Management, 
which  was  officially  dedicated  during  a  gala  ribbon-cutting  cere- 
mony on  Nov.  3. 

Schneider,  a  longtime  Brandeis  supporter  and  former  trustee 
who  donated  $15  million  for  the  building  that  bears  his  name,  did 
not  attend  the  dedication.  Many  of  his  family  members,  though, 
were  on  hand  for  the  festivities. 

"My  father  has  his  name  on  very  few  institutions  and  buildings  in 
the  world,"  said  his  daughter,  Lynn,  as  three  generations  of  the 
Schneider  family  joined  to  cut  the  ribbon.  "But  he  did  choose  to  put 
his  name  on  this  building." 

Trustee  Tom  Glynn,  PhD'77,  chairman  of  Heller's  Board  of 
Overseers,  said  the  new  building,  which  was  designed  by  Kyu  Sung 
Woo  Architects,  captures  Heller's  pioneering  spirit  and  sense  of 
community.  He  particularly  lauded  the  Rhonda  S.  and  Michael  J. 
Zinner  Forum,  a  public  atrium  space  that  will  serve  as  a  kind  of 
"town  square "  for  the  school. 

"This  is  a  monumental  occasion  in  the  history  of  Heller,"  he  said. 

The  new  facility,  connected  to  the  Heller-Brown  Building,  dou- 
bles the  school's  existing  space  with  the  addition  of  more  than 
34,000  square  feet. 

The  Zinner  Forum,  made  possible  by  a  $3.5  million  gift  from 
the  Zinner  family,  is  designed  for  lectures,  events,  and  faculty- 
student  interaction. 

Other  donors  who  were  recognized  for  their  important  contribu- 
tions to  the  construction  of  the  building  included  Heller  overseer 


The  Irving  Schneider  and  Family  Building,  new  home  to  the  Heller  School 
for  Social  Policy  and  Management. 

Susan  Rothenberg  and  her  husband,  Danny;  Brandeis  trustee  Jack 
Connors;  Heller  overseer  Moses  Feldman  '62;  Heller  professor 
Larry  Bailis  and  his  late  wife,  Susan,  a  former  Brandeis  trustee; 
Heller  overseer  Paul  Egerman  and  his  wife,  Joanne;  Heller  dean 
Stuart  Altman,  the  Sol  C.  Chaikin  Professor  of  National  Health 
Policy,  and  his  wife,  Diane;  Stan  Wallack,  the  executive  director  of 
the  Schneider  Institutes  for  Health  Policy,  and  his  wife,  Anya;  over- 
seer Robert  Danziger  and  his  wife,  Sara;  longtime  Brandeis  sup- 
porters Sy  and  Gladys  Ziv;  and  overseer  emeritus  Muriel  Pokross, 
whose  late  husband,  David,  served  as  chair  of  the  overseers. 


Design  Work  Begins  on  Edmond  J.  Safra  Arts  Center 


Architect's  rendering  of  new  arts  center. 


Renowned  architect  Moshe  Safdie  has  begun 
design  work  on  the  new  $14  million 
Edmond  J.  Safra  Center  for  the  Arts,  a  state- 
of-the-art  facility  that  will  triple  the  space 
available  for  fine  arts  at  Brandeis  and  meet  a 
growing  student  interest  in  studying  art. 

The  center  will  share  an  entry  plaza  with 
the  Rose  Art  Museum  and  be  located  adja- 
cent to  the  Spingold  Theater  Center,  form- 
ing a  vibrant  arts  corner  on  campus.  Work 
is  scheduled  to  begin  in  late  2007  and  be 
completed  by  fall  2009. 

Features  of  the  center  include  a  display 
gallery  primarily  for  student  work,  a  tiered 


classroom  with  multimedia  capability,  stu- 
dio space  for  undergraduates  and  postbac- 
calaureates,  a  visual  resources  center,  a 
digital  lab  and  digital  classroom,  seminar 
rooms,  and  faculty  offices. 

"The  Safra  Center  is  a  symbol  of  the 
university's  pioneering  vision  of  the  arts  in 
the  twenty-first  century,"  said  President 
Jehuda  Reinharz,  PhD'72.  "Not  only  is 
Brandeis  committed  to  innovation  and 
exploration  in  the  arts,  but  we  understand 
the  ability  of  the  arts  to  motivate  and 
inspire  creative  thinking  among  all 
Brandeis  students." 


S|iriTif;()7  I  lirainl.i-  I 


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59 


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THE   CAMPAIGN  FOR  BRANDEIS 


Payins;  It  Forward 


Former  students  endow  scholarship  honoring  William  Goldsmith 


Sure,  civil  rights  activist  William  Goldsmith 
was  an  esteemed  professor  ot  politics  and 
American  civilization  widely  known  as  a 
scholar  of  uncommon  intellect.  But  to  his 
students  at  Brandeis,  it  was  his  common 
touch  that  made  the  difference  in  their  lives. 


William  Goldsmith 

To  honor  the  longtime  Brandeis  faculty 
member  who  meant  so  much  to  so  many, 
Gail  Sullivan  '73,  P'07,  has  joined  with  some 
of  her  classmates  and  friends  to  establish  the 
William  Goldsmith  Endowed  Scholarship. 


The  scholarship  provides  financial  assistance 
to  students  in  much  the  same  way  Gold- 
smith, who  now  lives  in  Vineyard  Haven, 
Massachusestts,  dispensed  encouragement 
and  emotional  support  to  students  during  his 
Brandeis  career  (1960  to  1984). 

"It's  not  an  exaggeration  to  say  he  saved 
both  my  life  and  my  brother  Tom's  life,"  said 
Sullivan,  whose  family  lived  in  poverty  in  a 
Cambridge,  Massachusetts,  housing  project. 
"He  saved  the  lives  of  a  lot  of  people. " 

Through  groundbreaking  offerings  such 
as  Upward  Bound  and  the  Transitional  Year 
Program,  Goldsmith  provided  talented,  dis- 
advantaged students  the  opportunity  to 
attend  Brandeis.  But  Goldsmith  did  not 
just  recruit  the  students  to  Brandeis,  he  per- 
sonally ensured  they  would  thrive  once  they 
arrived  on  campus. 

"Bill  was  instrumental  in  helping  a  lot  of 
kids  from  tough  backgrounds  succeed  at 
Brandeis,"  said  Paul  Regan  '73,  a  high- 
school  dropout  from  South  Boston  who 
served  two  tours  of  duty  as  a  Marine  in 
Vietnam  before  coming  to  Brandeis.  "He 
basically  shepherded  us  through." 


Regan,  a  lawyer  who  founded  a  group 
legal-services  firm  with  offices  in  Washing- 
ton, D.C.,  and  Boston,  made  a  major  gift  to 
support  the  Goldsmith  Scholarship. 

"Bill  and  Brandeis  gave  me  a  chance,  and 
1  am  forever  gratetul  for  that,"  Regan  said. 
"Bill  always  encouraged  me,  worked  with 
me,  and  backed  me  up.  I  promised  myself 
that  if  I  were  ever  in  a  position  to  help  oth- 
ers in  the  way  he  helped  me  I  would  do  it." 

Sullivan,  a  lawyer  in  Massachusetts  who 
is  active  in  local  and  national  politics,  still 
keeps  in  touch  with  Goldsmith.  In  2004, 
she  occasionally  called  him  from  the  presi- 
dential campaign  trail  to  fill  him  in  on  the 
latest  developments. 

"Bill  has  been  one  of  the  most  important 
people  in  my  life,"  she  said.  "I  felt  com- 
pelled to  establish  this  scholarship  in  his 
honor.  He  was  a  father  figure  for  so  many 
students  at  Brandeis.  He  worked  to  make 
Brandeis  accessible  to  everyone." 

For  more  information  or  to  make  a  gift  in 
support  ot  the  Goldsmith  Endowed  Schol- 
arship, contact  Julie  Smith-Bartoloni  '90  at 
781-736-4045  or  jsbart@brandeis.edu. 


University  Eyes  Center  for  Israel  Studies 


Building  on  the  success  of  the  Crown 
Center  for  Middle  East  Studies  and  the 
Summer  Institute  for  Israel  Studies,  President 
Jehuda  Reinharz,  PhD'72,  hopes  to  establish 
a  Center  for  Israel  Studies  to  address  the  lack 
of  balanced  teaching  and  scholarship  on  the 
Jewish  state. 

"Without  a  concerted  effort  to  place  the 
study  of  Israel  on  an  equal  footing  v^th  other 
area  studies,  ignorance  about  the  history  of 
Israel,  its  place  in  the  Middle  East,  and  the 
nature  of  U.S.-Israel  relations  will  remain  the 
norm,"  Reinharz  said.  "The  Center  for  Israel 
Studies  will  train  the  next  generation  of 
experts  on  Israel  and  stimulate  the  academic 
study  of  Israel  on  campuses  throughout  the 
United  States." 


The  foundation  for  such  a  center  is 
already  in  place  at  Brandeis  because  Israel 
studies  is  so  closely  connected  to  Jewish 
studies  and  Middle  East  studies,  two  fields 
in  which  the  university  has  long  distin- 
guished itself  Many  important  resources  to 
support  a  center  already  exist,  including 
endowed  professorships  in  Israel  studies 
and  modern  Hebrew  literature,  faculty 
renowned  in  their  fields  of  teaching  related 
to  Israel,  Brandeis's  long-standing  relation- 
ships with  Israeli  universities,  and  Brandeis 
University  Press. 

Establishing  the  center  requires  funding 
new  chairs  to  attract  leading  scholars  in 
Israeli  sociology  and  anthropology,  politics, 
and  cultural  studies.  Additionally,  fellow- 


ships must  be  created  to  support  promising 
graduate  students  as  they  pursue  their 
degrees  and  original  research. 

Plans  for  the  Center  for  Israel  Studies 
also  include  securing  permanent  funding 
for  the  Summer  Institute  for  Israel  Studies, 
a  first-ot-its-kind  program  that  since  its 
establishment  in  2004  has  addressed  the 
shortage  of  qualified  academics  teaching 
about  Israel. 

The  Summer  Institute  has  already 
trained  faculty  from  nearly  sixty  colleges 
and  universities  to  develop  new  courses  in 
the  emerging  field  of  Israel  studies  at  their 
institutions  through  a  three-week  summer 
program — two  weeks  at  Brandeis  and  a 
third  week  in  Israel. 


Braiuleis  Lhiiversity  Magazine  |  Spring  '07 


Match  Game 


Trustee  issues  challenge  to  Classes  of  1972  and  2002 


Brandeis 
Sherman 


Trustee  Meyer  Koplow  72,  P'02,  P'05,  has 
strong  feelings  for  his  alma  mater — and  it's 
no  wonder.  The  Koplow 
tamiiy  tree  has  deep  roots 
at  Brandeis. 

Koplow's  sister,  Amy 
Harriet  Koplow,  is  a  1974 
graduate.  His  two  sons, 
Michael  '02  and  Jonathan 
'05,  both  graduated  from 
married  classmates  (Tovah 
and  Jennifer  Rothwax  '05, 
respectively).  And  his  niece  Ghana  Miller 
earned  her  degree  from  Brandeis  last  year. 

To  underscore  his  commitment  to  an  insti- 
tution that  has  been  such  an  important  part  of 
his  family's  life,  he  has  set  up  a  challenge  to 
help  boost  giving  by  the  Brandeis  Classes  of 
1972  and  2002  as  they  approach  their  35th 
and  5th  Reunions  in  June.  (He  serves  as 
cochair  of  the  35th  Reunion  Committee  with 
trustee  Martin  Gross  '72,  P'Ol,  P'04,  P'08.) 

For  donors  who  have  not  made  a  gift  since 
June  30,  2005,  Koplow  pledged  to  match  the 
first  $300  of  every  gift  from  members  of  the 
Class  of  1972  and  the  first  $250  of  every  gift 
from  those  who  graduated  in  the  Glass  of  2002. 
Also,  if  at  least  four  hundred  members  of  the 
Class  of  1 972  or  five  hundred  members  of  the 
Class  of  2002  make  gifts  of  at  least  $25,  he  will 


make  an  additional  gift  of  $100,000  per  class. 
Koplow's  challenge  will  run  through  May  15. 

"I  understand  that  most  people  do  not  have 
the  capacity  to  give  major  gifts,  but  I  believe 
that  almost  everybody  has  the  capacity  to  give 
something,"  Koplow  said.  "The  $50  or  $100 
gifts  really  make  a  difference  and  say  a  lot  to 
the  outside  world  about  how  we,  as  alumni, 
feel  about  Brandeis.  We  have  an  obligation  to 
give  back  and  say  thank  you  for  what  Brandeis 
has  done  for  us. " 

Koplow  spent  just  two  years  at  Brandeis  after 
transferring  from  Boston  University,  but  his 
time  on  campus  left  an  indelible  mark  on  him. 
He  was  particularly  struck  by  the  faculty's  com- 
mitment to  students,  exemplified  by  the  close 
relationship  he  developed  with  scholar  Nahum 
Glatzer  while  working  on  his  honors  thesis. 

"It's  difficult  to  articulate  everything  1 
learned  during  those  hours  that  Dr.  Glatzer 
devoted  to  me, "  Koplow  said.  "We  weren't  just 
people  passing  through  the  halls — the  faculty 
took  a  real  and  direct  interest  in  the  students. 
Brandeis  was  a  community,  felt  like  a  commu- 
nity, and  operated  like  a  community." 

Koplow,  a  partner  in  the  New  York  law 
firm  Wachtell,  Lipton,  Rosen  &  Katz,  gener- 
ously supported  the  Village  residential 
complex  and  established  the  Richards  and 
Koplow  Endowed  Scholarship. 


Brandeis  in  the  Berkshires  Beckons 


Reserve  your  seat  now  for  one  of  three 
thought-provoking  summer  programs  offered 
by  Brandeis  in  the  Berkshires. 

The  programs,  which  range  from  two  to 
four  days,  will  be  held  at  the  Granwell  Resort 
and  Spa  in  Lenox,  Massachusetts. 

The  programs  are: 

"Middle  East  Briefing;  An  Insider's  View," 
July  7-8.  Shai  Feldman,  the  Judith  and  Sidney 
Swartz  Director  of  the  Crown  Center  for  Mid- 
dle East  Studies,  and  two  Crown  Center  col- 
leagues will  present  an  inside  look  at  the  trouble 
spots  and  obstacles  facing  the  Middle  East. 

"Religion,  Rights,  and  Retribution:  Law 
and  Disorder  in  the  Middle  East,"  July  8-11. 


Daniel  Terris,  director  of  the  International 
Center  for  Ethics,  Justice,  and  Public  Life  at 
Brandeis,  will  moderate  a  discussion  on  the 
prospects  for  using  legal  means — rather  than 
military  strategies — to  resolve  conflicts  and 
strengthen  justice  in  the  region. 

"Can  Cultural  Activism  Bridge  the  Jew- 
ish Generational  Gap?"  July  22-23.  The 
workshop  will  explore  developments  in 
Jewish  demography,  literature,  film,  and 
music,  and  discuss  whether  the  edgy, 
emerging  culture  can  sustain  Judaism  in  the 
rwenty-first  century. 

For  information,  contact  Alyson  Saykin  at 
781-736-3355  or  berkshires@brandeis.edu. 


Golf  and  Tennis  Outing 
scheduled  for  August  13 

Join  your  fellow  alumni,  parents, 
and  friends  for  a  day  of  friendly 
competition  and  camaraderie  at  the 
third  annual  Brandeis  Golf  and  Ten- 
nis Outing.  This  year's  event,  spon- 
sored by  Alpine  Capital  Bank,  will 
be  held  on  August  13  at  Old  Oaks 
Country  Club  in  Purchase,  New 
York,  one  of  the  top  courses  in 
Westchester  County.  Following  the 
golf  and  tennis  competitions  in  the 
afternoon,  the  day  will  conclude 
with  an  awards  dinner  and  raffle. 
More  than  one  hundred  alumni, 
parents,  and  friends  participated  in 
last  year's  event,  which  raised  more 
than  $100,000  for  undergraduate 
scholarships.  For  more  information 
on  playing  or  sponsorship  opportu- 
nities, contact  Robyn  Hartman  at 
212-472-1501,ext.  232,  or 
hartman@brandeis.edu. 

Justice  Brandeis  Society 
to  host  pair  of  events 

The  Justice  Brandeis  Society  will  host 
a  pair  of  events  in  coming  months. 
On  April  30,  JBS  members  are 
invited  to  a  screening  of  the  PBS 
documentary  about  Justice  Louis  D. 
Brandeis  at  the  Shapiro  Campus 
Center.  On  June  3,  JBS  members 
are  invited  to  Brandeis  Night  in 
Washington,  D.C.  The  event  will  be 
held  at  5:00  p.m.  at  the  home  of  Jules 
Bernstein  '57  and  Linda  Lipsett. 
Additionally,  JBS  members  are 
invited  to  the  annual  Commence- 
ment dinner  on  May  19.  For 
information,  visit  http://givingto. 
brandeis.edu/annualfijnd/jbs.html. 


S|iriiif;   1)7  |  lir:uicli'i~  IrnviTsily 


61 


RECENT  EVENTS 


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Brandeis  Night  in  Chicago 

More  than  125  alumni,  friends,  and  parents 

from  the  Chicago  area  gathered  for  Brandeis 

Night  in  Chicago,  hosted  by  Thomas  and 

Margot  Pritzker,  P'02.  Top  left  photo,  from 

left:  Nancy  and  Mark  Ratner,  P'94,  with 

their  daughter,  Stacy  '94.  Top  right:  Carlton 

and  Paula  '61  Resnick,  P'86,  P'91. 

Bottom  right:  President  Jehuda  Reinharz, 

PhD'72,  and  Pritzker. 


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A  Laughing  Matter 

President  Jehuda  Reinharz,  PhD'72,  and 
trustee  emeritus  Rena  Joy  Olshansky  '56 
(center)  share  a  laugh  with  Vida  Goldstein 
at  a  retirement  party  honoring  her  many 
years  of  service  as  the  university's  director 
of  special  events. 


Parents  Reception 

More  than  rwo  hundred  people 
attended  the  annual  Parents 
Leadership  and  Legacy  Recep- 
tion with  President  Jehuda 
Reinharz,  PhD72,  during  Fall 
Fest.  Top  photo,  from  left:  Robert 
Gecht  and  Rachel  Winpar,  P'08, 
and  Eva  and  Evan  Blutinger, 
P'09,  P'lO.  Right  photo,  from  left: 
Gillian  Kagin  '07,  her  parents, 
Jeanne  and  Stan  Kagin,  P'07, 
and  Devorah  Bitran. 


Campus  Arts  Update 

The  Justice  Brandeis  Society  hosted  a  talk  by  Scott 
Edmiston,  director  of  the  Office  of  the  Arts  at  Brandeis, 
at  Brandeis  House  in  New  York.  Left  photo,  from  left: 
Douglas  Monasebian  '84,  Amy  Silberstein,  and  Abbe 
Stahl  Steinglass  '64.  Above:  Sue  PoUets  Nager  "55 
and  Edmiston. 


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Heveli 


PALM  BEACH   DINNER 


Brandeis  friends  and  alumni  from  around  the  coun- 
trv'  gathered  in  Palm  Beach,  Florida,  in  mid-January 
for  the  university's  annual  weekend  of  events  in 
South  Florida. 

On  January  20,  Brandeis  honored  major  contributors 
during  a  dinner  at  the  Palm  Beach  Country  Club  that  was 
hosted  by  trustee  Sylvia  Hassenfeld.  President  Jehuda 
Reinharz,  PhD'72,  updated  attendees  on  developments  at 
Brandeis  and  shared  news  of  the  $5  million  gift  from 
Elaine  and  Gerald  Schuster  tor  the  university's  newly 
named  Elaine  and  Gerald  Schuster  Institute  for  Investiga- 
tive Journalism.  Trustee  Thomas  Friedman  '75,  the 
Pulitzer  Prize-winning  columnist  at  the  New  York  Times. 
followed  with  a  lively  interview  of  Stuart  Altman,  dean  of 
the  Heller  School  for  Social  Policy  and  Management  and 
the  Sol  C.  Chaikin  Professor  of  National  Health  Policy. 

Altman  was  also  the  keynote  speaker  the  next  day  at  the 
annual  Fellows  Breakfast,  delivering  a  compelling  talk 
about  the  national  health-care  crisis  and  possible  solutions. 

Later  in  the  day,  more  than  three  hundred  people 
attended  the  fourteenth  annual  Norman  S.  and  Eleanor  E. 
Rabb  Seminar.  Shai  Feldman,  the  Judith  and  Sidney 
Swartz  Director  ol  the  Crown  Center  for  Middle  East 
Studies,  discussed  the  future  of  the  Middle  East. 


Lisbeth  Tarlow  and  Stephen  Kay,  chair  of  the  Board 
of  Trustees. 


Brarnleis  I'liivprsily  Magazine  |  Spring: '0? 


Trustee  Thomas  Friedman  75  (/eft)  and  Stuart  Altman,  dean  of  the 
for  Social  Policy  and  Management  and  the  Sol  C.  Chaikin  Professor 
Health  Policy. 


Heller  School 
of  National 


Barbara  (Cantor)  Sherman  '54  and  her  husband,  Malcolm 
Sherman.  P'83.  incoming  chair  of  the  Board  of  Trustees. 


Linda  Shapiro  Waintrup 
and  Daniel  Waintrup. 


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PALM  BEACH   DINNER 


Brandeis  friends  and  alumni  from  around  the  coun- 
try gathered  in  Palm  Beach,  Florida,  in  mid-January 
for  the  university's  annual  weekend  of  events  in 
South  Florida. 

On  January  20,  Brandeis  honored  major  contributors 
during  a  dinner  at  the  Palm  Beach  Country  Club  that  was 
hosted  by  trustee  Sylvia  Hassenfeld.  President  Jehuda 
Reinharz,  PhD'72,  updated  attendees  on  developments  at 
Brandeis  and  shared  news  of  the  $5  million  gift  from 
Elaine  and  Gerald  Schuster  for  the  university's  newly 
named  Elaine  and  Gerald  Schuster  Institute  for  Investiga- 
tive Journalism.  Trustee  Thomas  Friedman  '75,  the 
Pulitzer  Prize-winning  columnist  at  the  New  York  Times, 
followed  with  a  lively  interview  of  Stuart  Airman,  dean  of 
the  Heller  School  for  Social  Policy  and  Management  and 
the  Sol  C.  Chaikin  Professor  of  National  Health  Policy. 

Altman  was  also  the  keynote  speaker  the  next  day  at  the 
annual  Fellows  Breakfast,  delivering  a  compelling  talk 
about  the  national  health-care  crisis  and  possible  solutions. 
Later  in  the  day,  more  than  three  hundred  people 
attended  the  fourteenth  annual  Norman  S.  and  Eleanor  E. 
Rabb  Seminar.  Shai  Feldman,  the  Judith  and  Sidney 
Swartz  Director  of  the  Crown  Center  for  Middle  East 
Studies,  discussed  the  future  of  the  Middle  East. 


Trustee 
for  Soc 
Health 


Lisbeth  Tarlow  and  Stephen  Kay.  chair  of  the  Board 
of  Trustees. 


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Fellow  Charles  Housen  and  his  wife,  Marjorie  Grodner  Housen  '56. 


President  Jehuda  Reinharz,  PhD'72,  and  fellow  Dolores  Kohl  '55. 


.om  left:  Nancy  Winship,  P'lO,  senior  vice  president  of  institutional 
advancement,  fellow  Joe  Kerzner,  and  Lisa  Keeper. 


John  Foster  '75  (left)  with 

his  parents,  Lois  and 

trustee  Henry  Foster.  P'75. 


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Fellow  Herbert 
Lee  and  Shula 
Reinharz,  PhD'77 
the  Jacob  S. 
Potofsky 
Professor  of 
Sociology  and 
director  of  the 
Hadassah- 
Brandeis  Institute 
and  the  Women's 
Studies  Research 
Center. 


66 


Braiidei.s  Ihliversitv  Magazine  |  Sprini;  "07 


From  left:  Meredith  Roser,  Karen  Rogol  '98,  and  Suzanne  Yates. 


From  left:  Lisbeth  Tarlow  and  trustees  Stephen  Kay  and 
Sylvia  Hassenfeld. 


From  left:  Nancy 
Winship,  P'lO,  senior 
vice  president  of  insti- 
tutional advancement; 
trustee  Bart  and  Susan 
Winokur;  and  Stuart 
Altman,  dean  of  the 
Heller  School  for 
Social  Policy  and 
Management. 


Trustee  Barbara  Mandel,  P'73,  and  Shai 
Feldman,  the  Judith  and  Sidney  Swartz 
Director  of  the  Crown  Center. 


From  left:  trustee  Richard  Kaufman  '57:  fellow  David  Goldberg  '58  and  his  wife.  Barbara; 
trustee  Stephen  Kay;  and  Lisbeth  Tarlow. 


Sprint;  07  |  Brandeis  L'niversily  Magazine  67 


£ntr^'^ 


SCHOLARSHIP   LUNCHEON 


Trustee  Jonathan  Davis  75  (center)  and  his  wife,  Margot  Davis.  MA'05  (second  from  right), 
pose  with  family  scholars  (from  left)  Allison  Young  '09,  Justin  Becker  '09,  and  Namita 
Aggarwal  '08. 


Donors  who  support  Brandeis  schol- 
arships and  fellowships  met  the  stu- 
dents who  benefit  fi-om  their 
generosity  during  the  fifth  annual  Scholar- 
ship Appreciation  Luncheon,  which  was 
hosted  by  trustee  Ken  '60  and  Susan 
Kaiserman.  Student  speakers  included  Greg 
Goodman  '09,  the  Max  and  Sadie  Friedman 
Scholar;  Aduei  Riak  '07,  the  Annenberg 
Foundation  Scholar;  and  Polina  Navrotskaya 
07,  the  Joyce  and  Paul  Krasnow  Scholar  in 
the  Sciences. 


Trustee  Myra  Kraft  '64  (center)  shares  a 
moment  with  her  family's  scholars,  Jacob 
Knoll  '08  and  Lara  Rosenwasser  '09. 


From  left:  Phyllis  G.  Redstone  Dissertation  Year  Fellows  Shefali  Misra.  Lindsay  Silver,  and  Rebecca 
Olson:  trustees  Phyllis  Redstone.  William  S.  Friedman  '65.  and  Stephen  Reiner  '61:  Redstone 
fellow  Vanita  Neelakanta;  trustee  Robert  Shapiro  '52:  and  Gregory  Freeze,  associate  dean  of  the 
Graduate  School  of  Arts  and  Sciences. 


Paul  Fruitt.  P'79.  visits 

with  his  family's  scholars. 

Ashwin  Poorswani. 

MBA'07  (left),  and 

Jason  Wu  '09. 


President  Jehuda  Reinharz,  PhD'72,  and 
Annenberg  Foundation  Scholar  Aduei  Riak  '07. 


Paul  ZIototf  72.  incoming  chair  of  the  Board  of  Fellows,  Is 
surrounded  by  (from  left)  Daniel  Parmer,  MA'07,  and  Rebecca 
Hartman,  MA'07,  the  Davidson,  Hermelln,  ZIotoff  Endowed  Fellows, 
and  Jason  Wu  '09  and  Ashwin  PoorswanI,  MBA'07,  the  Fruitt 
Family  Scholars. 


Trustee  Barbara  Mandel,  P'73  (left),  and  Mandel  fellow  Danielle 
Corlale  '08. 


Trustee  Carol  Salvetz  '69  (center)  meets  two  of  her  family's 
scholars,  Donna  Balaouras  '08  (/ef()  and  Jessica  Kent  '09. 


Pollna  Navrotskaya  '07,  the  Joyce  and  Paul  Krasnow  Endowed  Scholar  In  the 
Sciences,  gets  to  know  trustees  Morton  Ginsberg  '56  (left)  and  Vartan  Gregorian. 


Florence  Davis,  president  and  director  of  the 

Starr  Foundation,  flanked  by  two  of  the  C.  V. 

Starr  Scholars.  Gabrielle  Jean-Pierre  '08  and 

Jahfree  Duncan  '09. 


SCHOLARSHIPS 


Never  Forget,  Never  Again 

Gerzon  Scholarship  to  support  students  who  study  Holocaust 


Holocaust  survivor  George  Gerzon,  P'80, 
has  dedicated  his  hfe  to  ensuring  that  the 
horrors  of  the  Nazi  regime  vv'ill  never  be 
forgotten  by  future  generations.  Now, 
thanks  to  a  generous  gift  from  his  children, 
Gerzon's  efforts  will  continue  in  perpetuity 
at  Brandeis. 

In  honor  of  their  parents,  both  of  whom 
survived  the  Holocaust,  the  Gerzons"  chil- 
dren— daughter  Helen  Gerzon  Goransson 
and  her  husband,  Paul  Goransson  "75,  and 
son  Len  Gerzon  '80  and  his  wife,  Nancy — 
made  a  gift  to  establish  the  George  and 
Gertrude  Gerzon  Endowed  Scholarship  for 
Eastern  European  Studies.  The  scholarship 
will  support  students  in  the  Department  of 
Near  Eastern  and  Judaic  Studies  who  study 
abroad  in  Eastern  Europe,  giving  preference 
to  those  who  study  the  Holocaust  in 
George  Gerzon's  native  Poland. 

"My  father's  life  has  been,  since  we  were 
very  small  children,  about  teaching  and 
telling  the  story  of  the  Holocaust,"  Len 
Gerzon  said.  "That's  what  this  scholarship 
is  about." 

"He  and  his  fellow  survivors  felt  that 
they  survived  for  a  reason:  to  tell  the  story 
of  the  Holocaust  so  people  would  not 
forget  and  let  it  happen  again,"  added 
Helen     Goransson,     who    cowrote     her 


George  and  Gertrude  Gerzon,  P'80,  with  their  extended  family. 


father's  Holocaust  memoirs.  The  Hand  of 
Fate,  in  1999. 

The  elder  Gerzons,  who  have  been  mar- 
ried for  sixty-two  years,  have  long  felt  a 
strong  connection  to  Brandeis.  After  immi- 
grating to  the  United  States  and  settling  in 
Boston,  the  Gerzons  and  their  friends,  many 
of  whom  were  also  Holocaust  survivors, 
developed  a  bond  with  the  then-fledgling 
university.  They  frequently  attended  services 
and  Holocaust  events  at  Brandeis. 

"My  father  vehemently  supports  Brandeis 
as  an  institution  and  a  concept,"  Len  said. 
"There  was  a  very  strong  sentiment  among 
many  members  in  the  Jewish  community 
that  there  was  an  analogy  between  Israel  and 


Brandeis;  they  were  both  born  from  the 
ashes  ofWorld  War  II." 

The  elder  Gerzons  were  feted  at  a  recent 
reception  at  the  Faculty  Club  attended  by 
their  extended  family.  Several  members  of 
the  Brandeis  Student  Holocaust  Remem- 
brance Committee  asked  George  Gerzon 
questions  about  Holocaust  experiences  that 
were  chronicled  in  The  Hand  of  Fate. 

"We  were  all  amazed  you  were  able  to 
stay  so  positive  despite  everything  that  was 
happening  around  you,"  Elana  Levi  '07, 
copresident  of  the  student  committee,  told 
the  Gerzons.  "We,  as  future  generations, 
believe  there  is  a  lot  we  can  learn  from  you 
and  your  story  of  survival." 


Zlotoff  to  Lead  Board  of  Fellows 

Uniprop  CEO  formerly  served  as  chair  of  Alumni  Association 


Paul  M.  ZIototf  72 


Paul  M.  ZlotoflF'72,  a  Brandeis  supporter  and 
rwo-term  national  president  of  the  Alumni 
Association,  was  elected  chair  of  the  Board  of 
Fellows,  effective  following  Commencement 
in  May.  He  replaces  cochairs  Rosalind 
(Fuchsberg)  '59  and  Richard  Kaufman  '57, 
P'83,  who  have  served  since  2001. 

Zlotoff,  a  fellow  since  2005,  headed  the 
Alumni  Association  for  four  years  beginning 
in  May  2001.  During  his  tenure,  he 
increased    alumni    involvement,    revitalized 


the  board,  and  instilled  a  renewed  customer- 
service  focus. 

Zlotoff  has  been  a  generous  contributor  to 
The  Campaign  for  Brandeis  and  helped  fund 
the  Davidson,  Hermelin,  Zlotoff  Endowed 
Fellowship  in  Jewish  Communal  Service. 

He  serves  as  chairman  and  CEO  of 
Uniprop,  a  real-estate  development  and 
investment  firm. 

He  and  his  wife,  Linda  (Yale)  '72,  have 
two  children. 


.Ic-is   ll 


.sil\    Magazine  |  .Spring  "07 


$^ryKrA¥Jt-^  I 


You  Can  Go  Home  Again 

Reconnect  with  old  friends  at  Reunion  2007 

Graduates  of  eleven  Brandeis  classes  are  invited  back  to  campus  this  spring  for  Reunion 
2007  from  June  8  to  10.  The  weekend  provides  alumni  an  opportunity  to  reconnect 
with  old  friends,  revisit  the  Castle  and  other  Brandeis  landmarks,  attend  Alumni  Col- 
lege [see  story,  this  page],  and  enjoy  the  university's  many  new  programs  and  facilities. 

Among  the  highlights  of  this  year's  festivities  will  be  "Polio:  An  American  Story,"  a  talk 
by  Puliner  Prize-winning  author  David  Oshinsky,  PhD'71,  the  George  Littlefield 
Professor  of  American  History  at  the  University  of  Texas-Austin.  Oshinsky,  the  recipient 
of  a  2007  Brandeis  Alumni  Achievement  Award,  will  share  the  memories  of  growing  up 
in  a  world  threatened  by  polio  and  how  it  affected  an  entire  generation  of  Americans. 

Other  highlights  include  a  conversation  with  President  Jehuda  Reinharz,  PhD'72,  a 
tour  of  the  transformed  campus  and  the  Rose  Art  Museum,  and  the  popular  Ralph 
Norman  Barbecue  on  Saturday  afternoon. 

The  theme  of  the  Saturday-night  Gala  Dinner  and  Dance,  one  of  Reunion's  most 
memorable  traditions,  is  'A  Night  in  Para'Deis."  During  the  event,  Reinharz  will  pres- 
ent Alumni  Achievement  Awards  to  two  of  this  year's  three  winners,  Oshinsky  and 
Deborah  Bial  '87,  president  and  founder  of  the  Posse  Foundation.  The  third  recipient, 
Jules  Bernstein  '57,  a  leading  labor  lawyer  in  Washington,  D.C.,  will  receive  his  award 
at  his  50th  Reunion  in  May. 

The  university  marks  another  milestone  this  year  as  the  Class  of  1952  celebrates 
Brandeis's  inaugural  55th  Reunion.  Committee  members  are  on  pace  to  fund  fully  the 
Class  of  1952  Endowed  Scholarship,  which  will  annually  provide  full  tuition  to  a 
deserving  student. 

Several  hundred  members  of  this  year's  Reunion  classes  are  volunteering  on  committees 
and  planning  a  host  of  interesting  and  exciting  activities  for  their  former  classmates.  For 
more  information  or  to  view  a  planning-to-attend  list,  visit  the  Reunion  Web  site  at 
http://alumni.brandeis.edu/web/reunions/2007. 


Members  of  the  Class  of  1981  celebrate  their  25th  Reunion  last  spring. 


Alumni  College 
a  Class -y  Event 

Alumni,  members  of  the  National  Women's 
Committee,  and  friends  of  the  university  will 
head  back  to  the  classroom  for  Alumni  Col- 
lege on  June  8,  coinciding  with  the  start  of 
Reunion  2007  weekend. 

Eight  professors  are  scheduled  to  present 
courses  and  workshops  during  the  10  a.m. 
to  4:45  p.m.  program.  They  include: 

•  "Reflections  on  (and  in)  Poussin,"  with 
Jonathan  Unglaub,  assistant  professor  of 
fine  arts  and  chair,  medieval  and  renais- 
sance studies 

•  "Five  Steps  to  Innovation  and  Creative 
Thinking:  Unleashing  Creativity  for  Indi- 
viduals and  Groups,"  with  Jon  Chilinger- 
ian,  associate  professor  of  human  services 
management 

•  "Teaching  from  the  Inside  Out, "  with 
Dawn  Skorczewski,  director  of  university 
writing  and  associate  professor  of  English 
and  American  literature 

•  "Knowledge  in  the  Internet  Age, "  with  Tim 
Hickey  '77,  professor  of  computer  science 

•  "Why  Does  Tuition  Consistently  Rise 
More  Rapidly  Than  Inflation?"  with 
Michael  Coiner,  associate  professor  of 
economics 

•  "How  Much  Science  Can  You  Do  for  a 
Million  Dollars?"  with  Irving  Epstein,  the 
Henry  F.  Fischbach  Professor  of  Chemistry 

•  "Black/Jewish  Relations — The  Way 
Ahead,"  with  Ibrahim  Sundiata,  the  Samuel 
and  Augusta  Spector  Professor  of  History 

•  "The  Ever-Changing  Brain:  Learning  in 
Neurons,  Whole  Animals,  and  You," 
with  Don  Katz,  assistant  professor  of 
psychology 

Participants  will  receive  a  boxed  lunch 
and  be  given  ample  time  to  mingle  with 
program  faculty,  classmates,  and  friends. 

Registration  is  $25  per  person.  Visit 
http://alumni.brandeis.edu/alumnicollege. 

Call  781-736-4041  or  800-333-1948,  or 
e-mail  alumnicollege@alumni.brandeis.edu 
for  more  information. 


Sprinji '07  |  Briuidri-,  I 'ni\('r-,il\   \ln^;i 


71 


alumninews 


FROM  THE  ALUMNI  ASSOCIATION  PRESIDENT        ^  UPCOMING  EVENTS 


No  Better  Time  to  B-Connected 

'Twas  the  day  before  Christmas  weekend,  and  my  daughter, 
a  Brandeis  alumna  hving  in  New  York,  developed  an  eye 
infection.  Having  recently  graduated  from  New  York 
University  Law  School,  she  was  no  longer  able  to  avail  her- 
self of  the  school's  medical  clinic.  She  was  too  busy  with  her 
^^^^^^^^^^  first-year  associate  workload  to  worry 
^^^HPM^^^I  about  it,  but  my  maternal  instincts 
^^HT         ^^M     kicked  in. 

^^H^  -^^^H  ^  ^"^^  hours  away  in  Ohio  and  had 
^^■i  .*•■ ,  ^H  visions  of  her  in  an  urban  hospital  emer- 
^^^^^^^^H  g^ncy  room  over  the  holiday  weekend  it 
^^^^Bjj^^^H  the  situation  worsened.  What  is  a 
^^^^H^^^l      mother    to    do?    If   the    mother 

Brandeis  alumna,  the  answer  is  simple: 
Find  a  Brandeis  alumnus  who  is  a  doctor  in  New  York! 

Within  one  hour,  my  daughter  was  in  a  cab  on  her  way  to 
see  Dr.  Doug  Monasebian  '84.  He  treated  her  infection,  fol- 
lowed up  by  phone,  and,  most  importantly,  immediately 
dispatched  an  e-mail  telling  me  not  to  worry! 

As  an  undergraduate,  I  could  have  never  imagined  1 
would  belong  to  a  lifelong,  worldwide  Brandeis  commu- 
nity. Yet  the  bond  among  Brandeis  alumni  is  indeed  mag- 
ical. I  hear  from  alumni  across  the  country  about  how 
they  landed  jobs  through  Brandeis  connections.  Even  if 
we  have  not  met  before,  alumni  know  each  other  and 
trust  each  other  because  we  share  the  special  wisdom  and 
culture  ot  Brandeis. 

Providing  more  opportunities  to  connect  has  been  a  goal 
of  the  Alumni  Association  for  the  past  several  years.  Mike 
Ramer  '88,  MA'89,  and  Lisa  Kranc  '75  head  up  the 
B-Connect  committee  that  is  charged  with  developing  an 
enhanced  online  community  by  year's  end.  Under  their 
leadership,  we  surveyed  alumni  to  determine  their  top  pri- 
orities. Almost  two  thousand  ot  you  told  us  that  career  and 
employment  services,  professional  referral  services,  and 
social  networking  ranked  high  on  your  list.  Online  class- 
rooms, podcasts  by  professors,  and  streaming  video  of  on- 
campus  programs  also  ranked  high.  The  most  overwhelming 
finding  was  the  desire  of  alumni  to  be  connected  to  one 
another,  if  only  for  the  purpose  of  being  connected. 

As  a  result,  the  B-Connect  committee  has  been  working 
closely  with  the  university  administration  to  build  and 
launch  an  online  alumni  community  through  our  new 
alumni  Web  site  (http://alumni.brandeis.edu/web). 
B-Connect  will  catapult  us  to  an  unprecedented  level  of 
connectedness,  offer  significantly  greater  networking  oppor- 
tunities and  keep  the  Brandeis  community  to  which  we  all 
belong  right  at  our  fingertips. 

Looking  for  a  great  doctor  in  New  York?  Do  1 — and 
B-Connect — have  a  Brandeis  alum  for  you! 

— Darlene  Green  Kamine  '74,  P'03 


Braiuleis  I  niversit\  \Ia{;uziiie  |  Spring '07 


Alumni  Club  of  Baltimore 

Faculty  In  the  Field  with  Mark 
Auslander,  professor  of 
anthropology,  April  22. 


Alumni  Club  of  Chicago 

Faculty  In  the  Field  with  Steven 
Burg,  Adial  E.  Stevenson 
Professor  of  International  Politics, 
April  22.  Hosted  by  Robin  Leikin  78 
at  her  Glencoe  home. 


GLBT  Network 

A  panel  of  alumni  will  discuss  how 
the  GLBT  experience  on  campus  has 
changed  over  the  decades.  Recep- 
tion, Brandeis  House,  New  York  City, 
April  18,  6:30  p.m. 


Alumni  Club  of  Greater  Boston 

Journalism  Panel,  April  12,  7:00 
p.m.,  Napoll  Room,  Gosman  Sports 
and  Convocation  Center. 

Brandeis  Theater  Company 
presents  The  Dream  Project, 
April  21,  8:00  p.m.,  Mainstage, 
Splngold  Theater  Center 

Breakfast  and  Lunch  Series: 
"Education  for  Global  Citizenship: 
Lessons  from  the  Past."  with  David 
Engerman,  associate  professor  of 
history,  April  26,  noon  to  1:30  p.m., 
Multipurpose  Room.  Gosman  Sports 
and  Convocation  Center 

Brandels-Wellesley  Orchestra 
with  the  University  Chorus  and 
Chamber  Choir.  April  28,  8:30  p.m.. 
Levin  Ballroom. 

Alumni  Family  Pool  Party, 
May  6,  11:00  a.m.  to  1:00  p.m., 
LInsey  Pool,  Gosman  Sports  and 
Convocation  Center 

Breakfast  and  Lunch  Series:  "Culture 
and  Politics:  The  Civil  War  In  the  Age 
of  Bush,"  with  Michael  Gllmore,  chair, 
English  and  American  literature.  May 
9,  noon  to  1:30  p.m..  Brown  Rudnick 
Berlack  Israels,  Boston. 

A  Night  at  the  Pops:  EdgeFest, 
June  23,  8:00  p.m..  Symphony 
Hall,  Boston. 


Minnesota 

Faculty  in  the  Field:  "The  Origin  of 
First  Impressions,"  with  Leslie 
Zebrowltz,  Manuel  Yellen  Professor 
of  Social  Relations,  April  22.  1:00  to 
3:00  p.m.  Cosponsored  by  the 
National  Women's  Committee. 


Alumni  Club  of  Northern  California 

Faculty  In  the  Field:  "The  Science  of 
Happiness,"  with  Derek  Isaacowltz, 
assistant  professor  of  psychology. 
May  6. 


Alumni  Club  of  Philadelphia 

Faculty  In  the  Field  with  Jonathan 
Sarna  75,  MA75.  Joseph  H.  and 
Belle  R.  Braun  Professor  of 
American  Jewish  History  and 
director,  Hornsteln  Jewish  Profes- 
sional Leadership  Program,  April  29. 


Seattle 

Faculty  in  the  Field:  "The  Ever- 
Changing  Brain:  Learning  in  Neu- 
rons, Whole  Animals,  and  You,"  with 
Don  Katz,  assistant  professor  of  psy- 
chology. May  6,  LOO  to  3:00  p.m. 
Cosponsored  by  the  National 
Women's  Committee. 


Alumni  Club  of  South  Florida 

Faculty  In  the  Field  with  Daniel 
Kryden  associate  professor  of 
politics,  June  3. 


Alumni  Club  of  Westchester 
County  (New  York)/Family  Network 

Private  tour  and  picnic  at  the 
Stamford  Nature  Center, 
Connecticut.  June  3. 

For  more  information,  visit 
http://alumni.brandeis.edu/web. 


Hornstein  program  director  Jonathan 
Sarna  '75.  MA'75.  will  speak  at  a  Fac- 
ulty in  the  Field  event  in  Philadelphia 
on  April  29. 


Association  Loses  a  Friend 

Founding  president  Natasha  Saltzman  '52,  P'83,  recalled  for  "pioneering  spirit" 


Brandeis  University  lost  a  true  friend  last  fall  with  the  passing  of 
Natasha  Saltzman  '52,  P'83.  A  member  of  Brandeis's  first 
graduating  class,  Saltzman  became  the  founding 
president  of  the  Alumni  Association  the  year 
after  she  graduated.  She  is  widely  credited 
with  providing  the  leadership  that  grew  the 
association  into  the  robust,  37,000-member 
organization  it  is  today. 

Saltzman  always  maintained  a  relationship 
with  Brandeis,  as  president  of  the  association,  as 
a  member  of  the  Alumni  Board  and  Executive 
Committee,  as  a  member  of  her  45th  Reunion  Gift  Committee,  and 
as  a  Brandeis  fellow  from  1964  to  2004.  Last  summer,  Saltzman 
attended  a  semiannual  Class  of '52  reunion  in  the  Berkshires. 

After  graduating  with  a  degree  in  sociology,  Saltzman  earned 
advanced  degrees  from  Hunter  College  and  Adelphi  University. 
She  devoted  her  career  to  geriatric  social  work,  cofounding  the 
home  health-care  agency  SelectCare,  where  she  served  as  vice 
president  and  director  of  social  services.  Saltzman  was  also  the 


owner  and  operator  of  Natasha's  Dacha,  a  bed  and  breakfast  on 
Cape  Cod. 

She  is  survived  by  a  sister,  Judith  Lirvich;  her  children  Nelle  '83 
and  Dan  Miller  '83,  and  Rebecca  and  Joel  Miller;  and  three  grand- 
children, Henry,  Anna,  and  Molly. 

"Natasha  was  a  remarkable  person, "  said  lifelong  friend  and  class- 
mate Helene  Lambert  '52,  who  roomed  with  Saltzman  at  Brandeis 
and  was  at  her  side  when  she  died.  "She  had  a  real  zest  for  life.  She 
loved  to  travel,  was  an  accomplished  potter  and  photographer,  and 
knew  how  to  live  life  well." 

Several  Brandeis  friends  joined  more  than  one  hundred  others  at 
Saltzman's  memorial  service,  conducted  by  classmate  Eugene 
SakJad  '52. 

"Natasha  will  be  remembered  tor  her  pioneering  spirit  in  creating 
the  Brandeis  Alumni  Association,"  said  Karen  Ann  Engelbourg  '79, 
assistant  vice  president  for  alumni  and  university  relations.  "That 
the  association  keeps  more  than  37,000  graduates  connected  to  the 
university  is  a  fitting  tribute  to  a  woman  known  for  her  social  grace, 
magnetic  personality,  and  generous  spirit." 


Wien  International  Scholarship  Program  to  Celebrate  Fiftieth 

It's  not  too  early  to  save  the  date  for  the 
fiftieth  anniversary  celebration  of  the  Wien 
International  Scholars  Program,  scheduled 
for  April  11  to  13,  2008.  Wien  alumni 
from  around  the  globe  will  gather  on  cam- 
pus with  current  students  and  members  of 
the  Wien  family  to  celebrate  the  founding 
of  this  important  program. 

Vartan  Gregorian,  a  university  trustee 
and  president  of  the  Carnegie  Corporation, 
will  deliver  a  keynote  address  on  Saturday, 
April  12.  Other  events  will  include  panel 
presentations  by  current  Wien  scholars  and 
Wien  alumni. 

Endowed  in  1958  by  then  trustee  chair 
Lawrence  A.  Wien  and  his  wife,  Mae,  the 
Wien  International  Scholarship  Program 
offers  tuition  and  room  and  board  to  qual- 
ified foreign  students  who  wish  to  attend 
Brandeis.  In  establishing  the  pioneering 
program,  the  Wiens  hoped  to  promote  cul- 
tural exchange  at  Brandeis. 

Since  the  program's  inception,  more  than 
800  students  from  110  countries  have  stud- 
ied at  Brandeis.  The  program  counts  among 
its  alumni  the  prime  minister  ol  Iceland,  the 


Prominent  world  leaders  attended  the  inauguration  ceremonies  for  the  Wien  International  Scholar- 
ship Program  on  October  12,  1958.  From  left:  founder  Lawrence  Wien;  Abram  Sachar.  founding 
president  of  Brandeis;  U.S.  Senator  John  R  Kennedy;  Wakoko  Kimoto,  a  member  of  the  first  class  of 
Wien  Scholars;  U.S.  Senator  Leverett  Saltonstall;  George  Kennan,  former  U.S.  ambassador  to  the 
Soviet  Union;  and  Abraham  Feinberg,  chair  of  the  Brandeis  Board  of  Trustees. 

foreign  minister  of  Slovenia,  the  minister  of      online  tribute  book  in  which  alumni  can  share 


education  in   Kenya,  and  the  first  female 
member  of  the  Japanese  Diet. 

As  part  of  the  fiftieth  anniversary  celebra- 
tion, a  dedicated  Wien  Web  site  will  be 
launched  in  April  2007  that  will  feature  an 


their  thoughts  and  sentiments  about  Bran- 
deis, their  experiences  as  Wien  scholars,  and 
their  gratitude  to  the  extended  Wien  family. 

For   more   information,    contact    Karen 
Rogol  '98  at  wien@alumni.brandeis.edu. 


Spring  0?  |  lir;inilii>  I  nivrr.'iily  .Vlagiiziiir 


73 


VOLUNTEER  PROFILE 


Dick  '57  and  Mimi  Bergel  '57  (left)  are  serving  as  vice  chairs  for  the  committee  planning  the  50th  Reunion  of  the  Class  of  1957.  Richard  Kaufman  '57 
(right),  pictured  with  his  wife,  Rosalind  '59,  P'83.  is  chair  of  the  committee. 


Bergels,  Kaufman  Team  Up  for  50th  Remiion 

Event  vice  chairs  have  long  history  of  serving  their  alma  mater 


His  Brandeis  football  career  long  over,  Dick 
Bergel  '57  is  now  teaming  up  with  his  wife, 
Mimi  (Kaplan)  '57,  to  help  lead  the  cheers 
for  their  50th  Reunion  on  May  18  to  20. 

Dick,  a  Hall  of  Fame  running  back 
under  legendary  coach  Benny  Friedman, 
and  Mimi,  a  cheerleader  in  the  mid-1950s, 
are  serving  as  vice  chairs  for  the  committee 
planning  the  50th  Reunion  of  the  Class  of 
1957.  The  Bergels'  responsibilities  include 
serving  as  goodwill  ambassadors  for  the 
university,  a  role  they  have  heartily 
embraced  since  graduating  from  Brandeis  a 
half-century  ago. 

They  have  been  generous  with  both  their 
time  and  money  in  support  of  Brandeis.  Dick 
formerly  served  as  a  university  trustee,  and 
both  are  members  of  the  Board  of  Fellows. 


They  have  also  been  active  in  the  Alumni 
Admissions  Council,  helped  organize  class 
reunions,  and  belong  to  Friends  of  Brandeis 
Athletics.  The  Bergels  were  instrumental  in 
efforts  to  secure  Friedman  a  place  in  the  Pro 
Football  Hall  of  Fame  in  2005. 

"We  both  have  such  fond  memories  of 
Brandeis,"  Dick  said.  "At  that  time,  foot- 
ball was  part  of  the  culture  and  brought  a 
lot  of  attention  to  the  university.  I  remem- 
ber the  games,  the  pageantry,  and  the 
camaraderie.  I'm  still  friendly  with  many 
of  my  teammates." 

Added  Mimi,  "When  we  were  at  Bran- 
deis, the  total  enrollment  was  about  a  thou- 
sand students,  so  we  knew  almost  everyone 
in  our  class  and  the  classes  before  and  after 
ours.  It  was  a  very  close-knit  community. 


Attending  Brandeis  was  such  an  adventure 
because  everything  we  did  was  new." 

The  Bergels  are  urging  all  of  their  class- 
mates to  return  for  the  50th  Reunion  and 
renew  acquaintances  with  old  friends. 

"It's  an  opportunity  to  relive  an  exciting 
part  of  our  lives,"  Mimi  said.  "Our  classmates 
who  have  not  been  to  Brandeis  recendy  will 
be  struck  by  how  the  campus  has  changed. 
There  are  more  students,  new  buildings,  and 
more  diverse  academic  fields,  but  Brandeis 
still  has  the  same  pioneering  spirit  that  it  had 
when  we  were  students." 

Dick  is  looking  forward  to  participating 
in  the  Commencement  procession  with 
other  members  of  the  Class  of  1957.  "I 
think  it  will  add  quickness  to  our  step  and 
make  us  feel  young  again,"  he  said. 


Braiiileis  University  Magazine  |  Spring  '07 


Alumni  Club  of  New  York 
Recent  Graduates  Network 

From  left:  Recent  Graduates  Network 
cochair  Galete  Levin  '00;  Shlomo 
Blashka,  liaison  to  Israeli  Wineries,  Royal 
Wine  Corp.;  and  event  cochair  Dalya 
Levin  '04  welcomed  New  York-area 
alumni  to  a  wine  tasting  and  lecture  at 
Brandeis  House  last  fall. 


Alumni  Club  of  New  York 
Performing  Arts  Network 

In  November,  the  Performing  Arts  Network  hosted  alumni 
at  the  Resonance  Ensemble's  production  of  Charles  L. 
Mee's  Obie  Award-winning  play,  The  Mail  Order  Bride,  at 
the  Beckett  Theatre  in  New  York  City. 


Alumni  Club  of  New  York 

From  left:  Mark  Tulis  '73,  Mark  Bienstock  '73,  Rebecca 
Tulis,  Maxine  Bienstock,  and  Elaine  Heimberger  Tulis  '72 
joined  more  than  one  hundred  New  York-area  alumni  at 
a  workshop,  "What  Makes  a  Future  Brandeisian?  An 
Insider's  Guide  to  Selective  Colleges,"  at  Brandeis  House 
last  fall. 


Alumni  Club  of  New  York 

Wall  Street  and  Finance  Network 

Private-equity  investor  and  university  trustee 
Thomas  H.  Lee  (center),  who  spoke  to  the  Wall 
Street  and  Finance  Network  February  13  at 
Brandeis  House  in  New  York,  is  joined  by  trustee 
Ron  Daniel  (left),  who  hosted  the  event,  and 
President  Jehuda  Reinharz,  PhD'72. 


'07  I  Hraiirliis  I  jiivtTsitv  Maeiiziiii' 


75 


alumni     ws 


Alumni  Club  of  South  Florida 

Clockwise  from  bottom  lefr:  Amy  Mandel  '10,  Ivy  Hest  '07,  Michael 
Wagner  06,  Allison  Fleischer,  Osi  Shmueli  '05,  Wendy  Herrera  '09, 
Stefanie  Silverman  '07,  and  Jessica  Gershen  '07  enjoyed  the  sunshine  at 
the  club's  fifth  annual  Winter  Break  Beach  Parry  at  the  Golden  Beach 
Pavilion  in  January.  Club  president  Gil  Drozdow  '79  hosted  the  event, 
and  Future  Alumni  ot  Brandeis  liaison  Raena  Davis  '07  served  as  cochair. 


Alumni  Club  of  Greater  Boston 

Event  cochairs  Doug  Rosner  '88  and  Barbara 
(Cantor)  Sherman  '54,  P'83  (right),  join  Elizabeth 
Goodman,  professor  of  child  and  adolescent 
health  at  the  Heller  School  of  Social  Policy  and 
Management  at  a  Downtown  Lunch  Series  at 
Brown  Rudnick  Berlack  Israels  in  Boston. 
Goodman  delivered  a  talk,  "Supersize  Me:  Social 
and  Biological  Determinants  of  America's  Obesity 
Epidemic."  Erica  Michals  Silverman  '95  also  served 
as  event  cochair,  with  Steven  London  '77  and  Tedd 
Lustig  '91  as  hosts. 


Alumni  Club  of  Denver 

Copresidents  Nicole  Hoffman 
Myers  '96  (lefr)  and  Susan 
Hendrick  '96  welcomed  Derek 
Isaacowitz,  assistant  professor  of 
psychology,  at  a  Faculty  in  the  Field 
event  hosted  by  Frani  Rudolph 
Bickart  '66  and  her  husband,  Ted, 
in  November.  Isaacowitz  spoke  on 
"The  Science  of  Happiness." 


Alumni  Club  of  Baltimore 

Steering  Committee  members  from  left)  Lisa 

Gerber  '90,  Monica  Pats  '82,  and  Leonie  Weiss 

Kahn  '98  joined  fellow  graduates  and  students  at  the 

home  of  Judy  Myers  Langenthal  '57  for  the  club's 

second  annual  midsemester  party  in  January.  The 

event  was  cochaired  by  Rebecca  Klein  '94  and  Future 

Alumni  of  Brandeis  liaison  Amelia  Liebhold  '08. 


Alumni  Club  of  Arizona 

The  Alumni  Club  of  Arizona 
welcomed  Peter  Conrad  (lefr),  the 
Harry  Coplan  Professor  of  Social 
Sciences,  and  Brooke  Stein  '01  (right) 
at  a  Faculty  in  the  Field  event  at  the 
home  of  Karen  Neiter  Nagle  '84  and 
her  husband,  Robert,  in  January. 
Conrad  delivered  a  talk,  "The 
Medicalization  of  Society."  The  event 
was  chaired  by  club  president  Rachel 
Hernandez  '92.  Future  Alumni  of 
Brandeis  liaison  Sarah  Bernes    10 
was  also  in  attendance. 


76 


Biamleis  Iniversilv  Map 


■>l>ri]i^ 


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Alumni  Club  of  Chicago 

The  club  held  its  annual  Alumni  and  Student  Broomball  game  in  January.  Outgoing  president  Aria  Siiverstein  '88  organized  the  event. 


Steve  Wander  '97  (below,  top  left)  organized  a  daylong  volunteer  event  in  Novem- 
ber at  the  Rhea  Segal  Food  Pantry  Program  in  Chicago,  which  provides  free  social 
services  for  the  needy.  Top  row,  from  left:  Wander,  Brian  Irwin  '98,  John 
Sutton  '98,  Rob  Seidner  '98,  MBA  '03,  and  Adam  Shames  '87;  middle  roiv, 
from  left:  Sondra  de  Jong  '94,  Jessica  Tobacman  '02,  Debbie  Schmidt 
Seidner  '98,  Laura  Gingiss  Wander  '98,  Nicole  Werther  '98,  and  Dan  Lev  '98; 
bottom,  from  left:  Lynn  Steiner  '91  and  Rebecca  Lieber  '94. 


Members  of  the  Alumni  Club  of  Chicago 
(above)  cheered  on  the  Brandeis  men's 
and  women's  basketball  teams  in  January 
as  they  took  on  the  University  of 
Chicago.  The  women  beat  Chicago, 
57^8,  but  the  men  lost,  88-76. 


Spriii^  "(J7  I  Braiiiici-.  I  ni\)'rsity  Mii^azinc  77 


alumnirieW 


BAMD!  2006 

Last  fall,  nearly  rwo  hundred  alumni  gathered 
on  campus  for  BAMD!  06,  Brandeis  Alumni 
Making  a  Difference:  In  the  Legacy  of  Louis  D. 
Brandeis.  The  weekend-long  leadership  retreat 
featured  several  panel  discussions,  workshops,  a 
visit  to  Brandeis  art  studios  and  the  Rose  Art 
Museum,  and  a  gala  awards  dinner  at  the  John 
Joseph  Moakley  Courthouse  in  downtown 
Boston.  Speakers  and  panelists  included  Walter 
Mossberg  '69,  author  and  creator  of  the 
"Personal  Technology"  column  in  the  Wall  Street 
Journal;  Marshall  Herskovitz  '73,  award-winning 
television  director,  producer,  and  writer;  Marta 
Kaufifman  '78,  executive  producer  and  cocreator 
of  the  Emmy  Award-winning  TV  series  Friends; 
Jonathan  Brant  '68,  a  Cambridge  District  Court 
judge;  and  many  others. 


Frank  Gilbert  (right),  grandson  of  Louis  D. 
Brandeis,  joins  (from  /f/rj  James  P.  Leahy  '85, 
BAMD!  '06  event  chair  Laurie  Slater  Albert  '74, 
and  Jonathan  Brant  '68  at  a  celebration  marking 
the  anniversary  of  Justice  Brandeis's  150th 
birthday,  which  occurred  November  13,  2006. 


f.-i'u/.Tfiift^jijBSBaBasiWK^^M^ia^sffiaaisEaK® 


Alumni  participating  on  the  arts  panel  included  (from  left)  Nick  Rabkin  '69, 
executive  director  of  the  Chicago  Center  for  Arts  Policy  at  Columbia  College; 
Marta  Kaufifman  '78,  executive  producer  and  cocreator  oi  Friends;  Thertsa. 
Rebeck,  MA'83,  MFA'86,  PhD'89,  playwright  and  screenwriter;  George 
Kahn  '73,  musician  and  president  of  Playing  Records;  Adam  D.  Weinberg  '77, 
the  Alice  Pratt  Brown  Director  of  the  Whitney  Museum  of  American  Art;  and 
Peter  Lipsitt  '61,  sculptor  and  professor  of  art.  Scott  Edmiston,  director  of 
Brandeis's  Office  of  the  Arts,  served  as  moderator. 


Walter  Mossberg  '69,  "Personal  Technology"  columnist  at  the  Wall  Street 

Journal,  kicks  off  the  weekend  festivities  at  the  BAMD!  '06  welcome  dinner. 

He  spoke  to  a  capacity  crowd  about  trends  in  personal  technology  and  computing. 


Brandeis  Universily  Magazine  |  Spring  07 


:;/m 


Cambridge  District  Court  judge  Jonathan  Brant  '68  (right)  led 

a  panel  discussion  on  the  leadership  of  Louis  Brandeis, 

tocusing  on  the  late  Supreme  Court  justice's  legacy  of  social 

justice,  his  contributions  to  the  legal  field,  and  his  reputation 

as  the  "people's  attorney."  Panelists  included  (from  left)  Nick 

Paleologos,  executive  producer  of  a  documentary  film  on 

Justice  Brandeis  that  is  being  produced  by  Charles  Stuart  of 

Stuart  Television  Productions;  Joette  Katz  '74,  a  Connecticut 

Supreme  Court  justice;  Frank  Gilbert,  Justice  Brandeis's 

grandson;  Anita  H.  Dymant  '71,  a  California  Superior  Court 

judge  tor  Los  Angeles  County;  and  Richard  S.  Kay  '68,  the 

George  and  Helen  England  Professor  of  Constitutional  Law  ai 

the  Universitv  of  Connecticut  Law  School. 


At  Friday's  welcome  dinner.  Alumni  Association  president 
Darlene  Green  Kamine  '74,  P'03  (bottom  right),  presented 
several  former  association  presidents  with  a  statue  of 
Louis  D.  Brandeis  in  recognition  of  their  outstanding 
service  to  the  university.  Bottom  row,  from  left:  Sally 
(Marshall)  Glickman  '59;  Paul  Levenson  '52,  P'78,  P'82; 
Paula  (Dubofsky)  Resnick  '61,  P'86,  P'91;  Sharyn 
Sooho  '69;  Carol  (Richman)  Saivetz  '69,  P'97,  P'Ol, 
accepting  on  behall  of  her  late  husband,  Richard  '69; 
and  Kamine.  Top  row,  from  left:  Paul  Zlotoff  '72;  Lawrence 
Kane  '57;  Alan  Greenwald  '52;  Jeffrey  Golland  '61,  P'96; 
Bruce  Litwer  '61;  Charles  Eisenberg  '70;  and  Yehuda 
Cohen  '81. 


Gathering  at  the  entrance  to  the  John  Joseph  Moakley 

Courthouse  in  Boston  are  (from  left)  Yehuda  Cohen  '8 1 ; 

Alumni  Association  president  Darlene  Green  Kamine  '74, 

P'03;  Nancy  K.  Winship,  P'lO,  senior  vice  president  of 

institutional  advancement;  Paul  Zlotoff '72;  Yasmin 

Schaller  '83;  Laurie  Slater  Albert  '74,  chair  of  BAM D!  '06; 

and  Stephen  Albert.  Engraved  on  the  courthouse's 

marble  wall  is  a  quote  from  Louis  D.  Brandeis: 

"Justice  is  but  truth  in  action." 


"07  I  liiniiili-js  I  riivrr.siiv  Mai:<izinr* 


79 


ALUMNI   ASSOCIATION   AWARDS 


During  the  BAMD!  '06  Awards  and  Gala  Dinner,  the 
Alumni  Association's  annual  Young  Leadership  Award, 
Service  to  Association  Award,  and  the  Admissions  Council 
Service  Awards  were  presented.  Association  president  Darlene  Green 
Kamine  '74,  P'03,  and  Wendy  Morris  Berliner  '95,  chair  of  the  Awards 
and  Recognition  Committee  of  the  Alumni  Board,  presented. 

Alumni  Admissions 
Council  Service  Awards 

The  Alumni  Admissions  Council  (AAC)  Service  Award  recognizes 
AAC  volunteers  who  have  consistently  gone  above  and  beyond  the 
call  of  duty  and  whose  passion,  enthusiasm,  and  dedication  to  the 
university  have  made  them  positive  ambassadors  for  Brandeis  in  their 
communities.  Three  individuals  received  AAC  aivards. 

Brandeis  couple  Eileen  '78 
and  Kenneth  Winter  '77  have 
served  as  Alumni  Admissions 
Council  cochairs  in  Philadel- 
phia and  Southern  New  Jersey 
tor  more  than  twenty  years. 
Their  shared  dedication  to 
Brandeis  is  legendary.  Between 
them,  they  have  coordinated 
countless  interviews  with 
prospective  students,  and 
hosted  annual  new-student 
sendofFs.  Eileen  also  serves  on 
the  Alumni  Club  of  Philadelphia  steering  committee.  Ken  is  a  vice 
president  at  Fidelity  Capital  Resources  in  Cherry  Hill,  New  Jersey, 
and  Eileen  is  a  senior  social  worker  at  Thomas  Jefferson 
University  Hospital  in  Philadelphia. 


Francine  Shonteld  Sherman  '84  recently 
stepped  down  after  twenty  years  of 
dedicated  service  to  Brandeis  as  chair  of 
the  Alumni  Admissions  Council  on  the 
North  Shore  of  Illinois.  In  her  more 
than  two  decades  of  service,  she  coordi- 
nated hundreds  of  interviews,  represent- 
ed Brandeis  at  college  fairs,  and  hosted 
new-student  sendofts.  Association  lead- 
ers tapped  her  considerable  experience 
and  talent  during  the  BAMD!  2004 
retreat,  where  she  led  training  for  other  AAC  volunteers.  She  has 
organized  the  AAC's  annual  fall  meeting,  and  serves  on  the 
steering  committee  of  the  Alumni  Club  of  Chicago.  Sherman  is  a 
freelance  writer  and  violinist  and  performs  with  the  Northbrook 
Symphony  Orchestra. 


Alumni  Association 

Service  to  Association  Award 

The  Alumni  Association  Service  to  Association  Award  recognizes  out- 
standing effort  on  the  National  Alumni  Association  Board,  Alumni 
Annual  Fund,  or  other  association  activities  and  honors  someone  whose 
contribution  has  enhanced  the  association  and  will  have  an  impact  on 
its  future. 

Mark  Cohen  '78,  P'09,  chair  of  the  gov- 
ernance committee  of  the  Alumni  Board, 
was  recognized  for  his  leadership  in  the 
essential  task  of  redrafting  the  association 
bylaws,  constitution,  and  other  govern- 
ing documents.  Cohen  is  president  of 
the  Alumni  Club  of  Long  Island  and  an 
active  member  of  the  Alumni  Admis- 
sions Council.  He  is  a  leader  in  the 
Brandeis  Orthodox  Organization  and 
the  Brandeis  HiUel  Foundation  and 
served  on  the  gift  and  program  committees  for  his  25th  Reunion. 
Cohen,  special  counsel  for  Hahn  and  Hessen  in  New  York,  main- 
tains a  second  home  in  Jerusalem  with  his  wife,  Roberta 
Weinstein-Cohen  '79.  They  have  organized  events  for  Brandeis 
alumni  in  Israel.  The  couple  have  three  children,  including  Hanna, 
a  member  of  the  Brandeis  Class  of  2009. 


Alumni  Association 
Young  Leadership  Award 

The  Alumni  Association  Young  Leadership  Award  recognizes  the  lead- 
ership and  hard  work  on  behalf  of  the  Alumni  Association  by  alumni 
who  have  graduated  within  the  past  ten  years. 

nAdam  Rifkin  '97  chairs  the  finance 
committee  of  the  Association  Board  of 
Directors.  Rifkin,  whose  father, 
Matthew,  is  a  1971  graduate  of  Brandeis, 
is  credited  with  restructuring  the  associa- 
tion's finances  and  implementing  new 
accounting  policies  that  have  trimmed 
expenses  and  increased  revenues.  Rifkin, 
vice  president  of  retail  and  consumer 
investment  banking  at  Lehman  Brothers 
in  New  York,  began  serving  the  associa- 
tion as  a  student  representative  to  the  board  in  1995.  Since  gradu- 
ating, he  has  been  the  cochair  ot  his  5th  Reunion  gift  committee,  a 
member  of  the  steering  committee  of  the  Wall  Street/Finance 
Network,  a  sponsor  of  the  Alumni  Association  Golf  and  Tennis 
Outing,  cochair  of  the  Justice  Brandeis  Emerging  Leaders  program, 
and  a  representative  to  the  Hiatt  Career  Center  advisory  board. 


Braiiilris  I'rlivri  silN    Ma»;a/iiH'  |  Sjirini;  "07 


Brandeis  University 

GOLF  AND  TENNIS  OUTING 


Show  your  support  for 
Brandeis  by  becoming  an 
event  sponsor,  donating  a 
raffle  prize,  or  participating 
as  a  golf  or  tennis  player! 

For  more  information  or  to 
learn  about  additional 
SPONSORSHIP  opportunities: 

HnP://ALUMNI. BRANDEIS.EDU/ 
GOLFANDTENNIS 

OR 

ROBYN  HaRTMAN  '94 
212-472-1501,  EXT.  232 

hartman@brandeis.edu 

Check  your  mail  for 
registration  information. 


Sponsored  by 


ALPINE  CAPITAL  BANK 


Monday,  August  13 

Old  Oaks  Country  Club 
Purchase,  New  York 

Proceeds  from  the  outing  will  go  toward  an 
undergraduate  student  scholarship. 

•Golf 

•  Tennis  Clinics  and  Tournament 

•  Brunch 

•  Raffles 

•  Contests 

•  Cocktail  Reception,  Awards  and 
Banquet  Dinner      '^^ 

•  Refreshment  on  the  course  and  by 
the  tennis  courts 

•  Use  of  driving  range,  putting  greens, 
and  locker  rooms 

•  Great  giveaways  , 


alumninews 


NEW  CLUB  PRESIDENTS 


Carolyn  Kahn  Birkenstein  '95 


Alumni  Club  of  Chicago 

If  you  had  told  Carolyn  Kahn  Birkenstein  when  she  graduated  in 
1995  that  twelve  years  later  she  would  be  president  ot  the  Alumni 
Club  of  Chicago,  she  simply  would  not  have  believed  you. 

"I  never  dreamed  Brandeis  would  still  occupy  such  a  big  place  in 
my  life,"  said  Birkenstein,  who  took  the  chapter's  reins  January  1. 

Birkenstein  was  originally  drawn  to  Brandeis  from  a  small  town 
in  Ohio  by  the  university's  reputation  as  a  small  liberal  arts  college 
with  big  ideas  and  an  impressive,  renowned  faculty.  She  majored  in 
economics  and  international  studies,  was  an  undergraduate  fellow, 
rowed  crew,  was  a  member  of  the  Ballroom  Dance  Club,  and 
interned  at  a  Fortune  500  company,  thanks  to  a  referral  from  the 
Hiatt  Career  Center. 

Within  the  economics  department,  she  won  the  Most  Outstanding 
Senior  Award,  graduated  with  high  honors,  and  delivered  an  under- 
graduate commencement  address. 

"I  loved  my  first  economics  course,"  she  recalled.  "For  me,  it  was 
like  playing  really  flin  games.  I  knew  I  wanted  to  pursue  it  as  a  career." 

After  graduating  from  Brandeis,  Birkenstein,  who  had  always 
dreamed  of  living  in  another  country,  received  an  MBA  from 
McGill  University  in  Montreal,  where  she  won  first  place  in  the 
McGill  Business  Plan  Competition. 

For  the  past  nine  years,  she  has  worked  at  the  MITRE  Corp.,  a 
not-for-profit  engineering  organization  chartered  to  work  in  the 
public  interest.  As  lead  economics  and  business  analyst,  Birken- 
stein looks  at  new  technologies  from  a  business  perspective  for 
high-profile,  government-agency  clients  such  as  the  Department 


of  Defense,  the  Federal 
Aviation  Administration, 
and  the  Internal  Revenue 
Service. 

"No  matter  how  great 
an  idea,  if  it  is  not  econom- 
ically viable,  it  won't  be 
successfiil,"  she  said.  "My 
work  is  very  challenging 
and  interesting.  I  learn 
something  new  every  day." 

After  earning  a  master's 
degree,  Birkenstein  began 
volunteering  for  the 
Alumni  Admissions 

Council     (AAC),     inter- 
viewing  prospective   stu- 
dents. Once  she  settled  in  Illinois,  she  became  chair  of  the  AAC  in 
Chicago  and  attended  alumni  events  sponsored  by  the  club. 

"I  had  a  great  experience  as  an  undergraduate  at  Brandeis,"  said 
Birkenstein.  Noting  that  she  and  her  husband,  Eric,  are  the  parents 
of  a  daughter,  she  said,  "Having  a  child  helps  you  to  reassess  your  pri- 
orities, and  these  lifelong  connections  become  more  important.  We 
have  a  very  active  club,  intellectually  and  socially  stimulating  events, 
and  great  people  who  really  keep  it  going.  I  am  making  new  Brandeis 
friends  all  the  time." 


Francyne  Davis  Jacobs  '95 

Alumni  Club  of  Houston 


After  completing  cantorial  studies  and 
earning  two  advanced  degrees,  Francyne 
Davis  Jacobs  '95  returned  to  her  native 
Houston  eager  to  connect  with  fellow  grad- 
uates with  whom  she  could  "share  the  won- 
derful experience  of  Brandeis." 

She  joined  the  steering  committee  of  the 
Alumni  Club  of  Houston.  Two  years  later, 
she  brings  her  characteristic  passion  and 
enthusiasm  to  her  work  as  club  president. 

Just  fourteen  years  old  when  she  realized 
she  wanted  to  be  a  cantor,  Jacobs  came  to 
Brandeis  and  pursued  majors  in  music  and 
Near  Eastern  and  Judaic  studies.  She  was  a 


member  of  the  University  Choir,  Chamber 
Choir,  and  In  Sync,  an  all-female  a  cappella 
group.  She  was  also  editor  of  the  yearbook. 

After  working  at  the  university's  events 
center  for  two  years,  she  moved  to 
Philadelphia  to  begin  cantorial  studies  at 
Gratz  College.  She  earned  a  master's  in 
Jewish  music,  with  highest  honors,  and  was 
valedictorian  of  Gratz's  Class  of  2002.  In 
2005,  she  completed  a  master's  in  Jewish 
education,  also  from  Gratz. 

Jacobs  became  the  first  cantor  of  Temple 
Rodeph  Torah  in  Marlboro,  New  Jersey, 
where  she  created  a  musical  calendar  and 


implemented  a  music  program.  She  also  led 
services,  officiated  at  life-cycle  events, 
taught  young  and  adult  students,  led  a 
choir,  and  implemented  a  Shabbat  program 
for  young  adults  with  former  Brandeis 
classmate  Jonathan  Infeld  '95,  a  rabbi. 

Jacobs  is  currently  the  clergyperson  at 
Congregation  Beth  Shalom  in  Bryan,  Texas. 
In  addition  to  leading  Shabbat  and  High 
Holy  Day  services,  she  teaches  adult  educa- 
tion and  Torah  study  classes,  works  with  the 
religious  school  and  adult  choir,  and  per- 
forms pastoral  care  duties.  She  can  also  be 
found    leading    services    in    Houston    at 


BraniLn^  L 


tin  frsitv 


.Magazine  |  Spririj;   07 


Martin  Greengrass  '70,  P'99 


Alumni  Club  of  West  Coast  Florida 

His  wife,  Judy,  may  think  he  is  "a  little  hyper,"  but  Martin 
Greengrass  '70,  P'99,  attributes  his  countless  hours  as  a  volunteer 
to  a  "tradition  of  service"  that  was  instilled  in  him  as  a  young  adult. 

A  clinical  psychologist  in  private  practice  in  Tampa,  Florida, 
Greengrass  has  a  volunteer  resume  that  is  nothing  short  of  dizzying. 
He  is  actively  involved  in  several  nonprofit  and  charitable 
organizations — raising  money  for  schools  in  the  United  States  and 
abroad,  organizing  events  for  homeless  shelters,  and  running  camps 
for  children  with  cancer,  to  cite  a  few  examples.  Greengrass  also 
teaches  graduate  courses  several  weekends  each  year. 

Fortunately,  Greengrass  has  been  equally  dedicated  to  his  alma 
mater.  After  graduating  from  Brandeis,  he  received  master's  and 
doctoral  degrees  from  the  University  of  Connecticut.  He  settled  in 
Indiana,  where  he  served  Brandeis  as  an  Alumni  Admissions 
Council  volunteer,  opening  up  a  previously  untapped  admissions 
market  for  the  university. 

"I  always  told  prospective  students.  At  Brandeis,  you  will  have  an 
extended  family  for  life,'"  he  said. 

Greengrass,  who  has  two  daughters,  Rachel  and  Sara  '99,  moved 
to  Tampa  six  years  ago.  "Ir  was  so  great  to  reconnect  with  people 
through  the  Alumni  Club  of  West  Coast  Florida,"  he  said.  "They 
helped  us  get  settled,  get  reacquainted  with  other  alumni,  and  feel 
a  part  of  the  extended  family  again." 

Greengrass's  first  volunteer  role  in  Florida  was  attending  col- 
lege fairs.  Later,  he  helped  plan  events  and  energize  the  region's 
many  alumni. 


"The  first  event,  which  I  cochaired  with  Sanchali  Biswas  '01,  was 
a  picnic.  Despite  an  unseasonably  cold  forty-eight-degree  day,  we 
had  a  great  turnout,"  he  said. 

The  duo,  along  with  Alex  Winner  '99,  later  chaired  a  successful 
luncheon  and  cruise  in  Tarpon  Springs. 


"Brandeis  alumni  have  a  special  bond,  and  we  can  offer  each 
other  a  whole  lot,"  Greengrass  said.  "I  hope  that,  as  club  president, 
I  can  continue  to  engage  alumni  and  encourage  them  to  take 
advantage  of  the  unique  gift  Brandeis  has  given  us." 


Reform  and  Conservative  congregations 
and  the  Reform  day  school. 

An  active  member  of  the  Alumni  Admis- 
sions Council  since  2002,  Jacobs  represents 
Brandeis  at  local  college  fairs  and  in  inter- 
views with  prospective  students.  Last  sum- 
mer, she  hosted  the  Houston  New  Student 
Send-Off  She  also  served  on  her  5  th  and 
10th  Reunion  committees. 

"I  had  a  fantastic  experience  at  Brandeis," 
Jacobs  said.  "I  am  excired  to  serve  as  club 
president  and  plan  to  help  as  many  alumni 
as  possible  establish  the  lifelong  connection 
I  enjoy." 


Spring '07  |  I5r;itnli'i^  I'niversitv  Magaziiif 


83 


lassnotes 


1952 


Diana  Laskin  Siegal 

900  SW  31st  Street,  #BE339 
Topeka,  KS  66611 
1952notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Laurence  Nigrosli 

Piymoutii,  Massachusetts 

Nigrosh  married  Millicent  Tuman  on 

January  6  at  the  home  of  classmates 

Penny  Peirez  Abrams  and  Julian  Koss 

in  Sarasota,  Florida. 


1953 


Abraham  Heller 

1400  Runnymede  Road 
Dayton.  OH  45419 
1953notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


1954 


William  Marsh 

5113  Castlerock  Way 
Naples,  FL  34112 
1954notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


SV\0V3^ 

■^     FROM  THE 


\-v 


ROOFTOPS 


''in  an  award?  Gee  a  promotion? 
Move  cities?  Have  a  baby?  Siiare 
your  good  news  with  classmates 
and  fellow  alumni. 

Mail  your  news  to: 

Class  Notes 

MS  124,  Brandeis  University 

415  South  Street 

Waltham,  MA  02454 

You  may  also  e-mail  your  news  to 
your  class  correspondent  or  to 
classnotes@alumni.brandeis.edu. 
or  complete  the  online  form  at 
http://aiumni.brandeis.edu/web/ 
classes/classnotes.html. 


Marty  Rachman 

Concord,  Massachusetts 
Rachman  has  two  sons  who  are  involved 
in  his  business,  as  well  as  thirteen  grand- 
children who  live  around  the  country. 


1955 


Judith  Paull  Aronson 

838  N.  Doheny  Drive,  #906 
Los  Angeles,  CA  90069 
1955notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Herbert  Bressman 

Lake  Worth,  Florida 
Bressman's  sixth  grandchild,  Paige 
Elizabeth,  was  born  on  November  10, 
2006,  to  parents  Dr.  Richard  and 
Mary  Bressman. 

Myron  Uhlberg 

Santa  Monica,  California 
Uhlberg's  latest  book,  Jackie,  Dad.  and 
Me,  received  the  American  Library 
Associations  2006  Schneider  Family 
Book  Award  for  best  picture  book  for 
young  children. 


1956 


Leona  Feldman  Curhan 

366  River  Road 

Carlisle,  MA  01741 

1956notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


"NJON 


1957 


Wynne  Wolkenberg  Miller 

1443  Beacon  Street,  #403 
Brookline,  MA  02443 
1957notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Linda  (Feinberg)  Alvifitt 

Sonoma,  California 
Alwitt  is  a  retired  professor.  She  volun- 
teers with  a  social-service  group  and  with 
a  group  that  hikes  with  kids. 


Madelyn  Bell 

Chestnut  Hill,  Massachusetts 

Bell  is  a  manager  of  special  projects  at 

Hebrew  Senior  Life. 

Ruth  Porter  Bernstein 

Winthrop,  Massachusetts 

Bernstein  has  been  playing  golf  skiing, 

traveling,  and  babysitting  for  her 

grandchildren. 

Sheldon  Cohen 

Swampscott,  Massachusetts 
Cohen  is  enjoying  retirement  and 
spending  time  with  his  wife  and  three 
granddaughters. 

Richard  Cooper 

Needham,  Massachusetts 

Cooper  is  enjoying  his  family  and  still 

working  full  time. 

Judith  Kahalas  Filderman 

Needham,  Massachusetts 

Filderman  works  as  a  paralegal  for  her 

brother  David. 

Nita  Edelstein  Finn  and  Jerold  Finn 
South  Harwich,  Massachusetts 
Nita  Finn  is  trying  to  fully  comprehend 
that  she  and  Jerry  have  been  married  for 
fifty-one  years!  Jerold  works  in  the  field 
of  support  services  tor  the  elderly.  They 
enjoy  biking  and  dining  and  love  their 
grandchildren.  Grandson  Nicky,  son  of 
Betsy  and  Ray  DiCarlo  '81,  is 
graduating  from  Columbia  University 
with  honors  and  a  job.  The  Finns  also 
shared  in  the  joy  of  their  granddaughter 
Hannah's  bat  mitzvah. 

David  Graubard 

San  Jose,  California 

Graubard  is  gradually  winding  down  his 

medical  practice  and  losing  weight 

(sixty-five  pounds). 

Sandra  (Malkin)  Greenberg 
Parsippany,  New  Jersey 
Greenberg  is  retired  and  runs  a  shared 
housing  residence  for  information 
technology  professionals  from  India. 


84 


Brandeis  Univcrsily  Magazine  |  Spring  '07 


Helen  (Pugach)  Karlsberg 
Ventura,  California 
Karlsberg  writes,  "I  have  become  a 
Feldenkrais  practitioner  and  am  active  in 
Women  ot  Vision  interfaith  conferences. 
I  enjoy  babysitting  my  granddaughter, 
Tatiana,  and  tutoring  my  grandson, 
Aaron,  for  his  bar  mitzvah. " 

Miriam  Kliegman  Kaye 

Sarasota,  Florida 

Kaye  is  celebrating  her  fiftieth  wedding 

anniversary  in  San  Diego  and  going  on  a 

Panama  Canal  cruise. 

Eunice  Sfiatz  Kleinman 
New  Rochelle,  New  York 
Kleinman  operates  a  wholesale  Judaica 
business  with  an  emphasis  on  textiles, 
tablecloths,  challah  covers,  etc. 

Doris  Marks 

Bedford,  New  Hampshire 

Marks  says  she  is  happy  to  be  alive  and 

still  works  in  the  antiques  business. 

William  Orman 

Hyannis,  Massachusetts 

Orman  writes,  "I  am  retired  and  living 

on  Cape  Cod.  I  am  enjoying  my  nine 

grandchildren." 

Arnold  Rovner 
Coram,  New  York 
Rovner  is  still  happily  and  actively 
engaged  in  life-  and  health-insurance 
management  and  sales.  He  is  enjoying 
his  two  grandsons  and  four  granddaugh- 
ters and  is  looking  forward  to  catching 
up  with  classmates  at  the  50th  Reunion. 

Judith  Shapiro  Saxe 

Lexington,  Kentucky 

Saxe  is  a  member  of  the  national  board 

of  Hadassah  and  led  a  mission  to  Israel 

in  December  2006.  She  has  three 

granddaughters  and  often  travels  to 

visit  them. 

Audrey  Astrin  Tell  and  David  Tell 

Wantagh,  New  York 

The  Tells  are  retired  and  loving  it! 


Moriel  Schlesinger  Weiselberg 
Deer  Park,  New  York 
Weiselberg  writes,  "In  December,  I 
performed  in  the  Mahler  first  symphony 
and  The  Nutcracker  (viola)  with  the 
South  Shore  Symphony  on  Long  Island. 
In  January,  I  was  coached  in  the  Smetena 
String  Quartet  by  members  of  the 
Manhattan  String  Quartet  in  Prague, 
where  Smetena  lived. " 


1958 


Judith  Brecher  Borakove 

10  East  End  Avenue,  #2-F 
New  York,  NY  10021 
1958notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Helen  Kahn  Kass 

Arlington,  Massachusetts 
Kass  writes,  "Doing  what  is 
developmentally  appropriate,  I  am 
continuing  my  career  as  a  geriatric-care 
manager.  At  no  other  stage  of  life  are 
humans  more  diverse.  My  work  is 
challenging,  satisfying,  and  a  great  deal 
of  fiin." 


1959 


Sunny  Sunshine  Brov/nrout 

87  Old  Hill  Road 

Westport,  CT  06880 

1959notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

In  January  2005,  a  contingent  of  almost 
forty  family  and  friends,  including  class- 
mate Joan  Roistacher  Blitman  and  her 
husband,  Lee,  traveled  with  us  to  a  small 
town  near  Exeter  in  England  to  attend 
the  marriage  of  our  younger  daughter. 
We  started  the  summer  of  2006  by  trav- 
eling up  to  Cape  Cod  and  Cambridge 
for  my  husband  Harvey's  50th  Reunion 
at  MIT,  and  then  midsummer  we  visited 
the  northwestern  United  States,  south- 
western Canada,  and  Alaska.  We  were 
with  our  son  and  his  family  in  Calabasas, 
California,  for  the  High  Holy  Days  and 
then  spent  Thanksgiving  in  London  with 
our  younger  daughter,  who  was  about  to 


provide  us  with  our  sixth  grandchild. 
Our  older  daughter,  Jill  Fried  '88,  and 
her  family  visit  often  from  Basking 
Ridge,  New  Jersey.  I  keep  active  with 
volunteer  activities  when  at  home.  I'm  a 
member  of  our  temple's  board  of  trustees 
and  a  member  of  the  presidium  of  our 
local  chapter  of  the  Brandeis  University 
National  Women's  Committee.  We  also 
love  going  to  the  opera,  symphony,  and 
theater.  I  am  in  touch  with  several 
classmates,  including  Joan  Roistacher 
Blitman,  Sandy  Baillit  Grasfield,  Ricki 
Fulman,  Judy  Yohay  Glazer,  and 
Donna  Medoff  Geller. 


1960 


Joan  Silverman  Wallack 
28  Linden  Shores 
Branford,  CT  06405 
1960notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Maggie  Schneider  Cohen 
New  York  City 

Cohen  writes,  "At  the  risk  of  tooting  my 
own  horn,  I  wanted  to  share  some  of  the 
exciting  honors  bestowed  upon  me  this 
past  spring,  proving  that  good  things 
really  do  come  in  threes!  I  was  selected 
as  a  finalist  from  more  than  one 
thousand  international  entries  in  the 
prestigious  2005  Sub-Zero/Wolf 
Kitchen  Design  Contest.  I  was  chosen 
national  winner  of  the  Kitchen  of  the 
Year  2005  contest  sponsored  by  Kitchen 
and  Bath  Business  magazine.  And  I  was 
'discovered'  at  the  Architectural  Digest 
Home  Design  Show  by  MSN  Lifestyle. 
They  videotaped  me  and  featured  my 
work  and  my  'Maggie's  Maxims'  in  a 
Web  article,  'Designer  Secrets.'  For 
more  news,  please  visit  my  Web  site  at 
www.maggiecohen.com." 

Katherine  Winter  Egan 
Stockport,  England 
Egan  is  chairperson  of  the  Education 
Association  of  the  Liberal  Democrat 
political  party. 


S|,riMf;07    |  liraiulris  I 


85 


class 


notes 


Suzanne  Modes  Linschitz 

Waltham,  Massachusetts 
Linschitz  had  two  solo  exhibitions  in  the 
spring  of  2006.  The  first,  Visions:  From 
New  York  to  Tuscany,  featured  paintings 
and  drawings  and  was  exhibited  at  Pine 
Manor  College.  The  second,  New  York 
Reflections:  Night/Day,  exhibited  at  the 
Artana  Gallery  in  Brookline.  Linschitz 
teaches  watercolor  painting  at  Lesley 
University  in  Cambridge.  Her  son 
Joseph  and  his  wife,  Karen,  have  six- 
month-old  twin  boys. 


1961 


86 


Judith  Leavitt  Schatz 

139  Cumberland  Road 
Leominster,  MA  01453 
1961notes@alumni.brandels.edu 

Ron  earner 
New  York  City 

Carner  has  accepted  the  position  of 
general  chairman  for  the  USA 
Eighteenth  Maccabiah  Organizing 
Committee.  He  will  assemble  a  team  of 
national  sports  directors,  chairs,  commit- 
tees, and  coaches  dedicated  to  building  a 
large  team  of  talented  Jewish  athletes  to 
compete  at  the  World  Maccabiah  Games 
in  Israel  in  July  2009.  When  not  working 
as  a  volunteer,  Carner  is  a  senior  partner 
at  the  Long  Island  law  firm  Sarisohn, 
Sarisohn,  Carner,  and  he  sits  on  the 
board  of  several  companies  in  which  he 
has  investments.  He  lives  in  Manhattan 
with  his  wife,  Talia,  a  noted  novelist. 
Together  they  have  four  children  and 
six  grandchildren. 

Frances  Perlman  Freedman 
Bronx,  New  York 

Freedman  was  named  associate  commis- 
sioner for  external  affairs  at  the  New  York 
City  Department  of  Consumer  Affairs. 
She  will  oversee  the  agency's  communica- 
tions, legislative  affairs,  and  outreach 
divisions.  She  was  previously  senior  vice 
president  for  public  affairs  and  commu- 
nications at  Lighthouse  International,  a 
vision  rehabilitation  agency  for  people 
who  are  blind  or  partially  sighted. 


Inixi-rsilv  Magazine  |  Spfiiig  ()7 


Boys  Will  Be  Boys 

Watch  two  guys  hurl  insults,  tease,  whack, 
and  shove  each  other,  and  you  may  think 
they  are  instigating  a  fight. 

"Not  so, "  declares  Victoria  Hilkevitch 
Bedford,  PhD'66.  "They  are  playing  a  game 
that  allows  them  to  express  affection  while 
remaining  masculine." 

Over  the  last  twenty  years,  Bedford,  a 
professor  at  the  University  of  Indianapolis 
School  of  Psychological  Sciences,  has 
focused  on  siblings,  looking  at  same-sex 
relationships.  It  is  the  male  research  sub- 
jects whom  she  has  found  particularly 
interesting.  All  married  with  children, 
they  were  asked  to  look  at  where  brothers 
fit  into  their  lives. 

In  the  recent  book  Men  in  Relationships: 
A  New  Look  from  a  Life  Course  Perspective, 
which  they  coedited,  Bedford  and  collab- 
orator Barbara  Formaniak  focus  on  mid- 
dle and  old-age  experiences  with  siblings. 
Each  chapter,  written  by  a  different 
author,  explores  various  aspects  of  men's 
interpersonal  relationships.  Contributors 
focus  on  psychology,  masculinity,  social 
psychology,  personal  relationships,  com- 
munication, gender  studies,  and  clinical 
psychology. 

Recalling  her  Chicago  childhood  with  a 
twin  sister  as  well  as  a  slightly  older  sister. 


Bedford  describes  three  litde  girls  who  were 
constantly  fighting  and  competing  for  mea- 
ger resources.  It  was  the  absence  of  brothers 
in  this  environment  that  fueled  her  interest 
in  understanding  male  psychology. 

"Men  have  a  special  problem  with  inti- 
macy because  the  rules  of  masculinity  are 
brutal, "  explains  Bedford. 

The  mother  of  two  daughters,  ages 
twenty-six  and  twenry-eight,  Bedford  is 
exploring  family  systems  of  care  giving.  "I 
want  to  bring  in  siblings,  spouses,  parents, 
and  grandchildren,  looking  at  the  same  sit- 
uation from  various  vantage  points.  Often 
care  of  an  elderly  member  of  the  family  is 
shouldered  by  one  person  who  is  not  aware 
of  information  held  by  others,"  she 
explains.  Bedford's  thesis  is  that  the  whole 
family  must  be  part  of  effective  care  giving 
and  that  society  as  a  whole  should  be 
thinking  of  its  role  as  part  of  an  extended 
family,  instead  of  focusing  primarily  on 
individual  situations. 

Bedford's  research  has  personal  bene- 
fits— she  finds  that  the  more  she  under- 
stands what  makes  the  male  psyche  tick, 
the  less  critical  and  more  compassionate 
she  becomes.  For  her,  the  notorious  chasm 
between  women  and  men  is  bridged. 

— Marjorie  Lyon 


classiiotes 


Arthur  Green,  PhD75 

Newton,  Massachusetts 
Green  will  receive  a  2007  Keter  Torah 
Award  from  the  Bureau  of  Jewish  Educa- 
tion in  May  for  outstanding  achievement 
in  Jewish  education  in  Greater  Boston. 

Martin  Zelnik 
Bronx,  New  York 

Zelnik  reports  seeing  Steve  Reiner 
at  the  October  2006  opening  of  Strange 
Cities,  an  art  show  at  Gallery  27+,  which 
Zelnik  and  his  partner  own  and  direct. 
Several  members  of  the  Class  of '61  also 
attended,  including  Walt  Klores  and  Jeff 
Golland.  "While  Steve  and  I  were  chat- 
ting, three  young  attendees  overheard  us 
mention  Brandeis  and  asked  of  our  con- 
nection,"  Zelnik  writes.  "They  were 
amazed  to  discover  that  we  were  grads, 
and  then  they  told  us  that  they  had  just 
graduated  in  June  2006." 


Ann  Leder  Sharon 

13890  Ravenwood  Drive 
Saratoga,  CA  95070 
1962notes@alumnl.brandeis.edu 


1963 


Miriam  Osier  Hyman 

140  East  72nd  Street,  #16B 

New  York,  NY  10021 

1963notes@alumni.brandels.edu 


1964 


Shelly  A.  Wolf 

113  Naudain  Street 
Philadelphia,  PA  19147 
1964notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Murray  Suid 

Inverness,  California 

Suid  writes,  "I  live  in  Inverness,  located 

near  the  1906  quake  epicenter.  Of  lesser 

impact,  this  past  fall  McGraw-Hill  pub- 


lished Words  of  a  Feather,  a  book  of 
hopefully  witty  paired  etymologies  such 
as  rectitude  and  rectum,  cosmos  and  cos- 
metics, and  anger  and  angina.  Sample 
entries  appear  at  wordsofafeather.net. 
I  wrote  the  book  to  raise  money  (ha-ha) 
tor  a  motion  picture  project,  The  ESP 
Ajfair  (www.PointReyesPictures.com). 
We're  coproducing  this  paranormal 
thriller  with  Scott  Rosenfelt,  best  known 
tor  Smoke  Signals  and  Mystic  Pizza.  " 


I  still  believe  that  life  is  great  and  easy  to 
deal  with." 


1965 


Joan  Furber  Kalafatas 

3  Brandywyne 

Wayland,  MA  01778 

1965notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


1966 


Kenneth  E.  Davis 

28  Mary  Chilton  Road 
Needham,  MA  02492 
1966notes@alumni.brandels.edu 

Lee  Weiner  Sharkey 

Vienna,  Maine 

Sharkey,  assistant  professor  of  English 
and  women's  studies  at  the  University  of 
Maine  at  Farmington,  received  the  2006 
Maryann  Hartman  Award.  The  annual 
award  is  presented  by  UMaine's  Women 
in  the  Curriculum/Women's  Studies  pro- 
gram to  recognize  Maine  women  whose 
work  in  the  arts,  politics,  business,  edu- 
cation, and  community  service  provides 
inspiration  for  others  through  contem- 
porary women's  accomplishments. 
Sharkey  was  instrumental  in  developing 
the  university's  women's  studies  program 
and  became  its  director  in  1996. 

Ira  Steinberg 
Waltham,  Massachusetts 
Steinberg  writes,  "Keep  your  eye  upon 
the  doughnut,  not  upon  the  hole!  I 
turned  sixty-seven  in  January  and  am 
still  working  part  time  as  a  personal 
trainer.  1  work  out  daily  and  drink  pre- 
mium beverages  in  premium  quantities. 


Anne  Reilly  Hort 

10  Old  Jackson  Avenue,  #21 

Hastings-on-Hudson,  NY  10706 

1967notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Donna  Guy 
Columbus,  Ohio 

Guy,  distinguished  professor  of  history 
at  the  Ohio  State  University,  was  a  dis- 
cussant on  the  panel  "In  Cradle,  Court, 
Conflict,  and  across  Borders:  Historical 
Approaches  to  Gendering  Childhood "  at 
the  Latin  American  Studies  Association. 

George  Saitoti 

Nairobi,  Kenya 

Saitoti  has  been  elected  education 

minister  of  his  native  Kenya.  He  was 

formerly  a  university  mathematics 

professor. 

Nancy  Whit 

Providence,  Rhode  Island 
Whit  is  the  executive  director  of  a  non- 
profit housing  development  corporation 
in  Pawtucket,  Rhode  Island. 

Marilyn  Lishnoff  Wind 
Bethesda,  Maryland 

Wind  is  active  in  the  United  Synagogue 
of  Conservative  Judaism,  serving  as 
international  vice  president  for  youth 
services  and  education.  She  is  also  a 
trainer  for  the  Women's  League  for 
Conservative  Judaism  and  vice  president 
of  the  Branch  Torah  Fund.  She  works  as 
deputy  associate  executive  director  for 
health  sciences  at  the  U.S.  Consumer 
Product  Safety  Commission. 


inotes 


1968 


David  Greenwald 
3655  Aquetong  Road 
Carversville,  PA  18913 
1958notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Barbara  Appall  Tenenbaum 
Washingron,  D.C. 
Tenenbaum,  a  specialist  in  Mexican 
culture  at  the  Hispanic  division  of  the 
U.S.  Library  of  Congress,  organized  a 
panel  on  "Writing  Biography:  New 
Approaches  ro  Old  Forms"  at  the  Latin 
American  Studies  Association. 


1969 


Phoebe  Epstein 

205  West  89th  Street,  #10-S 
New  York,  NY  10024 
1969notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Richard  Liroff 

Arlington,  Virginia 

Liroff  writes,  "Louis  D.  Brandeis  wrote  in 
1913:  'There  is  no  such  thing  in  my 
mind  ...  as  an  innocent  shareholder. 
[S]ocially  he  cannot  be  held  innocent  .  .  . 
It  is  his  business  and  his  obligation  to  see 
that  those  who  represent  him  carry  out  a 
policy  which  is  consistent  with  the  public 
welfare."  With  that  in  mind,  I  left  the 
World  Wildlife  Fund  after  a  rwenty- 
seven-year  stint  and  founded  the  Investor 
Environmental  Health  Network 
(www.iehn.org).  lEHN  is  a  group  of 
investment  managers,  including  religious 
investors,  who  believe  in  bringing  the 
power  of  the  financial  community  to 
bear  to  reduce  production  and  use  of 
toxic  chemicals  by  business.  Participating 
organizations  believe  such  steps  can 
enhance  businesses'  long-term  value, 
reduce  their  potential  liabilities,  and 
contribute  to  improved  public  and 
environmental  health.  Participants  focus 
especially  on  chemicals  in  everyday  con- 
sumer products  (cosmetics,  cleaners, 
carpets,  and  the  like)  that  can  pose  a 
hazard  to  the  most  vulnerable  among  us, 
such  as  developing  babies  and  young 


children.  They  have  introduced  about 
two  dozen  shareholder  resolutions.  A 
number  of  companies  have  responded  by 
changing  their  retailing  and  manufac- 
turing practices.  I  may  be  contacted 
about  this  work  at  rliroff@iehn.org." 

Robert  Panoff 
Pinecrest,  Florida 

Panoff  will  receive  the  Gerald  T.  Hart 
Outstanding  Tax  Attorney  of  the  Year 
Award  for  200&-2007  from  die  Tax 
Section  of  the  Florida  Bar.  The  award  is 
given  each  year  to  an  attorney  who  has 
made  a  major  contribution  to  the 
advancement  of  the  practice  of  tax  law 
and  exemplifies  the  highest  standards  of 
competence  and  integrity.  He  will  be  pre- 
sented with  the  award  at  a  dinner  at  the 
Biltmore  Hotel  in  Coral  Gables,  Florida, 
in  April  as  part  of  the  activities  of  the  Tax 
Sections  Twenty-ninth  Annual  Meeting. 

Ronald  Ratner 

Shaker  Heights,  Ohio 
Ratner  was  named  Multifamily 
Executives  2006  Executive  of  the  Year. 
He  is  chief  executive  officer  of  Forest 
City  Residential,  a  division  of  Forest  City 
Enterprises,  based  in  Cleveland.  The 
company  focuses  its  efforts  on  reclaiming 
America's  cities  and  is  one  of  the  coun- 
try's most  ambitious  urban  developers  in 
markets  such  as  Boston;  Washington, 
D.C;  Philadelphia;  Chicago;  Los  Ange- 
les; and  San  Francisco. 

Toby  Wolfson-Risman 
Lafayette,  California 
Wolfson-Risman  writes,  "My  most  recent 
accomplishment  as  an  artist/musician  was 
seeing  my  daughter,  Daniella,  perform 
as  Poppea  in  Monteverdi's  opera 
L'hicoronazione  di  Poppea.  No  surprise  that 
Nero  lost  his  heart  to  her!  I  am  currently 
making  silver  and  beaded  jewelry  incorpo- 
rating my  love  of  rocks  and  color.  Having 
left  Israel  temporarily  seventeen  years  ago, 
Larry  and  I  have  made  a  home  in  the 
wilds  of  suburban  northern  California, 
raising  horses  and  our  girls.  Music,  partic- 
ularly opera,  is  still  part  of  my  lite.  One 
child  is  an  environmentalist,  and  the  other 


budd 


mg  opera  star! 


1970 


Charles  S.  Eisenberg 

4  Ashford  Road 

Newton  Centre,  MA  02459 

1970notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Jonathan  Fitch 
Washington,  D.C. 

Fitch's  Washington,  D.C.-based  landscape 
architectural  practice.  Landscape 
Architecture  Bureau  LLC,  has  won  several 
awards  recently,  among  them  a  National 
American  Institute  of  Architects  Honor 
Award  in  Urban  Design  for  Cady's  Alley 
in  Washington  and  the  Washington 
Architectural  Foundation's  Pro  Bono 
Publico  Award  for  the  John  Wiebenson 
Memorial,  also  in  Washington.  It  he  can 
be  allowed  to  brag  about  his  kids,  both 
Eli,  nine,  and  Eva,  fourteen,  are  good, 
smart,  beautiful,  and  lucky. 

Carol  Kline  Kempner 

Bethesda,  Maryland 
Kempner  writes,  "I  am  in  my  thirty- 
fifth  year  of  teaching  high  school 
English.  If  all  goes  well,  I  hope  to  top 
off  at  forty  years! " 


1971 


Richard  Kopley 

608  W.  Hillside  Avenue 
State  College,  PA  16803 
1971notes@alumni.brandels.edu 

Bennett  Bertenthal 

Chicago 

Bertenthal,  a  cognitive  neuroscientist  at 
the  University  of  Chicago,  was  named 
dean  of  the  College  of  Arts  and  Sciences 
at  Indiana  University.  He  is  a  nationally 
recognized  scholar  in  the  field  of 
cognitive  neuroscience  and  has  had  more 
than  one  hundred  articles  published  in 
scientific  publications. 

Richard  Punzo 

Trenton,  New  Jersey 

Punzo,  author  of  numerous  books  and 

publications  and  a  consultant  to  busi- 


Braiuleis  I  niver.sity  Magazine  |  Spring  "07 


class  notes 


nesses  in  nearly  thirty  countries,  serves  as 
president  and  chief  executive  officer  of 
Richardson  Global,  an  international 
training  and  consulting  firm.  He  was 
awarded  the  Congressional  Medal  of 
Merit  for  "unyielding  support  of 
improvements  in  the  global  business 
environment,  outstanding  leadership  in 
business,  and  contributions  to  the  local 
economy."  Punzo  developed  and  released 
the  online  version  of  the  Richardson 
Global  Cultural  Style  Inventory,  a 
Web-based  self-assessment  tool  designed 
to  improve  cross-cultural  business  inter- 
actions and  global  team  effectiveness. 

Betty  Sternberg 

West  Hartford,  Connecticut 
Sternberg  was  named  superintendent  of 
schools  in  Greenwich,  Connecticut.  She 
formerly  served  as  state  education  commis- 
sioner and  was  a  twenty-six-year  veteran  of 
the  state  Department  of  Education. 

Margo  Hausdorff  Vale 
and  Michael  Vale 

Huntington,  New  York 
The  Vales  plan  to  retire  from  the  practice 
of  dermatology  at  the  end  of  June.  Their 
practice  is  99  percent  medical  dermatol- 
ogy (as  opposed  to  cosmetic  procedures). 
Unfortunately,  the  hassles  of  dealing  with 
managed  care  are  now  outweighing  the 
satisfaction  of  treating  patients.  Their  son, 
Edward,  graduated  from  Pace  Law 
School,  worked  tor  Ned  Lamont's  U.S. 
Senate  campaign,  and  is  seeking  employ- 
ment in  the  2008  presidential  campaign. 
Their  daughter,  Judith,  is  halfway 
through  Georgetown  Law  School.  Both 
Margo  and  Michael  have  survived  major 
health  issues.  Now,  they  want  the  freedom 
to  do  the  things  they  enjoy  the  most: 
travel,  photography,  art,  and  being  with 
far-flung  family.  They  also  plan  to  relocate 
from  Long  Island  to  Arizona.  Margo  espe- 
cially wants  to  apply  her  interest  in  Native 
American  culture  to  giving  back  as  a  tutor 
or  mentor  to  youngsters. 

Susan  Tabbat  Wurzel 

Newton,  Massachusetts 

Wurzel  writes,  "I  am  doing  pet  portraits 

on  commission.  Visit  my  Web  site: 

www.suewurzel.com." 


Dan  Garfinkel 

2420  Kings  Lane 
Pittsburgh,  PA  15241 
1972notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Michael  Hammerschmidt 

Marblehead,  Massachusetts 
Hammerschmidt  has  been  hired  as  vice 
president  for  development  at  the  New 
England  Aquarium.  He  had  worked  at 
the  national  fundraising  firm  Bentz 
Whaley  Flessner  in  Minneapolis. 

Steve  Vineberg 

Worcester,  Massachusetts 
Vineberg  writes,  "I  hold  the  Monsignor 
Murray  Professorship  in  the  Arts  and 
Humanities  at  the  College  of  the  Holy 
Cross,  where  I  have  taught  since  1985. 
My  third  book,  High  Comedy  in  American 
Movies,  came  out  last  year." 

Barbara  Freedman  Wand 
Newrton,  Massachusetts 
Wand  was  listed  in  the  Best  Lawyers  in 
America  in  estate  planning. 

Barbara  Blank  Wolfson 

Merrick,  New  York 
Wolfson  went  on  an  expedition  to 
Antarctica  on  a  fifty-passenger  Russian 
vessel  with  a  group  from  her  son's 
college,  Wesleyan  University.  One  of  her 
photographs  now  hangs  in  the  South 
Nassau  Hospital. 


1973 


George  Kahn 

11300  Rudman  Drive 

Culver  City,  CA  90230 

1973notes@alumnJ.brandeis.edu 

I  was  thrilled  to  be  a  speaker  at  the 
BAMD  '06  weekend  in  October  2006. 
In  addition  to  participating  on  a  panel 
discussion  about  the  relevance  of  the  arts 
at  Brandeis  and  in  the  world  in  general,  I 
also  had  the  pleasure  of  performing  at 


Chum's  with  my  Jazz  Piano  Trio — it  was 
just  like  old  times!  Marshall  Herskovitz, 
our  illustrious  classmate,  was  the  keynote 
speaker  for  the  dinner  Saturday  night, 
held  at  the  new  courthouse  in  Boston. 
One  of  the  questions  posed  to  the  panel 
that  night  was,  "Does  an  artist  have  a 
social  responsibility  to  society  in  connec- 
tion to  their  art?"  (a  very  Brandeisian 
question).  In  fact,  on  December  19, 
2006,  1  held  a  jazz  holiday  fundraiser  at 
Catalina's  Bar  and  Grill,  the  premier  jazz 
club  in  Los  Angeles.  My  quintet,  with 
three  fabulous  guest  singers,  raised 
$1 ,500  for  the  homeless,  as  well  as 
raising  the  consciousness  of  people  in 
L.A.  to  the  homeless  problem  in  our  city. 

Donald  Lessem 
Media,  Pennsylvania 
Lessem  writes,  "I  am  publishing  my 
fiftieth  book,  this  one  a  dinosaur  ency- 
clopedia with  National  Geographic.  I  am 
touring  a  Chinese  dinosaur  exhibition 
and  developing  exhibits  on  Genghis 
Khan  (for  which  I'm  also  producing  an 
IMAX  film)  and  an  exhibit  on  giant 
dinosaurs.  I'm  designing  a  Darwinland 
animal  park  in  Germany  and  building 
my  own  dinosaur/wild  animal/alternative 
technology  park  in  Houston." 

Ronnie  Salzman 
Glen  Head,  New  York 
Salzman  and  her  husband,  Jerry 
Zistein  '76,  are  living  happily  on  Long 
Island  with  their  two  great  kids,  Julie, 
fifteen,  and  Alex,  sixteen.  Zisfein  is  an 
interventional  cardiologist,  and  Salzman 
is  a  gynecologist.  Many  of  their  friends 
are  Brandeis  alumni. 

Peter  Wortsman 

New  York  Cit)' 

Wortsman  writes,  "My  play  Burning 
Words  had  its  world  premiere 
November  17  to  19,  2006.  It  was  pro- 
duced by  the  Hampshire  Shakespeare 
Company  at  the  Northampton  Center 
for  the  Arts  in  Northampton,  Massachu- 
setts. The  play  dramatizes  the  little- 
known  case  of  sixteenth-century  German 
humanist  Johannes  Reuchlin,  whose 
landmark  call  for  religious  tolerance 
helped  save  the  Talmud  and  other 


S|irii[^'  07  I  Bruncli'U  I  Uh  i-r.iily  .Mupaziiie 


89 


:lass 


notes 


Hebrew  books  trom  the  flames  of  the 
Inquisition.  For  more  about  the  play, 
visit  www.hampshireshakespeare.org." 


1974 


Class  of  1974 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

1974notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Tfiomas  Phiillips 

Westborough,  Massachusetts 
Phillips  is  composing  the  score  for  the 
upcoming  PBS  documentary  about 
Louis  D.  Brandeis.  He  says  he  was 
surprised  to  learn  how  little  he  knew 
about  the  late  Supreme  Court  justice 
and  university  namesake. 

Glenn  Wong 

Leverett,  Massachusetts 
Wong,  an  attorney,  is  a  professor  in  the 
sport  management  program  of  the 
Isenberg  School  of  Management  at  the 
University  of  Massachusetts,  Amherst. 
He  was  presented  the  Academic  Achieve- 
ment in  Sport  and  Entertainment  Award 
by  the  Department  of  Sport  and  Enter- 
tainment Management  at  the  University 
of  South  Carolina.  The  award  recognizes 
a  scholar  whose  research  and/or  teaching 
has  made  a  significant  positive  impact  in 
the  fields  of  sport,  entertainment,  or 
venue  management.  Wong  also  spoke  at 
the  third  annual  Craig  Kelly  Sport  and 
Entertainment  Law  Symposium. 


1975 


Class  of  1975 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

1975notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Joan  Glazer  Margolis 

Woodbridge,  Connecticut 

Margolis  received  the  Public  Service  Award 

from  the  University  of  Connecticut  Law 


Just  Mommy  and  Me 

If  you  think  the  topic  of  single  mother- 
hood was  exhausted  back  when  Vice  Pres- 
ident Dan  Quayle  lambasted  TV's 
Murphy  Brown  for  deciding  to  go  it 
alone,  think  again. 

"The  Murphy  Brown  book  was  never 
written,"  says  Rosanna  Herrz  '75,  chair  of 
women's  studies  at  Wellesley  College  and 
author  of  the  recent  Oxford  University  Press 
release  Single  by  Chance,  Mothers  by  Choice. 

According  to  Hertz,  past  books  about 
unwed  mothers  have  focused  on  the  very 
young  and  the  very  poor.  Hertz's  subjects, 
though,  are  not  victims  of  circumstance 
but  authors  of  their  own  scenarios; 
indeed,  the  professor  subtitled  her  work 
"How  Women  Are  Choosing  Parenthood 
without  Marriage  and  Creating  the  New 
American  Family." 

Hertz,  who  holds  a  PhD  in  sociology 
from  Northwestern  University,  started 
thinking  about  planned  single  motherhood 
after  seeing  a  newspaper  ad  for  a  nine-ses- 
sion class  aimed  at  women  who  were  con- 
sidering making  a  solo  flight  into  parenting. 

Intrigued  by  the  notice,  she  set  out  to 
document  what  she  saw  as  an  unexplored 
trend  among  professional  women,  concen- 
trating on  single  moms  over  twenty-five 
who  could  support  their  own  offspring  but 


had  no  partner  with  whom  to  conceive 
them.  Some  had  recruited  "known 
donors,"  receiving  sperm  from  friends  or 
former  lovers,  while  others,  preferring 
anonymity,  went  to  sperm  banks  or 
entered  parenthood  by  way  of  adoption.  A 
few  became  pregnant  accidentally-on-pur- 
pose.  Over  the  course  of  nine  years.  Hertz 
interviewed  sixty-five  straight  and  lesbian 
women  about  their  decision  processes, 
methods,  and  parenting  experiences. 

Reviews  in  scholarly  journals  have 
praised  the  study  as  high-quality  sociologi- 
cal research,  but  the  topic  has  also  been 
spotlighted  in  media  from  Newsweek  to  the 
Today  show.  Occasionally,  Hertz  says,  radio 
talk  shows  have  drawn  outraged  calls  from 
conservative  folks,  most  of  them  men. 

"The  point  they  most  often  miss  is  that 
these  women  place  a  high  value  on  the  tra- 
ditional rwo-parent  model  of  a  nuclear 
family,"  she  says.  "Most  of  these  moms  will 
tell  you  they  tried  to  find  a  partner  who 
wanted  to  parent  with  them,  but  their  soul- 
mate  just  didn't  come  along.  Their  yearning 
for  motherhood  was  so  deep  and  elemental 
that,  after  exploring  other  options,  they 
decided  becoming  a  mother  was  more 
important  than  waiting  for  Mr.  Right." 

—  Theresa  Pease 


clas^ 


notes 


School  Alumni  Association  at  its  annual 
meeting  and  awards  dinner  last  October. 
She  is  a  magistrate  judge  for  the  U.S.  Dis- 
trict Court  for  the  District  of  Connecticut, 
a  position  she  has  held  since  1985. 

Peter  Rip 

Redwood  City,  California 
Rip  became  general  partner  at  Crosslink 
Capital  in  November  2006.  He  is  the 
fifth  general  partner  and  brings  more 
than  twenty-five  years'  experience  as  a 
successfiil  software  entrepreneur,  angel 
investor,  corporate  investor,  and  venture 
investor.  He  was  most  recently  managing 
director  at  Leapfrog  Ventures,  where  he 
focused  on  early-stage  enterprise  and 
consumer  software  and  services. 

Peretz  Peter  Rodman,  MA'83 
Jerusalem 

Rodman  is  dividing  his  time  this  year 
between  Jerusalem,  which  is  home,  and 
what  he  calls  the  North  American  city 
most  unlike  Jerusalem:  Las  Vegas.  He  is 
rabbi  and  scholar-in-residence  at  the 
Dr.  Miriam  and  Sheldon  G.  Adelson 
School,  the  first  Jewish  high  school  in 
Las  Vegas,  which  will  open  in  August. 

Malka  Alpert  Young 

Sudbury,  Massachusetts 
Young  was  selected  to  participate  in  the 
Metro  West  Health  Leadership  Program. 
She  is  manager  of  communal  services  at 
Jewish  Family  Service  of  Metrowest  in 
Framingham.  She  will  be  presenting  on 
the  topic  of  collaboration  at  the 
Association  of  Jewish  Family  and 
Children's  Agencies'  national  conference 
in  New  York  City  in  April. 


1976 


Beth  Pearlman 

1773  Diane  Road 

Mendota  Heights,  MN  55118 

1976notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Hello,  '76  friends.  We  would  love  to 
hear  from  you  for  the  next  issue.  As  you 
can  see,  not  enough  of  you  are  sending 
in  your  news. 


Ruth  Birnbaum  Pernick 

Nanuet,  New  York 
Pernick  writes,  "I  am  still  living  in 
Rockland  County  (Nanuet),  New  York, 
with  my  wonderful  husband,  Dan,  and 
youngest  son,  David,  fifteen.We  now 
have  two  sons  at  Brandeis,  Ben  '09  and 
Josh  '10.  Our  daughter,  Sarah,  is  in  her 
third  year  of  a  five-year,  dual-degree 
program  at  Northwestern  University  in 
Chicago.  I  am  now  the  Brandeis  Alumni 
Admissions  Council  chairperson  for 
Rockland  and  Orange  counties.  In 
addition  to  teaching  Hebrew  at  our 
temple  (Beth  Am  in  Pearl  River),  I  now 
also  teach  at  Temple  Beth  El  in  Spring 
Valley  to  help  support  three  college  kids. 
I  am  still  alto-section  leader  in  my 
chorus,  Shirah,  and  loving  it  all!" 

Jerome  Zisfein 
Glen  Head,  New  York 
See  Ronnie  Salzman  '73. 


Fred  Berg 

150  East  83rd  Street,  #2C 

New  York,  NY  10028 

1977notes@alumni.brandels.edu 

Cheryl-Ann  Hyman  Friedman 

Montreal 

Friedman  writes,  "After  Brandeis,  1  lived 
in  Israel  tor  thirteen  years.  I  received  a 
PhD  at  Hebrew  University  in  molecular 
genetics.  In  1990,  I  came  to  Montreal 
with  my  husband  and  first  son,  Nathan, 
born  in  1987.  Here  I  continue  to  do 
research  related  to  gene  expression  and 
neuroscience.  My  second  child,  Hava, 
was  born  in  Montreal  in  1993. " 

George  Loewenstein 

Pittsburgh 

Loewenstein  was  named  the  Herbert  A. 
Simon  Professor  of  Economics  and 
Psychology  at  Carnegie  Mellon 
University.  His  research  centers  on  how 
emotions  and  psychology  affect 
economic  decision  making. 


Carmen  Torres  Pena 
Roxbury,  Massachusetts 
Pena  writes,  "I  am  now  coheadmaster  at 
the  Boston  Arts  Academy,  the  first  and 
only  public  high  school  for  visual  and 
performing  arts  in  Boston.  1  was  also 
recognized  by  the  newspaper  El  PlaneU 
as  one  of  the  one  hundred  most 
influential  Latinos  in  Boston. " 

Carin  Roth 

Bay  port.  New  York 

Roth  writes,  "I  am  in  my  thirty-third  year 

of  operating  Fire  Island  Real  Estate,  a  real 

estate  and  construction  company  located 

off  the  southern  coast  of  Long  Island." 


1978 


Valerie  Troyansky 

10  West  66th  Street,  #8J 
New  York,  NY  10023 
1978notes@alumnl.brandeis.edu 

Jean  Fain 

Concord,  Massachusetts 
Fain  writes,  "I  am  publishing  my  favorite 
relaxation  strategies  on  a  series  of  CDs. 
The  first  is  called  Float  to  Health  and 
Wellbeing.  Because  relaxation  training  is 
the  simplest,  most  powerfijJ  intervention 
psychology  has  to  offer,  it's  the  very  first 
lesson  I  teach  new  psychotherapy  clients 
and  my  students  at  Harvard  Medical 
School.  CD  listeners  can  now  learn  this 
invaluable  lesson  and  reap  the 
transformative  benefits.  Three  decades  of 
studies  have  shown  that  relaxation 
training  can  ease,  if  not  alleviate,  what 
commonly  ails  you  physically, 
psychologically,  and  emotionally, 
including  insomnia,  anxiety,  and  chronic 
pain.  In  addition  to  using  relaxation 
training  in  my  private  practice,  I  teach 
hypnosis  and  behavioral  medicine  at 
Cambridge  Health  Alliance,  a  teaching 
affiliate  of  Harvard  Medical  School. 
1  also  write  for  O:  The  Oprah  Magazine, 
among  other  women's  magazines.  If  you 
would  like  more  information  about 
my  CD,  check  out  my  Web  site 
(www.jeanfain.com)." 


S[nii)^    O""  I  IJiaiiclris  I  iii\rf'il\    \I;iii 


91 


classiiohv"^ 


Deborah  Silverman 

Los  Angeles 

Silverman  is  thrilled  that  her  daughter, 
Hilda  Poulson  '10,  is  carrying  on  the 
family  tradition  at  Brandeis. 


1979 


Ruth  Strauss  Fleischmann 

8  Angier  Road 

Lexington,  MA  02420 

1979notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Joan  Klein  Fishman 

Saint  Louis  Park,  Minnesota 
Fishman  writes,  "After  practicing  law  for 
several  years,  running  a  home  daycare 
center,  and  teaching  at  a  synagogue  pre- 
school, 1  am  enjoying  my  new  position  as 
the  director  of  the  Early  Childhood 
Center  at  the  Jewish  Community  Center 
in  Minneapolis.  My  husband,  Stewart, 
who  also  attended  Brandeis  for  a  few 
years,  opened  a  kosher  market  and  deli  in 
1984  called  Fishmans.  Our  two  delicious 
daughters  attend  the  local  Bais  Yaakov 
high  school.  We  would  love  to  hear  from 
old  friends.  Please  contact  us  at 
jkfishman@sabesjcc.org." 

Peter  Kornbluh 
Washington,  D.C. 
Kornbluh,  director  of  the  Chile  and 
Cuba  Documentation  Ptojects  at  the 
National  Security  Archive,  was  on  the 
panels  "Una  Mirada  al  Golpe  en  Chile 
tres  decadas  despues:  Quiebre  de  la 
democracia,  repression  y  memoria"  and 
"Documentos  o  Muerte:  Declassified 
Records  and  the  Pursuit  of  Justice  in 
Latin  America"  at  the  Latin  American 
Studies  Association. 


1980 


Lewis  Brooks 

585  Glen  Meadow  Road 
Richboro,  PA  18954 
1980notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


Margot  Hammer 

Lancaster,  Massachusetts 

Hammet  writes,  "I  am  thrilled  to  have  a 

daughter,  Kelly  '09,  attending  Brandeis. 

Lauren  Dayboch  Kramer 

Hagerstown,  Maryland 
Kramer  is  a  general  dentist.  She  and  her 
husband,  Richard,  have  three  daughters, 
along  with  two  dogs,  a  horse,  a  bird,  and 
a  fish. 


1981 


David  J.  Alien 

540  Weadley  Road 

Wayne,  PA  19087 

1981notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

I  now  work  for  Firstrust  Financial 
Resources,  the  wealth-management 
division  of  Firstrust  Bank  in 
Pennsylvania.  My  eldest  son, 
Samuel  Jonathan,  will  have  a  bar 
mitzvah  in  May. 

Jim  Belanger 
Phoenix 

Belanger  is  a  partner  and  the  director  of 
the  White  Collar  and  Corporate  Criminal 
Defense  Group  at  Lewis  and  Roca  in 
Phoenix.  He  has  been  selected  for  entry 
in  the  Best  Lawyers  in  America  tor  com- 
mercial litigation  and  in  Chambers  USA: 
America's  Leading  Lawyers  for  Business  in 
the  category  of  white-collar  criminal 
defense  and  government  investigations. 

Amiet  Goldman 

Morris  Plains,  New  Jersey 
Goldman  had  a  busy  2006  filled  with 
long  hours  in  a  consulting  position  as 
the  marketing  manager  of  software 
training  for  IBM.  She  was  recognized 
with  a  Pacesetter  award  for  her  efforts  to 
manage  this  challenging  new  role  while 
mentoring  others  and  for  creating  inno- 
vative marketing  campaigns  and  strate- 
gies for  her  clients.  In  2007,  she  is 
lending  her  marketing  expertise  to  the 
Jewish  Community  Center-sponsored 
summer  day  camp  that  her  seven-year- 
old  son,  Eric,  attends.  She  will  also  be 


working  on  a  committee  to  gain  national 
accreditation  for  Eric's  after-school 
program.  Goldman's  daughter,  Sara,  will 
start  kindergarten  in  the  fall.  In  between 
work  for  IBM,  volunteer  activities,  and 
entertaining  family  and  friends,  Gold- 
man still  finds  time  to  help  her  husband, 
Colin,  make  changes  to  their  new  house 
in  Morris  Plains,  New  Jersey,  where  the 
couple  moved  in  2005. 


Ellen  Cohen 

1007  Euclid  Street,  #3 
Santa  Monica,  CA  90403 
1982notes@alumnJ.brandeis.edu 

Susan  Dempsey 

Belmont,  Massachusetts 
Dempsey  writes,  "I'm  happily  matried 
for  ten  years  now.  My  husband  and  two 
dogs  bring  me  great  joy,  as  does  my  work 
as  a  middle-school  drama  teacher." 

Andrews  Klein 

Amsterdam,  Netherlands 
Klein  recently  became  chairman  and 
chief  executive  officer  of  Spotzer  Media 
Group,  a  Dutch  Internet  start-up  that  he 
founded  in  2006.  Spotzer  aims  to  make 
it  fast,  easy,  and  affordable  for  local 
businesses  around  the  world  to  advertise 
using  video  across  multiple  platforms. 


1983 


Lorl  Berman  Gans 

46  Oak  Vale  Road 

Newton,  MA  02468 

1983notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

David  Bunis 
Newton,  Massachusetts 
Bunis  was  named  a  Lawyer  ot  the  Year  in 
2006  by  Massachusetts  Lawyers  Weekly. 
Bunis  last  year  secured  rulings  in  two 
separate  cases  that  could  alter  the  busi- 
ness-law landscape  considerably.  One 
included  successfully  arguing  that  Bank 
of  America  could  bring  a  Chapter  93A 


Brandeis  University  Magazine  |  Sprinf;  '07 


class  notes 


claim  against  the  auditor  of  a  borrower 
who  defauked  on  a  loan.  The  case  is 
considered  to  represent  a  major  expan- 
sion in  the  area  of  Chapter  93A  liability. 

Linda  Schwartz  Carmy 

Barkan,  Israel 

Carmy  graduated  this  summer  with 
honors  from  the  executive  MBA  program 
at  Tel  Aviv  University.  She  earned  a 
master  of  public  policy  degree  at  the 
Kennedy  School  of  Government  at 
Harvard  University  and  a  masters  in 
economics  from  Hebrew  University  in 
Jerusalem.  She  has  worked  at  Bank  Leumi 
in  Tel  Aviv  and  New  York  for  seventeen 
years  and  is  currendy  a  senior  relationship 
manager  for  International  Private 
Banking,  heading  the  American  unit.  She 
and  her  husband,  Nissan,  have  three 
children,  Tal,  fourteen,  Yael,  twelve,  and 
Amit,  ten,  all  of  whom  adjusted  well  and 
became  fluent  in  Hebrew  after  their 
return  to  Israel  from  New  York  in  200 1 . 

Susan  Dodes 

Scarsdale,  New  York 
Dodes  writes,  "After  twenty  years  as  a 
talent  executive  in  the  music  business,  I 
have  taken  a  new  direction  and  am  pur- 
suing my  master's  degree  in  American 
studies  at  Columbia  University.  While  1 
am  still  consulting  in  the  entertainment 
industry,  I  am  hoping  to  use  my  degree 
to  develop  a  history  curriculum  for  high 
school  students,  using  music  as  a  frame 
of  reference. " 

Lance  Kawesch 
Brookline,  Massachusetts 
Kawesch  writes,  "After  serving  as  a  part- 
ner practicing  corporate  and  securities 
law  for  the  past  four  years  at  the  Boston 
office  of  Duane  Morris,  a  large  national 
law  firm,  I  announced  the  formation  of 
Kawesch  Law  Group,  a  high-end  law 
firm  specializing  in  corporate,  securities, 
and  tax  law.  My  wife,  Emily  Stein, 
whom  I  met  via  an  introduction  by  Rita 
Stein,  and  I  are  delighted  that  our  oldest 
son,  Reuven,  eighteen,  made  aliyah  and 
will  join  the  Israel  Defense  Forces  after 
completing  a  year  of  advanced  Torah 
studies  in  Jerusalem." 


William  Portnoy 

New  York  City 

Portnoy  married  Karen  Kulvin  on 
December  16,  2006,  at  the  Tribeca 
Rooftop  in  New  York  City.  He  is  an  ear, 
nose,  and  throat  physician  specializing  in 
facial  plastic  and  reconstructive  surgery 
in  New  York  City. 

Julie  SIminoff 

Morganville,  New  Jersey 
Siminoff  married  David  Sisskind  in  2004 
and  adopted  his  two  children,  Samantha, 
fifteen,  and  Jake,  twelve,  in  2005. 


1984 


Class  of  1984 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

1984notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Philip  Goldstein 
Mamaroneck,  New  York 
Goldstein  and  six  members  of  the  1984 
New  England  champion  Brandeis  men's 
tennis  team  reunited  at  the  U.S.  Open 
Tennis  Championships  in  September 
2006.  Alumni  in  attendance  were  Drew 
Koslow,  Philip  Goldstein,  Bobby 
Bernstein  '85,  Marshall  Fisher  '85, 
Sena  Biswas,  Joel  Singer,  and  coach 
Tom  Foley. 


1985 


James  R.  Felton 

26956  Helmond  Drive 
Calabasas,  CA  91301 
1985notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Deanna  David  Bannister 

Perth  Amboy,  New  Jersey 
Bannister  was  elected  director,  president, 
and  chief  executive  officer  of  Chase 
Investment  Services.  She  had  served  as 
chief  compliance  officer  for  Citigroup's 
Global  Transaction  Services  business.  She 
lives  in  central  New  Jersey  with  her  two 
children,  Brandt,  eleven,  and  Brielle,  ten. 


and  her  fiance,  Tim.  The  couple  plan  to 
marry  this  summer. 

Gerard  Cabrera 
Brooklyn,  New  York 
Cabrera  writes,  "I  was  appointed  Kings 
County  public  administrator  by  the 
New  York  Surrogates  Court.  As  public 
administrator,  I  am  responsible  for 
administering  the  estates  of  people  who 
die  without  a  will  and  whose  heirs  are 
unwilling  or  unable  to  administer  the 
estate.  I  was  also  happy  to  be  on  the  host 
committee  for  the  GLBT  Alumni  Recep- 
tion on  in  November  at  Brandeis  House. " 

Sharon  Kleinman 

New  Haven,  Connecticut 
Kleinman  was  awarded  tenure  at 
Quinnipiac  University,  where  she  is 
associate  professor  of  communications. 
Her  new  book,  Displacing  Place:  Mobile 
Communication  in  the  2ht  Century 
{www.displacingplace.org),  will  be 
published  this  year  by  Peter  Lang 
Publishing  Group.  She  is  an  avid 
mountain  biker,  photographer,  and 
yoga  practitioner. 

Yaron  Ofek 
Tel  Aviv,  Israel 

Ofek  married  Hadas  Barkol  in  March 
2006  in  Tel  Aviv  David  Elsenstodt  '84 
was  an  official  witness  at  the  wedding, 
and  Jeffrey  Thomas  made  the  long 
journey  from  San  Francisco  to  join  the 
festivities.  Ofek's  sister,  Dorit  Ofek- 
Arnon  '87,  and  Dani  Sisselman  '84 
were  also  in  attendance.  Ofek  has  been 
living  in  Tel  Aviv  since  1993  and  is  a 
freelance  copywriter  specializing  in  high 
tech  and  telecom.  Ofek  and  Barkol  live 
happily  on — believe  it  or  not — Brandeis 
Street  in  the  northern  quarter  of  Tel  Aviv 
with  their  two  dogs,  Bilbo  and  Parker. 


1986 


Beth  Jacobowitz  Zive 

16  Furlong  Drive 

Cherry  Hill.  NJ  08003 

1986notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


Spriiif;  ()7  |  Briiiulcis  liniversity  Maga/iiif         93 


'lassiioic 


alumniprofile    Gideon  Aronoff  '85 


INLON 


1987 


Vanessa  B.  Newman 

153  East  57th  Street,  #2G 
New  York,  NY  10022 
1987notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Marianne  Agius 
Menasha,  Wisconsin 
Agius  recently  celebrated  ten  years  of 
marriage  to  her  husband,  Ramon. 
Together  they  have  two  sons,  Dominic, 
seven,  and  Anthony,  one.  She  has 
worked  at  Kimberly-Clark  tor  seven 
years  and  is  looking  forward  to  her  next 
promotion.  Agius  says  she  uses  her 
Brandeis  degree  in  English  every  day. 

Aiyse  (Richman)  Barbash 

Middleton,  Massachusetts 
Barbash  writes,  "I  run  a  food  pantry  for 
Jewish  Family  Service  on  the  North 
Shore  and  live  in  Middleton  with  my 
husband  and  two  kids." 

Michael  Kivort 
Houston 

Kivort  writes,  "I  am  experiencing  many 
transitions  at  the  moment,  all  positive. 
I  was  married  in  early  2007,  building  a 
house  that  will  be  ready  soon,  and  tran- 
sitioning from  the  presidency  of  the 
Houston  Alumni  Club  after  nearly  seven 
years  in  that  position.  I  am  also  Reunion 
chair  for  our  20th  Reunion  in  June  and 
hope  to  see  many  ot  you  on  campus.  Yes, 
life  is  busy,  but  it's  a  'good'  busy.  I  still 
practice  law  in  Houston  and  continue  to 
live  here  after  January's  nuptials." 

Stuart  Spencer 

Repulse  Bay,  Hong  Kong 

Spencer  was  promoted  to  president  at 

AJG's  accident  and  health  division.  He  is 

still  based  in  Hong  Kong,  where  he  lives 

with  his  wife,  Debbie,  and  four-year-old 

daughter,  Bella. 


Braiiiicis  I  iiivi-rsily  Maf;aziiic  |  Spring    07 


Beyond  Anatevka 

For  Gideon  Aronoff '85,  the  activism  and 
social  concern  embraced  at  Brandeis 
extended  well  beyond  his  undergraduate  form- 
ative experience.  With  a  brief  interlude  to 
attend  Cornell  Law  School,  he  has  devoted 
his  career  to  the  resettlement  of  refugees. 
He  has  addressed  the  struggles  of  Soviet  Jews 
as  well  as  immigrantsof  many  backgrounds, 
among  them  victims  of  the  genocide  in 
Darfur.  In  2006,  he  became  president  and 
chief  executive  officer  of  the  Hebrew 
Immigrant  Aid  Society  (HIAS),  a  125-year- 
old  organization  with  some  250  employees 
worldwide  and  a  support  base  of  fourteen 
thousand  individuals.  He  describes  his  role 
as  "manager,  programmer,  planner,  quality 
controller,  and,  hopefully,  visionary." 

Founded  in  1881  to  assist  immigrants 
arriving  at  New  York's  Ellis  Island,  HIAS 
has  provided  essential  lifesaving  services  to 
world  Jewry  for  generations  through  its  mis- 
sion of  rescue,  reunion,  and  resettlement. 

"HIAS  tries  to  put  into  action  in  the  pub- 
lic policy  arena  powerfijl  and  fundamental 
Jewish  values  such  as  welcoming  the  stranger, 
a  biblical  imperative,"  explains  Aronoff.  He 
notes  that  since  its  founding  HIAS  has 
impacted  the  lives  of  more  than  four  and  a 
half  million  people. 

Aronoff,  who  joined  the  organization  in 
2000,  says,  "This  new  job  provides  me  with 


the  opportunit}'  to  run  an  agency  that  has 
a  fascinating  historical  lineage  and  at  the 
same  time  is  as  current  as  the  front  page  ot 
the  daily  newspaper.  HIAS  connects  gener- 
ations of  Jews  through  their  own  stories, 
which  reinforces  a  lasting  Jewish  legacy  of 
helping  refugees  and  others  in  need." 

"The  diversity  of  Jewish  experience  at 
Brandeis  and  the  climate  of  activism  were 
formative,"  says  Aronoft,  a  history  major. 
"1  was  involved  with  the  Brandeis  political 
forum,  students  for  Soviet  Jewry,  and 
Amnesty  International.  My  experience 
helped  me  gain  a  pluralistic  view  of  Amer- 
ican Jewish  society  and  American  society  in 
general.  Brandeis  set  a  psychological  and 
cultural  tramework  for  my  life." 

Aronoff's  family  has  also  flourished  in 
this  environment — when  they  gather,  it 
looks  like  a  college  reunion.  He  shares  the 
Brandeis  experience  with  tather  Joel  C.  '58, 
PhD'65;  mother  Marilyn  '60,  MA'72, 
PhD'73;  sister  Eve  '92;  aunt  Eileen  Weiss 
Lurie  '56;  and  father's  cousin,  Dorothy 
Raduziner  Marks  '57. 

"In  fact,"  he  says,  "it  it  were  not  tor 
Brandeis,  I  wouldn't  be  in  my  current 
job — not  just  because  of  my  intellectual 
training,  but  because  Brandeis  is  where 
my  parents  met." 

— Marjorie  Lyon 


classiiolei 


1988 


Class  of  1988 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham.  IVIA  02454-9110 

1988notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Douglas  Rosner 

Arlington,  Massachusetts 

Rosner,  a  director  at  Goulston  &  Storrs 

in  Boston,  was  elected  cochair  of  the 

bankruptcy  section  of  the  Boston 

Bar  Association. 

Susan  Kanarfogel  Shapiro 

Brookline,  Massachusetts 
Shapiro  is  in  her  seventh  year  of  teaching 
computers  to  first-  through  fourth- 
graders  at  an  inner-city  school  in 
Lawrence,  Massachusetts.  She  has  two 
daughters,  ages  twelve  and  fourteen. 

Rex  Solomon 

Houston 

Solomon,  chief  executive  officer  of 
Houston  Jewelry,  married  Margaret  Bell 
Utter,  an  attorney  at  Powers  &  Frost,  on 
September  3,  2006. 


1989 


Class  of  1989 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham.  MA  02454-9110 

1989notesfa)alumni. brandeis.edu 

Bronte  Ward  Abraham 
Menlo  Park,  California 
Abraham  and  her  husband  welcomed 
their  second  son,  Jacob  Thomas.  She 
manages  a  medical  communications  and 
pharmaceutical  marketing  company  that 
assists  biotechnology  companies  with  their 
emerging  medical  education  needs.  She  is 
also  active  in  the  autism  community. 

Miles  Crakow 

Los  Angeles 

Crakow  writes,  "I've  been  working  at 

Fox  since  the  beginning  of  2004. 


Currently,  I  am  director  of  content  for 
Fox  Interactive  Media  Entertainment, 
where  I  am  primarily  responsible  for 
producing  the  American  Idol  and  On  the 
Lot  Web  sites.  I  live  in  the  Los  Angeles 
neighborhood  of  Arwater  Village  with 
my  partner,  Carl,  and  our  rwo  border 
collies,  Sabrina  and  Cooper.  When  we're 
not  working,  we're  traveling  to  Carl's 
native  Ireland  or  Barcelona  and  Sitges. " 

Dvora  Weinreb  Scher 
Boca  Raton,  Florida 

Scher  and  her  husband,  Herschel,  proudly 
announce  the  birth  of  their  son,  Akiva 
Liron,  on  September  1,  2006.  He  joins 
Sarit,  five,  and  Yosef,  three.  Scher  is  a  real- 
estate  partner  in  the  law  firm  Wasserstrom 
Weinreb  &  Wealcatch.  Her  husband  is  a 
pediatric  pulmonologist  with  a  private 
practice  in  Boca  Raton. 

Steven  Schulman 
Chevy  Chase,  Maryland 
Schulman  was  recently  named  the  first 
firmwide  pro-bono  partner  at  Akin 
Gump  Strauss  Hauer  &  Feld,  an 
international  law  firm  with  more  than 
nine  hundred  attorneys.  Schulman,  who 
has  experience  in  many  areas  of  public- 
interest  law,  is  responsible  for  the  firm's 
pro-bono  activities.  On  October  21, 
2006,  he  participated  in  the  first 
Brandeis  Rugby  Football  Club  Reunion 
game,  in  which  the  alumni  beat  the  cur- 
rent team.  Schulman  and  his  wife  Evelyn 
have  rwo  sons,  Benjamin  and  Elijah. 


1990 


Judith  Libhaber  Weber 

4  Augusta  Court 

New  City.  NY  10956 

1990notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Hi,  Class  of  1990!  I  hope  that  the  new 
year  is  treating  you  all  well.  Best  wishes 
for  peace,  health,  and  happiness.    Please 
share  your  news  with  your  former  class- 
mates. We  all  want  to  hear  what  has 
been  going  on  with  you. 


Hillel  Cooperman 

Seattle 

Cooperman  writes,  "I  recently  left 
Microsoft  after  nine  years  working 
primarily  on  the  Windows  user 
experience,  most  recently  as  product  unit 
manager.  I  am  starting  my  own  small 
software  company  based  in  Seattle 
(www.jacksonfish.com).  My  wife, 
Debbie,  and  I  have  three  excellent  kids, 
Sivan,  Bella,  and  Rakefet. "  Rakefet  was 
born  in  August  2006. 

H.  Thayne  Emrich 

Lancaster,  Massachusetts 
Emrich  is  designing  home  interiors  in 
the  Concord,  Massachusetts,  area,  having 
opened  his  eponymous  design  company. 

Alyssa  Turner  Gillespie 

Granger,  Indiana 

Gillespie  writes,  "I  received  tenure  and 
promotion  to  associate  professor  of 
Russian  at  the  University  of  Notre  Dame 
in  spring  2005  and  spent  last  year  on  a 
research  leave  supported  by  a  National 
Endowment  for  the  Humanities  faculty 
fellowship.  My  son,  Kai,  was  born  in 
January  2005,  and  Asher  was  born  in 
October  2006,  bringing  the  number  of 
bouncing  little  boys  in  our  family  to  five 
(the  others  are  Anton  and  Kirill,  ten,  and 
Darien,  five).  Never  a  dull  moment!  I 
was  honored  to  represent  Brandeis 
president  Jehuda  Reinharz  at  the 
inaugural  ceremonies  for  the  new 
president  of  Notre  Dame  in  2005." 

Chaim  Jaffe  and  Esa  Kanter  Jaffe 

Manlius,  New  York 

The  Jaffes  proudly  announce  the  birth  of 
their  fourth  child,  Jonah  Sidney.  He 
joins  big  brothers  Ari  and  Shai  and  big 
sister  liana. 

Lee  Medoff 
New  York  City 

Medoff  writes,  "My  wife,  Penelope,  and 
1  welcomed  twins  Imogen  and  Oscar 
into  the  world  on  May  9,  2006.  For  the 
curious,  Imogen  is  the  daughter  of 
Cymbeline,  the  lead  character  in  a 
Shakespearean  romance  of  the  same 
name.  Given  rhat  Shakespeare  also  had 
boy-girl  twins,  we  thought  the  name 


Spring  "07  j  liraiHlci^  I  ni\frhii\   Mag 


95 


>r--:r:^SS 


i..{;:.';,''^is^^j^»i^? 


iiiaiiiaoes   unions 


/:^■.^«;<!;>^^i;t':aatt^^■Mt^j^■'>^-^J.3i!,'^^^«■>y:-l^v^i>a<'^re}}^^ 


Michelle  Gur  Aryeh  '04  and  Adam  Shain  '04.  MS'04  Joshua  Kaplan  '96  and  Joanna  Kaslrer 


^^ppiipi(>i%ilipiii.;:v:^ 


■'^•"^'^-""■''•'^ 


"^-^fiTfiY^'-''^'^- 


.^;i^.:^^;iX.■^a>nR^^g?^^ 


Nicolas  Currier  '98  and  Ellen  Hendrlksen 


Class     Name 


Jordan  Isenstadt  '01  and 
Lauren  Ritkin  '01 


Date 


1952 
1983 
1985 
1988 
1990 
1991 
1992 

1994 

1995 
1996 
1997 


1998 


1999 


2000 
2001 


2002 


2003 

2004 
2005 
2006 
GRAD 


Laurence  Nigrosh  and  Milllcent  Tuman 

William  Portnoy  and  Karen  Kulvin 

Yaron  Ofek  and  Hadas  Barkol 

Rex  Solomon  and  Margaret  Bell  Utter 

Wendy  Lowengrub  and  Jordan  Katine 

Lisa  Fishman  and  Samuel  Lehr 

Jennifer  Zahavah  Korff  and  Josiah  Klebaner 

Jodi  Lazar  and  Doug  Hall 

Francesca  Segre  and  Bernard  Chen 

Debra  Silverman  and  Jonathan  Rieber 

Pallavi  Rai  and  Tom  Gullo 

Joshua  Kaplan  and  Joanna  Kasirer 

Karen  Kitay  and  Mordecai  Bienstock 

Laura  Limonic  and  Francesco  Brindisi 

Latasha  Treger  and  Nicholas  Slavin 

Alisa  Zelman  and  Jim  Finsten 

Ashley  Blick  and  Ben  Sternberg 

Nicolas  Currier  and  Ellen  Hendrlksen 

Marina  Sokolinsky  and  Mohamed  Trad 

Allison  Kalish  and  Jason  Leichtman 

Michael  Siegel  and  Hindatu  Mohammed 

Bailey  (Giesler)  Wyant  and  Jason  Wyant 

Peter  Rose  and  Jennifer  Margevich 

Stanley  Altshuller  and  Alexandra  Pogornets 

Chari  Cohen  and  Scott  Hirshson 

Kristen  Connolly  and  Patrick  McCullough 

Francesca  DIFulvio  and  Devon  Jones 

Andrea  Finkelman  and  Adam  Mendelsohn,  PhD'09 

Anna  Golzman  and  Andrew  Munro 

Rachael  Goren  and  Molly  Jackson-Watts  '02 

Nadine  Kantrow  and  Paul  TImpa 

Lauren  Rifkin  and  Jordan  Isenstadt 

Alison  Shreefter  and  Philip  Jensen 

Janna  Rosenberg  and  Mike  Berger 

Dannah  Rubinstein  and  Ross  Breitbart  '03 

Miriam  Stern  and  Dan  Kramer 

Karen  Thomashow  and  Yonatan  Eyal 

Debra  Winetz  and  Marc  Bennet 

Aaron  Gorodetzer  and  Ashley  Sbarbaro 

Kazia  Levin  and  Benjamin  Feinberg  '04 

Michelle  Gur  Aryeh  and  Adam  Shain.  MS'04 

Elana  Blumenthal,  MA'06.  and  Samuel  Kahn 

Kate  Brophy  and  Robert  Friedman 

Paul  Anastas,  MA'87.  PhD'90,  and  Julie  Zimmerman 

Michele  Brzezinski,  MA'05,  and  Steve  Sllverthorn 

Jessie  Hastings,  MS'04,  and  Sean  Conta 

Elizabeth  Owens,  MA'04,  and  Aaron  Smith 

Shara  Silverman,  MBA'02,  and  Richard  Star 

Karen  Tolchin,  MA'98.  PhD'OO,  and  Thomas  DeMarchI 


January  6,  2007 
December  16,  2006 
March  10,  2006 
September  3,  2006 
September  10,  2006 
September  17,  2006 
September  17,  2006 
May  29,  2005 
September  3,  2006 
November  25,  2006 
April  22,  2006 
February  19.  2006 
March  21,  2004 
December  18,  2006 
April  9,  2006 
September  3,  2006 
September  10,  2006 
August  25,  2006 
July  22,  2006 
July  9.  2006 
August  12,  2006 
June  24,  2006 
July  29,  2006 
October  22,  2006 
November  11,  2006 
August  25.  2006 
October  21.  2006 
December  23,  2006 
October  7.  2006 
June  4,  2006 
December  2,  2006 
August  12.  2006 
July  29,  2006 
November  11,  2006 
September  3,  2006 
May  21,  2006 
September  3,  2006 
June  11,  2006 
August  4,  2006 
December  30,  2006 
September  3,  2006 
August  27,  2006 
January  1,  2006 
October  14,  2006 
October  7,  2006 
September  10,  2006 
September  9,  2006 
September  3,  2006 
December  16.  2006 


fitting.  Oscar,  on  the  other  hand,  is  just 
Oscar  {although  it  did  help  that  I'm  an 
inveterate  Odd  Couple  fan).  The  rwins" 
arrival  nearly  coincided  with  a  welcome 
visit  from  Erich  Reed,  a  long-lost  friend 
who  is  now  living  in  Maine  again  after  a 
number  of  years  spent  on  the  other 
coast.  It  was  good  to  see  him  ...  and  to 
introduce  him  to  our  newest  family 
members.  All  of  us  remain  in  New  York 
City  for  the  here  and  now,  but  with  the 
arrival  of  children  we're  leaving  Manhat- 
tan behind  for  the  space  that  New  Jersey 
affords.  In  what  amounts  to  quite  a 
departure  from  my  days  at  Brandeis,  I 
now  work  at  the  Federal  Reserve  Bank  of 
New  York.   Penelope  left  publishing 
some  time  back  and  last  worked  at 
Gourmet  before  (temporarily)  hanging 
up  the  apron  to  be  with  the  kids. " 

Eric  Weinstock 

Needham,  Massachusetts 
Weinstock  writes,  "I  am  living  in 
Needham  with  my  wife,  Toby,  son 
Zachary,  daughter  Talia,  and  newest 
addition,  liana,  born  November  10, 
2006.  I  have  my  own  endodontic  practice 
in  Canton  and  am  on  the  faculty  at  Tufts 
University  School  of  Dental  Medicine. 
I  often  think  of  the  great  times  at 
Brandeis  and  all  of  my  old  chums.  Hope 
to  see  you  all  at  the  next  reunion! " 


1991 


Andrea  C.  Kramer 

Georgetown  University 
113  Healy,  Box  571250 
Washington,  DC  20057 
1991notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Kenneth  and  I  are  enjoying  parenthood 
and  are  now  living  with  our  son  Simon 
on  the  other  side  of  the  city — actually, 
on  the  Georgetown  Universiry  campus — 
for  my  new  position  as  a  chaplain  in  the 
residence  halls.  If  like  us,  you  had  to 
miss  our  15th  Reunion  last  summer,  you 
can  still  stay  in  touch  by  submitting 
news  about  yourself  and  reading  up  on 
your  classmates  in  this  space. 


lass! 


( )i('^ 


Joel  Cohen 

Denver 

Cohen  is  president  of  the  Colorado 
Dermatologic  Society.  He  is  also 
national  chair  of  the  Patient  Education 
Committee  for  the  American  Society  of 
Dermatologic  Surgery.  A  board-certified 
dermatologist  with  full  fellowship 
training  in  Mohs  skin  cancer  surgery  and 
cosmetic  dermatology,  Cohen  is  an 
active  medical  writer,  lecturer,  clinical- 
trial  participant,  and  instructor.  He  has 
authored  more  than  thirty-five  medical 
publications  and  six  book  chapters  and  is 
currently  coauthoring  a  McGraw-Hill 
textbook  as  well.  He  travels  throughout 
the  country  almost  every  weekend,  as 
well  as  to  Europe  and  Israel,  to  teach 
techniques  related  to  skin  cancer  surgery 
as  well  as  cosmetic  dermatology.  He  is  a 
lead  clinical  trial  investigator  for  several 
cosmetic  injectable  procedures  as  well  as 
lasers.  Cohen  is  on  the  volunteer 
faculty  of  the  University  ot  Colorado, 
serving  as  an  assistant  professor.  He  is 
married  to  Dr.  Nicole  Goldie  Cohen,  a 
pediatrician  at  Denver  Children's 
Hospital.  They  are  the  proud  parents  of 
toddler  Tillie  Yael  Cohen,  who  was  born 
with  esophageal  atresia  and  a  tracheo- 
esophageal fistula.  With  the  help  ot  the 
wonderful  surgeons  at  Denver  Children's 
Hospital,  she  is  doing  great. 

Heidi  Cohen  Kahana 

Madison,  Wisconsin 

See  Alon  Kahana,  MA'91. 

Sue  Goren  Levine 

Ashland,  Massachusetts 
Levine  writes,  "My  husband,  Dave,  and  I 
have  two  adorable  boys,  Matthew,  six  and 
a  half,  and  Nate,  four.  We  have  been 
living  in  Ashland  for  the  past  nine  years. 
I  work  part  time  as  a  career  counselor  at 
Quinsigamond  Community  College  in 
Worcester.  Dave  was  the  catering  director 
for  the  New  England  Patriots  and  Gillette 
Stadium  until  shortly  after  their  third 
Super  Bowl  win.  He  is  currently  the 
general  manager  of  dining  services  for 
Sodexho  at  UMass-Boston.  I'd  love  to 
hear  from  former  classmates  at 
smldal@comcast.net." 


Br^inilcis  t'niv'iTsii  y  Miifjazinc  |  Sjiriiif;  07 


W'':' 

m' 


Bringing  Smiles  to  Navajo  Nation 


Although  preventable,  early  childhood 
caries — tooth  decay  in  children  younger 
than  six — is  the  most  common  chronic 
childhood  disease  in  the  United  States. 

Throughout  the  Navajo  Nation,  a  vast 
reservation  extending  for  27,000  square 
miles  across  northeastern  Arizona,  Utah, 
and  New  Mexico,  tooth  decay  is  rampant. 

As  the  only  pediatric  dentist  at  Fort 
Defiance  Indian  Hospital  on  the  Navajo 
reservation,  Laura  (Hacker)  Greenwald  '99 
has  seen  some  of  the  worst  cases,  including 
three-year-old  children  with  decay  in 
75  percent  of  their  young  teeth. 

"The  Navajo  people  have  adopted  a 
modern  diet  that  includes  high  levels  of 
processed  sugars, "  she  says.  "Lower  socio- 
economic groups  are  simply  at  much 
higher  risk  for  caries  due  to  limited  access 
to  health  care  and  education." 

In  addition  to  treating  decay  with 
fillings,  crowns,  and  surgery,  the  young 
dentist  has  partnered  with  physicians  at  the 
state-of-the-art  hospital,  which  serves 
nearly  30,000  people,  to  run  monthly  well- 
child  clinics.  There  she  and  her  colleagues 
educate  parents  of  children  between  the 
ages  of  nine  months  and  twelve  months 
about  nutrition  and  the  consequences  of 
certain  practices  that  expose  infant  teeth  to 
sugary  liquids  for  long  periods  of  time,  such 


as   providing  soda   and   juice  consistently 
throughout  the  day. 

Their  education  efforts  seem  to  be 
paying  dividends,  Greenwald  says,  noting 
that  the  waiting  period  for  surgery  has 
dropped  from  an  average  three  months  to 
about  two  weeks  during  the  eighteen 
months  she  has  worked  on  the  reservation. 

Greenwald  moved  to  Fort  Defiance 
(population  4,000)  in  August  2005  with 
her  husband,  Adam  '98,  after  receiving  a 
scholarship  through  the  U.S.  Public 
Health  Service  during  her  studies  at 
Columbia  University  School  ot  Dental  and 
Oral  Surgery.  She  committed  to  work  in 
an  area  with  underserved  populations  for 
at  least  two  years.  "Our  instructors  always 
told  us  that  dentists  are  public-health 
providers,  and  we  owe  it  to  our  communi- 
ty to  give  back,"  she  says.  "I  thought  it  was 
something  important  to  do." 

Adam  supports  her  cttorts  by  staying 
home  with  the  couple's  three-year-old  son, 
Noah,  while  working  toward  an  MBA  at 
Arizona  State  University. 

Life  in  Fort  Defiance  was  initially  a  cul- 
ture shock,  but  the  couple  say  they  have 
enjoyed  learning  about  the  Navajo  cul- 
ture. "There  is  so  much  to  appreciate  and 
enjoy  here,"  Adam  says. 

— Carrie  Simmons 


classnotes 


Jared  Lighter 
Delray  Beach,  Florida 
Lighter  became  engaged  to  Cara 
Ackerman  in  October  2006.  The  couple, 
who  had  met  ten  years  earlier  through 
Lighter's  sister,  became  reacquainted  in 
January  2006  at  a  Jewish  event.  "We  were 
just  friends  back  then, "  Lighter  writes, 
"but  something  more  developed  this  time 
around.  Just  goes  to  show  that  you  never 
know  what's  going  to  happen  in  life!" 

Julie  Hoffman  Marshall 
Lafayette,  Colorado 
Marshall,  an  author,  and  her  husband, 
Tim,  welcomed  a  daughter,  Jasmine 
Rose,  on  December  18,  2006.  She  joins 
two-year-old  sister  Sarah.  "Everything 
went  fine,"  Marshall  writes,  "except  for  a 
crazy  blizzard  that  blew  in  that  week.  We 
got  snowed  in  at  the  hospital." 

Rachel  Silverman  Sommer 

Medford,  Massachusetts 
Sommer  missed  the  2006  Reunion  due  to 
a  busy  schedule  revolving  around  her  fam- 
ily. She  and  her  husband,  Jacob,  celebrated 
their  second  wedding  anniversary  on 
October  10,  2006,  and  the  first  birthday 
of  their  son,  Joshua,  on  August  13,  2006. 
Sommer  is  the  new  office  manager  and 
bookkeeper  at  the  Brain  Tumor  Societ)', 
which  she  finds  congenial  and  rewarding. 
Other  news  about  Sommer  can  be  found 
at  www.gingicat.org. 

Robin  Weigert 

Los  Angeles 

Weigert  appeared  in  The  Good  German 

opposite  Oscar  winners  George 

Clooney  and  Care  Blanchett. 


1992 


Lisa  Davidson  Flore 

34  Van  Ness  Road 

Belmont,  MA  02478 

1992notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Hello,  classmates!  It  feels  like  spring  here 
in  Massachusetts,  but  it's  really  winter. 
I  remember  getting  ready  to  fly  back  to 
Brandeis  every  winter  break,  dreading  the 


change  from  seventy-degree  California 
weather  to  the  teens  or  below  in  Boston, 
but  somehow  it  always  felt  best  to  be 
back  among  friends.  We  are  getting  closer 
to  our  15th  Reunion,  set  for  June  8-10.  I 
hope  many  of  you  are  able  to  attend.  At 
the  time  of  this  writing,  I  am  between 
semesters  and  trying  to  catch  up  with 
work.  I've  been  involved  with  a  gover- 
nance task  force  and  have  a  new  appreci- 
ation for  what  the  founding  fathers  of 
our  country  went  through  when  they 
drafted  the  Constitution.  Coffee  and 
lunch  aren't  enough  to  get  eighteen  peo- 
ple to  see  eye  to  eye  on  how  to  make 
decisions  in  a  university.  My  thoughts  are 
more  drawn  to  how  to  convince  my  four- 
year-old  that  Ursula  the  sea  witch  isn't 
real,  yet  somehow  Ariel  the  mermaid  is 
real,  for  the  sake  of  my  rwo-year-old's  fas- 
cination with  princesses.  I  should  have 
paid  more  attention  in  my  philosophy 
class  ...  I  just  know  that  the  falling  tree 
does  make  a  sound. 

Stacey  Ballis 
Chicago 

Ballis  has  left  her  position  at  the 
Goodman  Theatre  to  pursue  her  writing 
and  consultancy  work  full  time.  The 
author  of  four  novels,  including  the 
upcoming  The  Spinster  Sisters,  Ballis 
recently  joined  the  team  of  the  Rachael 
Ray  show  on  CBS.  As  a  regular 
contributor  to  the  show,  she  offers 
lifestyle  and  entertaining  tips.  Check  her 
out  by  visiting  www.rachaelrayshow.com 
and  choosing  "Rachel's  Buddies"  under 
the  "Cool  People"  section  of  the  site.  For 
more  information  on  Ballis  and  her 
books  visit  www.staceyballis.com,  and  for 
updates  on  her  television  appearances 
join  her  MySpace  friends  at  myspace. 
com/staceyballis  or  e-mail  stacey@ 
staceyballis.com  and  ask  to  be  put  on  the 
newsletter  list. 

Evan  Berland 
Columbia,  South  Carolina 
Berland,  former  day  supervisor  in  the 
Trenton,  New  Jersey,  bureau  of  the 
Associated  Press,  was  recently  named 
news  editor  of  AP's  South  Carolina 
bureau.  Berland  has  worked  for  the  wire 
service  since  1995. 


Stacy  Brown 

Dobbs  Ferry,  New  York 

Brown  and  her  husband,  Craig, 

welcomed  a  son,  Hayden  Zachary,  on 

June  7,  2006.  He  joins  brother  Ramsey, 

two,  and  half-sister  Haylee,  six. 

Erica  Dominitz  and  Yaron  Dori 

Bethesda,  Maryland 

Dominitz  was  elected  to  the  partnership 
of  Dickstein  Shapiro,  where  she  practices 
insurance  litigation  in  the  firm's 
Washington,  D.C.,  office.  She  and  her 
husband,  who  also  practices  law,  enjoy 
spending  time  with  their  two-year-old 
daughter,  Rachel,  who  has  started 
nursery  school. 

Lloyd  Kass 

Jersey  City,  New  Jersey 
Kass  writes,  "In  October  2006,  my  wife 
of  four  years,  Jennifer  Haakmat,  and  1 
had  our  first  child,  a  beautiful  daughter, 
Willa  Rose.  From  a  career  standpoint, 
after  spending  thirteen  years  in  nonprofit 
and  local  government  agencies  (and 
earning  an  MPA  from  Columbia 
University  in  1998),  I  am  serving  as 
energy  director  for  the  New  York  City 
Housing  Authority.  I  love  my  family,  my 
home,  and  my  job.  Former  classmates, 
reach  out  at  lloydkass@comcast.net." 

Brad  Kauffman 
Long  Island,  New  York 
In  September  2005,  Kauffman  opened 
his  own  law  firm  specializing  in  plain- 
tiff personal  injury  and  medical 
malpractice.  Since  he  opened  his  firm, 
the  New  York  Jury  Verdict  Reporter  has 
published  many  of  his  trial  results 
and  settlements. 

Naomi  Leeds 

Cambridge,  Massachusetts 

Leeds,  MD,  MPH,  is  an  internist  at 

Massachusetts  General  Hospital  in 

Boston  and  is  on  the  faculty  of  Harvard 

Medical  School.  She  recently  moved 

from  Beacon  Hill  to  Harvard  Square. 

Leo  Olper 

Lake  Forest,  Illinois 

Olper  is  a  senior  vice  president  and  chief 

operating  officer  of  Lapiz,  the  Hispanic 


Sj)riii<;  '07  |  Mriiiiilris  I  Mi\rrsitv  Mafia/iiic 


99 


class 


llOtCh 


marketing  division  of  Leo  Burnett 
advertising  agency  in  Chicago. 

Lori  Goldsmith  Smith  and 
Adam  Smith 
Blue  Bell,  Pennsylvania 
Lori  and  Adam  Smith  are  enjoying  life 
in  Blue  Bell  with  their  two  sons,  Jason 
and  Ethan.  Using  extensive  and  rigorous 
research  techniques,  Lori  has  not  only 
discovered  that  Cheerios  float,  but  they 
are  indeed  impossible  to  get  out  of  the 
carpet  once  stepped  on  by  baby  feet. 
Looking  forward  to  the  upcoming 
reunion,  Jason  is  excited  to  see  Brandeis 
and  share  his  knowledge  of  U.S.  presi- 
dents. Star  Wars  characters,  and  jelly 
sandwiches. 

Lauren  Sueskind  Theodore 

Suffern,  New  York 
Theodore  writes,  "We  proudly 
welcomed  daughter  Annabel  Ruby  on 
November  17,  2006.  I  am  happy  to  be 
working  as  public  relations  director  of 
5f/^magazine.  Life  is  wonderful!" 


1993 


100 


Joshua  Blumenthal 

467  Valley  Street,  #6-G 
Maplewood,  NJ  07040 
1993notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Brian  Feldman 
San  Francisco 

Feldman  writes,  "My  daughter, 
Annabelle,  was  born  August  30,  2006. 
I  was  recently  appointed  to  the  faculty  of 
the  University  of  California  at  San 
Francisco  Medical  School  in  the 
department  of  pediatrics.  I  now  live  in 
San  Francisco  with  my  wife,  Bira, 
daughter,  and  cat,  Suds." 

Douglas  Kaplan 
New  York  City 

Kaplan  writes,  "After  living  in  Japan  for 
eight  years  following  Brandeis,  I  now 
reside  with  my  wife,  Asako,  on  the 
Upper  West  Side  in  Manhattan  but 
soon  will  be  moving  to  Princeton,  New 
Jersey,  following  the  birth  of  our 


Uramleis  Ijilix'crsitv  Ma«iazine  |  Spriiio;  '07 


1 

■'  ■  -  ■>•■  X-'  ■'^'■^^J^^lM^^f^^'^ 

^^^H^BHHHI 

II 

^^^jX!*^iQ^^a^j^a^jgiij^glJ/^mSgS^mmi 

IHIBIHHh 

Cla^ 

Rranripi<!  Parpnt(0 

Child's  Name 

1989 

Bronte  Ward  Abraham 

Jacob  Thomas 

Cindy  and  David  Blank-Edeiman 

Elijah  Isaac 

Dvora  Weinreb  Scher 

Akiva  Liron 

1990 

Hillel  Cooperman 

Rakefet 

Chaim  and  Esa  Kanter  Jaffe 

Jonah  Sidney 

Lee  Medotf 

Imogen  and  Oscar 

Joy  Pearlman 

Yedidya  Azriel 

Eric  Weinstock 

liana 

1991 

Stephanie  Gillman  Doyle 

Caeden  Eliot 

Heidi  Cohen  Kahana  and  Alon  Kahana.  MA'91 

Kyra  Faye 

Julie  Hoffman  Marshall 

Jasmine  Rose 

1992 

Lloyd  Kass 

Willa  Rose 

Jeffrey  Mittler 

Gabriel  Ryan 

Pegah  Hendizadeh  Schiffman 

Jasmine  Sara 

Lauren  Sueskind  Theodore 

Annabel  Ruby 

1993 

Elizabeth  (Miller)  Belkind 

Tal 

Shelley  (Blanksteen)  and  Jonathan  Casciano  '96 

Benjamin  Saul 

Brian  Feldman 

Annabelle 

Lawrence  Hilzenrath 

Kate  Olivia 

Douglas  Kaplan 

Hudson  Kenzo 

1994 

Seth  Epstein 

Benjamin  Mark 

Rebecca  Klein 

Samara  Rose 

Kimberly  Valkenaar  and  Jason  Breitkopf 

Allegra  Jade 

Anat  (Hampel)  Zirkin 

Jonah  Nathan 

1995 

Stephanie  Amin-Giwner 

Jenna  Ryan 

Jonathan  Borg 

Jared  Wesley 

Elana  Brown  Boyrkoff 

Evan  Joseph 

Monica  (Jacoby)  Delyani 

Devin  Sienna 

1996 

Samantha  Strashoon  Lennon 

Gavin  Brian 

Jill  Maderer 

Moshe 

Rachel  Bebchick  Naggar  and  Eric  Naggar 

Mia  Scarlett 

1997 

Karen  Kitay  Bienstock 

ICehuda  Leib 

Greg  Cohen 

Zachary  Brett 

Rebecca  (Feinberg)  Shayne 

Noah  Jacob 

1998 

Devorah  Kessner  Bader 

Yishai  Yoel 

Randi  (Najarian)  and  Eric  Kaplan  '97 

Olivia  Rachel 

Wendy  Stein  Harsfield 

Matthew  Noah 

Shari  Askenas  Kendall 

Jaydin  Samantha 

Jeremie  Lipczenko  and  Jeremy  Wally  '96 

Fiona  Rose 

Amanda  (Metter)  and  Eric  Pressman 

Gabe  Daniel 

Sarah  (Greenberg)  and  Daniel  Strick 

Emily  Dana 

1999 

JonaRose  (Jaffe)  and  James  Feinberg  '97 

Margaret  and  Benjamin 

Effy  Ritter 

Tammy 

2000 

David  Salama 

Elliot  Joseph 

Bluma  (Liss-Levinson)  and  Jeff  Sussman 

Marc  Aaron 

2001 

Jill  (Silberstein)  and  Jonathan  Brickman 

Elijah  Matthew 

2002 

Lauren  (Krutzel)  and  Alex  Friedman 

Anya  Haley 

upcoming  baby.  I  am  vice  president 
for  sales  and  marketing  at  Fendi 
Timepieces  and  have  founded  my  own 
luxury  brand  consulting  company, 
DSK  Global  Inc." 

Emily  Eng  Kaplan 
Woodstock,  Illinois 
Kaplan  writes,  "To  be  near  family,  we 
moved  to  Woodstock  (where  the  movie 
Goiindbog  Day  was  filmed)  from  Austin, 
Texas.  I  kept  my  Austin  software  job 
and  telecommuted  for  a  while,  but 
decided  to  go  back  to  work  lull  time. 
I'm  a  senior  technical  writer  working 


for  Motorola  on  projects  like  the  Moto 
Razr  and  the  Q.  I  go  into  the  office 
one  day  a  week.  When  I'm  not  blog- 
ging,  I  create  commissioned  mixed- 
media  greeting  cards  with  snarky 
messages  like  'Thinking  of  You  Makes 
Me  Sweaty'  and  'I  Love  You  and  Your 
Tiny  Bladder.'  My  son,  Theo,  four,  and 
daughter,  Riley,  two,  are  nuts,  but  I 
have  very  few  people  I  can  blame  for 
that.  I  haven't  been  on  campus  since 
graduation  day,  but  I  often  think  of 
the  people  I  knew  there.  I  can  be 
reached  at  meilaan@gmail.com." 


classiioics 


Ania  Siwek 
New  York  City 

Siwek  married  Ronen  Schwartzman  in 
July.  In  attendance  were  classmates 
Michelle  (Yellowitz)  Shapiro,  Jenifer 
(Land)  Weinberg,  Stephanie  Shaplro- 
Berkson,  Laurlan  Dixon  '92,  and 
former  classmate  Allison  (Sarubin) 
Fergakls.  Siwek  and  Schwartzman  are 
enjoying  married  life  on  the  Upper  West 
Side  of  Manhattan.  She  continues  to 
work  as  a  school  psychologist  at  an 
independent  school  in  Westchester  and 
have  a  private  practice. 

Michael  Stanger 

Old  Westbury,  New  York 

Stanger  became  the  senior  rabbi  at  the 

Old  Westbury  Hebrew  Congregation  in 

Old  Westbury.  He  lives  with  his  wife, 

Sandi,  daughter,  Arielle,  and  son,  Noah, 

born  May  11,2005. 


1994 


Sandy  Kirschen  Solof 

108  Cold  Spring  Road 

Avon,  CT  06001 

1994notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Seth  Epstein 

New  York  City 

Epstein  and  his  wife,  Suzanne  Hahn 

Epstein,  welcomed  a  son,  Benjamin 

Mark,  on  November  8,  2006. 

Audrey  Latman  Gruber 
New  York  City 

Gruber  won  an  Emmy  Award  for 
"Black  Market  Infertility, "  a  segment 
about  the  black-market  buying  and 
selling  of  infertility  medications  among 
couples  with  fertility  issues  that  she 
produced  at  CNN's  Anderson  Cooper 
360.  A  second  piece  Gruber  produced, 
"Chinese  Organs, "  about  the  growing 
organ  tourism  business  in  China,  was 
also  nominated  for  an  Emmy. 


Kimberly  Valkenaar  and 
Jason  Breitkopf 

Burbank,  California 
Valkenaar  and  Brietkopf  welcomed  a 
daughter,  Allegra  Jade,  in  September 
2006.  Valkenaar  won  the  Valley  Theatre 
League  Artistic  Director  Achievement 
(ADA)  Award  for  Best  Production  of 
2005-06  for  Bunbury  at  the  Road 
Theatre  Company  in  North  Hollywood. 
She  also  won  both  the  Valley  Theatre 
League  ADA  Award  for  Best  Production 
2004-05  and  the  LA  Weekly  Theater 
Award  for  Best  Production  2004-05  for 
Ouroboros,  also  at  the  Road  Theatre 
Company.  Breitkopf  is  directing  Fabric, 
a  one- act  play,  which  is  part  of  Cuts,  an 
evening  of  one-act  plays  that  opened  in 
February  at  the  Road  Theatre  Company. 
In  the  last  year,  he  has  directed  readings 
of  original  works  at  the  Road,  an  original 
one-act  play  during  Fast  and  Loose  at 
Sacred  Fools  Theatre  in  Hollywood,  and 
a  touring  children's  theater  production. 


1995 


Suzanne  Lavin 

154  W.  70th  Street,  Apt.  lOJ 
New  York,  NY  10023 
1995notes@alumnl.brandels.edu 

Christopher  Christian 
Washington,  D.C. 
Christian  joined  Dechert  LLP  on 
January  1.  He  is  in  the  financial  services 
group  and  is  based  in  the  firm's 
Washington,  D.C,  office.  He  focuses  on 
investment  companies,  offshore 
registered  and  unregistered  products,  and 
investment  adviser  regulation. 

Elizabeth  (Cohn)  Copelovltch 
Madison,  Wisconsin 
Copeiovitch  writes,  "We've  moved  to 
Madison,  where  [husband]  Mark  is  a 
professor  of  political  science  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Wisconsin  and  I  am  education 
director  at  a  Conservative  synagogue. 
Micah,  two,  started  preschool,  and  we're 
all  enjoying  the  Midwest." 


Monica  (Jacoby)  Delyani 

Ayer,  Massachusetts 
Delyani  recently  started  a  new  career 
teaching  eighth-grade  English  in 
northern  Massachusetts.  She  and  her 
husband,  Nicholas,  welcomed  their  first 
child,  Devin,  a  happy  and  healthy  girl 
who  turned  one  on  February  14. 

Pallavi  Ral  Gullo 

Arlington,  Virginia 
Rai  married  Tom  Gullo  on  April  22, 
2006,  in  Tampa,  Florida.  In  attendance 
were  Neha  Shah  Parikh,  Deepa  Pereira, 
Shalini  Madan  Benson  '96,  and  Craig 
Madan  Benson  '97.  The  bride  is  an 
attorney  with  Just  Neighbors,  an  organi- 
zation that  provides  immigration  legal 
services  to  low-income  immigrants. 

Norah  Mazar 
Brookline,  Massachusetts 
Mazar  writes,  "My  husband,  Shmuel 
Weglein,  and  I  welcomed  our  third 
child,  Roee  Dovev,  in  September  2005. 
He  joins  Nadav,  four,  and  Senai,  six.  I 
am  an  architectural  conservator,  and  my 
current  projects  include  the  exterior  con- 
servation of  the  Gropius  Dormitories  at 
Harvard  Law  School  and  the  Ashdown 
House  at  MIT." 

Alison  Strong 

Philadelphia 

Strong  was  recently  designated  a  2006 
"Rising  Star"  attorney  by  Law  &  Politics. 
To  be  eligible  for  this  honor,  attorneys 
must  be  forty  or  younger  and  practicing 
ten  years  or  less.  Only  the  top  2.5 
percent  of  Pennsylvania  lawyers  are 
honored  with  this  distinction  each  year. 
Strong  is  employed  by  Cozen  O'Connor. 

Jocelyn  Wllk 

New  York  City 

Wilk  is  the  public-service  archivist  at  the 
Columbia  University  Archives  and  is  in 
the  second  year  of  a  two-year  term  as 
vice  president  of  the  Archivists  Round 
Table  of  New  York  (ART).  ART  is  a 
local  professional  organization  boasting  a 
membership  of  more  than  330  archivists, 
librarians,  and  records  managers  in  the 
New  York  metropolitan  area.  During 
New  York  Archives  Week,  as  a  board 


Spr-in^  "07  j  Rr;in<!(*is  t'liivcrsity  Ma^a/iii 


101 


inineriioriam 


Alumni 

Philip  Fischer  '52 

Salem,  Massachusetts 
Dr.  Fischer  died  May  28,  2006.  He 
leaves  two  daughters,  Sherri  and  Lisa;  a 
brother,  Jerome;  and  two  grandsons. 

Lynne  (Shoolman)  Isaacson  '52 

Lexington,  Massachusetts 
Mrs.  Isaacson  died  November  2,  2006. 
She  leaves  a  daughter,  Gail  Forrest;  a 
son,  Bruce;  a  sister,  Phyllis  Shapiro;  a 
brother,  Ira  Shoolman;  two  grandchil- 
dren; and  many  nieces  and  nephews. 

Natasha  Saltzman  '52 

Eastham,  Massachusetts 

Ms.  Saltzman  died  November  30,  2006. 

She  leaves  two  sons,  Dan  and  Joel 

Miller;  a  sister,  Judith  Litvich;  and  three 

grandchildren. 

Lois  (Nesson)  Cohen  '58 
Highland  Park,  Illinois 
Ms.  Cohen  died  September  18,  2006. 
She  leaves  a  daughter,  Elissa  Halpern;  a 
son,  Andrew;  a  sister,  Marilyn  Mann; 
and  four  grandchildren. 

Marcia  (Barbash)  Lewis  '58 

Madison,  Wisconsin 
Mrs.  Lewis,  a  nurse,  died  October  18, 
2006,  after  a  ten-year  battle  with  ovarian 
cancer.  She  leaves  her  husband.  Herb; 
two  daughters,  Tamar  and  Paula;  a  son, 
Joshua;  a  brother,  Steven  Barbash;  and 
four  grandchildren. 

Kenneth  Farbman  '59 

Worcester,  Massachusetts 
Dr.  Farbman  died  December  12,  2006, 
of  pancreatic  cancer.  He  was  sixty-eight. 
Dr.  Farbman  practiced  medicine  at 
Worcester  Ciry  Hospital,  UMass 
Memorial,  and  in  private  practice  tor 
more  than  thirty-five  years.  He  also 
taught  at  UMass  Medical  School.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Marlene  Glick;  a 
daughter,  Deborah  Rubenstein, 
MJC'88:  two  sons,  David  '90  and 
Jeffrey  '98;  a  brother,  Albert;  and  six 
grandchildren. 


Mendy  Samstein  '60 

New  Lisbon,  New  York 
Mr.  Samstein,  who  left  graduate  school  to 
put  himself  in  the  forefront  of  the  fight 
for  black  voting  rights  in  Mississippi, 
enduring  bombings  and  beatings  in  the 
crucial  summer  of  1964,  died  January  24 
of  carcinoid  cancer.  He  was  sixty-eight. 
Mr.  Samstein  abandoned  his  pursuit 
of  a  doctorate  in  history  to  join  the  his- 
toric turmoil  in  the  South  and  became 
known  as  an  adept  organizer  and  pull-no- 
punches  speaker.  He  helped  recruit  and 
deploy  the  more  than  eight  hundred  col- 
lege students,  mainly  white,  who  traveled 
from  many  states  to  rural  Mississippi 
towns,  mainly  black,  as  part  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi Summer  Project  in  1964.  He  later 
became  a  full-time  organizer  for  the 
Student  Nonviolent  Coordinating 
Committee.  After  his  civil  rights  days, 
Mr.  Samstein  organized  against  the  Viet- 
nam War,  taught  school,  was  a  psychoan- 
alyst, and  ran  a  summer  camp,  among 
other  things.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Nancy 
Cooper;  two  sons,  Ivan  of  Chicago  and 
Ben  ot  Manhattan;  and  a  granddaughter. 

Janet  Berkenfield  '63 

Jamaica  Plain,  Massachusetts 
Ms.  Berkenfield,  a  public-health  profes- 
sional who  worked  to  help  immigrants, 
young  mothers,  and  children  during  a 
career  that  lasted  more  than  forty  years, 
died  February  1  from  complications  of  a 
stroke.  She  was  sixty-four.  For  the  past 
fourteen  years,  Ms.  Berkenfield  served  as 
director  of  the  state  Department  of  Men- 
tal Health's  Emergency  Medical  Services 
for  Children  program.  Prior  to  that,  she 
worked  for  three  years  at  the  Childhood 
Lead  Poisoning  Prevention  Program  in 
the  Department  of  Health  and  Human 
Services.  She  leaves  a  sister,  Betsy  Worley 
of  Fort  Worth,  Texas,  and  four  nieces 
and  nephews. 

Peter  Brune  '63 

Odenton,  Maryland 

Colonel  Brune  died  November  12,  2006, 
after  a  long  battle  with  lung  cancer.  He 
was  sixty-five.  He  served  for  rwenty-two 
years  in  the  Air  Force,  where  he  was  a 
recognized  aircraft  maintenance  manage- 
ment and  technical  expert.  He  leaves  his 


wife,  Pamela;  a  daughter,  Lisa  Randall  of 
Alta  Loma,  California;  two  sons,  Michael 
Lastovic  of  Guntersville,  Alabama,  and 
Craig  Brune  of  Mount  Sinai,  New  York; 
a  stepson,  Gregory  Lowe  of  Odenton, 
Maryland;  and  eight  grandchildren. 

Richard  Ripps  '63 

New  York  City- 
Mr.  Ripps  died  December  4,  2006,  of 
cancer.  He  had  a  successful  career  in 
real-estate  development,  which  included 
retail,  mall,  and  multiuse  properties.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Barbara;  a  son,  Michael; 
two  daughters,  Jennie  and  Elizabeth;  two 
stepsons,  Matthew  and  Michael;  and  a 
sister,  Wendy. 

Deanne  Stone  '67 
Framingham,  Massachusetts 
Ms.  Stone,  who  worked  as  an  executive 
director  and  fundraiser  at  several  Jewish 
and  children's  organizations  over  the  past 
several  years,  died  January  28  after  a 
long  battle  with  cancer.  She  was  sixty- 
seven.  Ms.  Stone  served  as  the  executive 
director  at  Maimonides  School,  Temple 
Israel  of  Boston,  and  the  Foundation  for 
Children's  Books;  as  director  of  the 
Council  of  Jewish  Federation  Women's 
Department  in  New  York  City;  as  the 
first  development  director  for  the  Yemin 
Orde  Youth  Village  outside  Haifa,  Israel; 
as  New  England  regional  director  of 
B'nai  B'rith;  and  as  New  England  direc- 
tor for  the  American  Committee  of  the 
Weizmann  Institute  of  Science.  She 
leaves  her  husband,  Harvey;  a  son, 
Matthew  of  Framingham;  a  daughter, 
Alison  of  Nyack,  New  York;  a  sister, 
Barbara  Gordon  of  West  Hartford, 
Connecticut;  and  two  grandchildren. 

William  Youngren,  PhD'99 

West  Newton,  Massachusetts 
Dr.  Youngren,  a  pianist,  writer, 
professor,  and  critic  who  possessed 
talents  and  interests  that  encompassed 
everything  from  eighteenth-century 
literature  to  writing  for  contemporary 
magazines,  died  November  26,  2006. 
He  was  seventy-five.  Dr.  Youngren,  who 
earned  his  doctorate  in  musicology, 
taught  English  literature  and  music  at 
Boston  College  from  1970  until  his 


classnoles 


retirement  in  2001.  He  leaves  his  wife, 
Virginia  (Rotan);  two  daughters,  Erica  of 
West  Chester,  New  York,  and  Valerie  of 
Brooidine,  Massachusetts;  a  son,  Austin 
Richards  of  Santa  Barbara,  California;  and 
two  grandsons. 

Faculty 

William  Piatt  Jencks 
Department  of  Biochemistry 
Dr.  Jencks,  of  Lexington,  Massachusetts, 
professor  emeritus  of  biochemistry,  died 
January  3  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine.  A  full- 
time  faculty  member  at  Brandeis  from 
1957  to  1996,  Dr.  Jencks  did  pioneering 
research  on  the  molecular  mechanisms  by 
which  enzymes  catalyze  reactions  in  living 
cells.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Miriam;  a  daugh- 
ter, Sara;  a  son,  David;  two  brothers, 
Charles  Jencks  and  John  Cheetham;  a 
sister,  Penelope  Hurwitz;  a  grandson;  and 
several  nieces  and  nephews. 

Staff 

Edith  (Feinberg)  Musnick 
Near  Eastern  and  Judaic  Studies 
Ms.  Musnick,  a  longtime  administrator  in 
the  Department  of  Near  Eastern  and 
Judaic  Studies,  died  December  29  in 
Delray  Beach,  Florida,  after  a  battle  with 
breast  cancer.  She  leaves  a  son,  David  of 
Seattle,  Washington;  a  daughter,  Joan  Titus 
of  North  Reading,  Massachusetts;  and 
three  grandchildren. 

Barbara  (Goldberg)  Schwartz 
Romance  and  Comparative  Literature 
Ms.  Schwartz,  senior  program  associate 
for  the  Department  of  Romance  and 
Comparative  Literature,  died  December  7, 
2006,  of  complications  from  cancer  A 
Brandeis  employee  since  1999,   she 
formerly  worked  at  the  Rose  Art  Museum 
and  the  OflPice  of  Communications.  She 
leaves  her  husband.  Dr.  Philip  E;  three 
daughters,  Hedy  Dion  of  Framingham, 
Carolyn  Lieberman  of  Westborough, 
Massachusetts,  and  Andrea  of  Framingham; 
a  sister,  Fredda  Goldberg  of  Providence, 
Rhode  Island;  a  brother,  Gerald  Goldberg  of 
Buffalo,  New  York;  and  two  grandchildren. 


member  of  this  group,  Wilk  had  the 
honor  (and  thrill)  ot  participating  in  the 
Opening  Bell  ceremony  at  the  New  York 
Stock  Exchange  on  October  10,  2006. 


1996 


Janet  Lipman  Leibowltz 

29  Pond  Street,  #9 
Sharon,  MA  02067 
1996notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Joshua  Kaplan 
New  York  City 

Kaplan  married  Joanna  Kasirer  on 
February  19,  2006.  Brandeisians  in 
attendance  were  Jeremy  Kaplan  '00, 
Philip  Schanzer,  Karen  (Ellman) 
Levlne  '01,  Judah  Levine  '01,  Jonathan 
Borg  '95,  Michael  Levison  '95,  Jen 
(Lorrel)  Levison  '99,  Marc  Damsky  '91, 
Jordana  (Grand)  Levine,  Andrew  Levine 
'98,  and  Michael  Dittelman. 

Jill  Maderer 

Philadelphia 

Maderer  and  her  husband,  Len  Lipkin, 

celebrated  the  first  birthday  of  their  son, 

Moshe  "Mo,"  in  January. 

Rachel  Bebchick  Naggar 

and  Eric  Naggar 

Bayonne,  New  Jersey 

The  Naggars  welcomed  their  first 

daughter,  Mia  Scarlett,  on  November  23, 

2006.  She  weighed  seven  pounds,  four 

ounces  and  was  twenty  inches  long. 


Joshua  Firstenberg 

96  Twenty-Ninth  Street,  #2 

San  Francisco,  CA  94110 

or 

Pegah  Hendizadeh  Schiffman 

58  Joan  Road 

Stamford,  CT  06905 

1997notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


Joshua  Davidson 
Redondo  Beach,  California 
Davidson  has  finished  his  residency  in 
pediatrics  and  is  planning  a  wedding. 

Elizabeth  DeRose 

New  Haven,  Connecticut 
DeRose  recently  organized  two 
exhibitions  for  the  Yale  University 
Department  of  Prints,  Drawings,  and 
Photographs,  which  are  on  view  at  the 
Yale  University  Art  Gallery  through 
April  1 .  The  exhibits  are  Jasper  Johns: 
From  Plate  to  Print  and  Making  a  Mark: 
Four  Contemporary  Artists  in  Print. 

James  Feinberg 

San  Diego 

Feinberg  and  JonaRose  Jaffe  '99  are 
thrilled  to  announce  the  birth  of  their 
children,  Margaret  and  Benjamin,  on 
July  26,  2006.  Jaffe  is  pursuing  a  PhD  in 
communications  from  the  University  of 
California  at  San  Diego,  and  Feinberg 
has  been  teaching  technical  theater  at  the 
University  of  San  Diego,  but  right  now 
they  are  both  focused  on  Ben  and 
Maggie  and  enjoying  the  lovely  weather. 

Kevin  Rosenzweig 
San  Juan,  Puerto  Rico 
Rosenzweig  is  engaged  to  Stefanie 
Hopkins. 

Latasha  Treger  Slavin 
Johannesburg,  South  Africa 
Slavin  writes,  "Since  April  2003,  1  have 
been  working  for  the  U.S.  Centers  for 
Disease  Control  and  Prevention  Global 
AIDS  Program.  Under  President  Bush's 
Emergency  Plan  for  AIDS  Relief  1  am 
currently  based  in  South  Africa,  where  1 
provide  HIV  and  AIDS  technical  assis- 
tance to  the  South  African  government 
and  manage  the  National  Prevention  of 
Mother-to-Child  Transmission  of  HIV 
program.  On  April  9,  2006,  1  married 
Nicholas  Slavin  in  Johannesburg." 

Alisa  Zelman 

Los  Angeles 

Zelman  married  Jim  Finsten  in  Newton, 

Massachusetts,  on  September  3,  2006. 

They  live  in  Los  Angeles,  where  Zelman 

works  as  the  director  of  development  for 


0^  I  lii';iiiil('is  [   iii\frsily  Magazini* 


103 


:iHes 


a  Los  Angeles-based  nonprofit  and 
Finsten  works  as  an  attorney.  Zelman 
and  Finsten  met  at  the  wedding  of 
Meredith  Harman  '97  and  Dave 
Stewart,  who  went  to  high  school  with 
Zeimans  husband  in  Palm  Springs, 
California.  Harman  and  Stewart's 
daughter,  Sophia,  served  as  Zelman's 
flower  girl.  Brandeis  alumni  in  atten- 
dance included  Zelman's  father,  Allan 
Zelman  '64,  his  friends,  and  other 
members  of  the  Class  of  1997, 
including  Hannah  Mendelson,  Pegah 
Schiffman,  Meredith  Stewart,  Rachel 
Rosen,  and  Christine  Manavain. 


1998 


Alexis  Hirst 

502  East  79th  Street,  #5D 
New  York,  NY  10021 
1998notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Jocelyn  Auerbach 

Mount  Laurel,  New  Jersey 
Auerbach  is  an  attorney  at  Steel,  Rudnick 
&  Ruben  in  Philadelphia,  a  law  firm 
specializing  in  immigration  and 
naturalization  issues.  She  writes  a 
biweekly  column  in  El  Sol,  a  Spanish- 
language  newspaper  educating  the  Latino 
community  on  immigration  concerns. 


Devorah  Kessner  Bader 

Irvine,  California 

Bader  and  her  husband,  Joe,  are  the  proud 
parents  of  three  children,  Carmel,  five, 
Elinoa,  thtee,  and  their  youngest,  Yishai 
Yoel,  who  was  born  in  August  2006. 

Ashley  Blick 

San  Francisco 

Blick  married  Ben  Sternberg  of  New 
York  City  on  September  10,  2006,  in 
Mendocino,  California.  Brandeisians  in 
attendance  were  Michelle  (Gross) 
Moshe  '97,  Shannon  (Frank) 
Edelstone  '97,  and  Mira  Zaslove  '99. 
After  teaching  English  to  Tibetan  monks 
in  India  following  graduation  from 
Brandeis,  Blick  graduated  from 
Columbia  Law  School  in  2002.  She  is 
currently  practicing  litigation  at 
Morrison  &  Foerster  in  San  Francisco, 
where  she  and  Sternberg  have  lived  on 
Russian  Hill  for  the  last  three  years. 

Jill  (Farbman)  Bronner 

Nashville,  Tennessee 
Bronner  writes,  "On  November  19, 
2006,  I  was  one  of  ninety-six  runners  to 
complete  the  inaugural  Harpeth  Hills 
Flying  Monkey  Marathon  in  Percy 
Warner  Park  in  Nashville.  My  husband 
and  two-year-old  son,  Joshy,  came  out  to 
cheer  me  on." 


dei 


isefames 


Solution  to  Double  Crostic  on  page  111. 


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HDina  Ni  d 

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iNVH3N3ai N 

asonds  w 


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31919113  >l 

3iiioaHi r 

3SIA313i  I 
3iaVIANI  H 

HSVaVM  0 

3A13a  i 

a33MOVa  3 

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sa3ddvaM  0 

a3aana  a 

Sn9VHdOS3  V 


■fO\S  aABMOJDIUJ 

aij}  jno  SuiddBUj  mou  aje 

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sdeLjjad  'sadoosaiaj  u;  aiqjSjA 

puB  asjaAjun  s.ABpoj  u;  )uasajd 

aq  pinoM  }|  }Bq}  aSjB|  os  §uu}s 

B  paonpojd  aABq  p|no3  3uBq  Sjq 

am  }Bq}  aiqBAiaouoD  s.JI  Ad03Hl 

9NldlS  :N311IAA  QdVAAQS 


Nicolas  Currier 

Boston 

Currier  writes,  "I  married  Ellen 
Hendriksen  in  Berkeley,  California,  on 
August  25,  2006.  In  attendance  were 
Elijah  Feinstein  '97,  Juan  Sanabria, 
Aaron  Cohn,  and  Noam  Gundle.  As 
Ellen  is  a  graduate  student  at  UCLA, 
and  I'm  wotking  on  my  MD/PhD  at 
Boston  University,  we  are  living  a 
bicoastal  existence  in  Boston  and  Los 
Angeles,  but  will  soon  be  settling  in 
Boston.  Best  wishes  to  everyone. " 

Adam  Greenwaidd 

Fort  Defiance,  Arizona 
Greenwald  is  a  graduate  student  at  the 
Carey  School  of  Business  at  Arizona 
State  University. 

Andrew  Levine 

New  York  City 

Levine  is  counsel  to  Credit  Suisse,  an 

international  banking  firm  in  New 

York  City. 

Carlos  Mendez 
Brooklyn,  New  York 
Mendez  is  a  volunteer  with  Fundacion 
Renacer,  a  nonprofit  humanitarian 
organization  with  offices  in  the 
Dominican  Republic  and  New  York  City. 
It  serves  the  poor  and  disabled  in  the 
United  States  and  Latin  America. 

Amanda  (Metter)  and  Eric  Pressman 
BrookJine,  Massachusetts 
The  Pressmans  were  married  in  2004. 
Amanda  recently  finished  her  residency  in 
internal  medicine  at  Beth  Israel  Deaconess 
in  Boston  and  will  be  starting  a  fellowship 
in  gastroenterology  at  Brown  in  2008. 
Eric  has  completed  a  master's  degree  at 
Bendey  College  and  is  working  at  Math- 
works.  The  couple  live  in  Brookline  with 
their  son,  Gabe  Daniel,  who  was  born 
October  23,  2006. 

Sergio  Reyes 

Bakersfield,  California 

Reyes  is  the  chief  of  staff  at  the  Kern 

County  Board  of  Supervisors  in 

Bakersfield,  a  county  with  a  majority 

Latino  population. 


Braiideis  Univcrsily  .Vla^azinc  |  Sprii 


■07 


)tes 


Philip  Robinson 
New  York  City 
Robinsons  first  CD,  Classical 
Compositions,  Op.  1:  Pieces  for  String 
Quartet  and  Piano,  was  recently  released 
by  New  York— based  record  label  Roomful 
of  Sky  Records.  The  CD  is  a  break  from 
Robinson's  usual  singer-songwriter 
material  and  instead  features  recordings  of 
some  of  his  classical  music.  One  piece  is 
performed  by  Brandeis's  Lydian  String 
Quartet  with  special  guest  Paul  Hedematk 
on  piano.  The  CD  is  available  for  pur- 
chase on  cdbaby.com.  Robinson  has  lived 
in  New  York  City  for  the  past  three  years. 
For  information  about  Robinson  and  his 
music,  visit  www.philrobinson.net.  He 
says  he  looks  forward  to  hearing  from 
fellow  Brandeisians  and  hopes  evetyone  is 
doing  well. 

Marina  Sokolinsky 
Brooklyn,  New  York 
Sokolinsky  married  Mohamed  Trad  on 
July  22,  2006,  in  New  York.  In  atten- 
dance were  Brandeisians  llena  Gizberg, 
Audrey  (Rosenberg)  Dulmage,  and 
Robin  Kassner. 


1999 


David  Nurenberg 

20  Moore  Street,  #3 
Somerville,  MA  02144 
1999notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

JonaRose  Jaffe 

San  Diego 

See  James  Feinberg  '97. 

Allison  (Kalish)  Leichtman 
Sharon,  Massachusetts 
Kalish  married  Jason  Leichtman 
on  July  9,  2006,  in  Brookline, 
Massachusetts.  Brandeis  alumni  in 
attendance  included  Elana  (Gross) 
Lebolt,  David  Lebolt.  Lee  McLean, 
Jillian  (Wetmore)  Sallee  '00, 
Thomas  Sallee  '00,  Brooke  Levinson, 
Staci  Newman,  and  Catherine 
Taylor  '02. 


Joshua  Robbins 

New  York  City 

See  Rachel  Schneider  '04. 

Michael  Siegel 

Ithaca,  New  York 

Siegel  was  married  on  August  12,  2006, 
and  attends  Cornell  Law  School.  He 
and  his  wife,  Hindatu  Mohammed, 
served  as  teachers  in  Oakland, 
California,  before  moving  to  Ithaca  to 
attend  graduate  school. 

Bailey  (Giesler)  Wyant 

Westerville,  Ohio 

Giesler  married  Jason  A.  Wyant  on 

June  24,  2006,  at  First  Community 

Church  in  Columbus,  Ohio.  Jennifer  A. 

O'Brien  was  her  maid  of  honor.  Jason 

is  an  English  teacher,  and  Bailey  is 

a  paralegal. 


2000 


Matthew  Salloway 

304  West  92nd  Street,  #5E 
New  York,  NY  10025 
2000notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Ariel  Chesler 
New  York  City 

Chesler  writes,  "I  am  excited  to  report 
that  I  recently  began  as  an  appellate 
court  attorney  at  the  New  York  State 
Appellate  Division,  First  Department,  in 
Manhattan.  I  spend  my  time  reviewing 
appeals  that  encompass  virtually  every 
substantive  area  of  law  and  then  submit 
a  report  and  recommendation  to  the 
justices.  When  I  have  time,  I  watch  the 
oral  arguments  in  the  courtroom.  The 
court  itself  is  beautiful  and  was 
completed  in  1900.  I  welcome  any  and 
all  to  see  the  court.  It  is  a  wonderful  part 
of  New  York  history  and  a  great  way  to 
see  how  law  is  crafted  and  upheld." 

Hillary  Selle  Gramlich 

New  Haven,  Connecticut 
Gramlich  writes,  "After  Brandeis,  1 
served  as  a  Peace  Corps  volunteer, 
working  as  a  biology  teacher  in  Tanzania 
for  two  years.  I  loved  it  and  encourage 


anyone  interested  in  the  Peace  Corps  to 
do  it!  I  am  now  a  fourth-year  cell 
biology  PhD  student  at  Yale,  working  in 
an  immunology  lab.  During  my  first 
year  here,  I  met  my  future  husband, 
Jake  Gramlich,  at  our  church  in  New 
Haven.  He  is  also  a  fourth-year  PhD 
student,  studying  economics.  We  were 
married  in  August  2005.  Our  pastor 
came  from  New  Haven  to  my  home- 
town in  Vermont  to  perform  the 
ceremony.  Brandeis  friends  who  were 
able  to  attend  the  wedding  included 
Anne  Lebowitz  (bridesmaid)  and  Yael 
Schmidt  Rosen  and  my  professors/ 
mentors  Chan  Fulton  and  Elaine  Lai. 
We  missed  Nika  Voskoboynik,  who  had 
just  started  her  pediatrics  residency  in 
Oakland,  California,  and  Revital 
Gorodeski  '99,  who  was  home  with  her 
newborn.  My  e-mail  address  is 
hillary.gramlich@yale.edu.  I  would  love 
to  hear  from  people,  and  I  am  happy  to 
serve  as  a  contact  for  talking  about  the 
Peace  Corps  or  graduate  school." 

Brian  Messinger 
East  Meadow,  New  York 
Messinger  became  engaged  to  Julie 
Walsh  while  vacationing  in  Colorado  in 
April  2006.  He  is  in  his  fifth  year  of 
teaching  social  studies  at  H.  Frank  Carey 
High  School  in  Franklin  Square,  New 
York,  where  he  was  named  2005 
Academic  Teacher  of  the  Year. 

Larkin  Tackett 
Austin,  Texas 

Tackett  manages  Texas  state  senator  Judith 
Zaffirini's  legislative  and  public 
information  programs.  His  work  includes 
developing  legislation  related  to  the 
senator's  priorities,  responding  to  inquiries 
from  constituents  and  addressing  their 
needs,  providing  analyses  for  the  senator's 
work  on  a  variety  of  policy  committees, 
distributing  public  announcements  to 
print  and  electronic  media,  and  serving  as 
a  liaison  between  the  senator  and  stake- 
holders. He  joined  Zaffirini's  staff  after 
working  as  a  legislative  aide,  committee 
consultant,  and  campaign  coordinator  in 
California.  In  addition  to  doing  policy 
and  political  work,  Tackett  worked  as  an 
eighth-grade  social  studies  teacher  in  the 


motes 


Mississippi  Delta  with  the  Teach  For 
America  program. 

Michelle  Siegell  Valente 

Mineola,  New  York 

Siegell  married  Paul  Valente  on  July  1 6, 

2005,  and  had  a  boy,  Andrew  Paul,  on 

July  25,  2006. 


2001 


WenLin  Soh 

5000  C  Marine  Parade  Road,  #12-11 

Singapore  449286 

or 

Class  of  2001 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

2001notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Best  wishes  for  2007,  all.  In  the  latter 
part  of  2006,  1  spent  three  months  in 
the  London  office  of  my  firm,  Marakon 
Associates,  working  on  a  strategy 
management  project  for  a  bank.  I  had  a 
lovely  time  there  and  met  up  with  Lisa 
Cagnacci.  My  stay  also  included  short 
trips  to  the  English  countryside, 
Zurich,  and  Munich.  I  have  since 
returned  to  enjoy  the  winter  months 
back  in  sunny  Singapore. 


SVAOO-^ 

"^     FROM  THE 


ROOFTOPS 


in  an  award?  Get  a  promotion? 
Move  cities?  Have  a  baby?  Share 
your  good  news  with  classmates 
and  fellow  alumni. 

Mail  your  news  to: 

Class  Notes 

MS  124,  Brandeis  University 

4 1 5  South  Street 

Waltham,  MA  02454 

You  may  also  e-mail  your  news  to 
your  class  correspondent  or  to 
classnotes@alumni.brandeis.edu, 
or  complete  the  online  form  at 
http://alumni.brandeis.edu/web/ 
classes/classnotes.html. 


Joshua  Bob 

Waltham,  Massachusetts 
Bob  is  the  northeast  regional  manager  of 
the  World  Adult  Kickball  Association. 
He  manages  a  team  that  runs  adult  kick- 
ball  leagues  around  the  Northeast,  among 
other  duties.  He  also  started  work  in 
September  on  an  MBA  at  Babson 
College  that  he  hopes  to  complete  by 
July  2008. 

Sarah  Chandler 
New  York  City 

Chandler  earned  a  master's  degree  in 
Hebrew  Bible  from  the  Jewish 
Theological  Seminary  in  May  2006  and 
is  the  education  directot  at  West  End 
Synagogue  in  Manhattan.  She   serves  on 
the  editorial  board  o{  Zeek  magazine, 
Jewschool.com,  and  RadicalTorah.org. 

Diana  Coben  Einstein 
New  York  City 

Einstein  started  a  new  position  as  the 
assistant  director  of  special  events  in  the 
development  office  of  New  York 
University  Medical  Center.  She  married 
Heath  Einstein  on  July  10,  2005,  in  Fort 
Worth,  Texas. 

Andrea  Finkelman 
Cambridge,  Massachusetts 
Finkelman  married  Adam  Mendelsohn, 
PhD'09,  on  December  23,  2006. 
Brandeisians  in  attendance  were  Ari 
Gnepp  '02,  Stella  Finn  Gnepp  '03,  Hal 
Schneider  '02,  Molly  Jackson-Watts 
'02,  Melissa  Hallar  '02(who  was  maid 
of  honor  and  baked  the  cake!),  Olive 
Barber,  Seth  D.  Michaels,  Rachael 
Goren,  Michael  Rose,  and  Erica  Fre- 
und. 

Rachael  Goren 

Amherst,  Massachusetts 
Goren  married  Molly  Jackson-Watts  '02 
on  June  4,  2006,  at  the  Jewish 
Community  Center  of  Amherst.  They 
met  while  at  Btandeis  and  have  been 
together  since.  Their  wedding  was 
officiated  by  Autumn  Wiley,  and  their 
wedding  party  included  Brandeisians 
Olive  Barber,  Melissa  Hallar  '02,  Ari 
Gnepp  '02,  Stella  Finn  Gnepp  '03,  Hal 
Schneider  '02,  Liliana  Kualapai  '03, 


Andrea  Finkelman,  Seth  D.  Michaels, 
and  Evie  Ullman  '03.  Michael  Rose, 
Elisa  Gassel,  and  Jennifer  Kittay 
Steinberg  attended  as  well. 

Sharon  Gross 
New  York  City 

Gross  writes,  "I  was  married  on 
December  3,  2006,  to  Jason  Altman. 
No  major  new  ventures.  I  am  working 
and  going  for  my  MBA  part  dme.  We  did 
go  to  Ecuador  tor  our  honeymoon  and 
visited  the  Amazon  jungle  and  Galapagos 
Islands.  That  was  an  adventure! ' 

Laurel  Johnson 
Gates  Mills,  Ohio 
Johnson  writes,  "I  moved  home  to 
Cleveland  to  continue  my  acting  career. 
I  acted  in  the  Ohio  premiere  oi  Frozen 
with  the  Bang  and  the  Clatter  Theatre 
Company  and  will  be  in  the  Ohio 
premiere  of  Red  Light  Winter  in  early 
spring.  I  also  starred  in  tour  Ohio  Lottery 
commercials  and  was  featured  in 
commercials  for  McDonald's,  American 
Greetings,  and  the  National  Champi- 
onship Game.  All  in  all,  it's  been  a  truly 
successful  year. " 

Francesca  DiFulvio  Jones 
Richmond,  Virginia 
DiFulvio  married  Devon  Jones  in 
Connecticut  on  October  21,  2006. 
Brandeisians  in  attendance  were 
Michelle  Dorson,  Lee  Cohen,  Jackie 
Gillette,  Talia  Witkowski.  Amy 
Rosencrantz,  Sarah  Jagolinzer,  Mark 
Kestnbaum  '02,  and  Adrian  Sancho. 
The  couple  honeymooned  in  Italy 
over  Christmas. 

Nadine  Kantrow 

New  York  City 

Kantrow  married  Paul  Timpa  on 

December  2,  2006,  in  St.  Thomas, 

U.S.  Virgin  Islands. 

Jason  Kohn 

New  York  City 

Kohn  writes,  "My  film  Mania  Bak 
(Send  a  Bullet)  has  been  accepted  into  the 
American  documentary  competition  at 
the  Sundance  Film  Festival. " 


106 


Bi^ 


dris  r 


I  Sprinc;  07 


Kttes 


Gabriel  Leibowitz 

Brooklyn,  New  York 

Leibowitz  writes,  "I've  recently  married 

Francesca  Leibowitz,  and  I  own  a 

real-estate  company  in  Manhattan,  if 

anyone's  looking  to  rent,  buy,  or  sell 

(www.abovegroundrealfy.com)." 

Andres  Lessing 

Boston 

Lessing  has  left  Deloitte  and  Touche  and 

is  pursuing  an  MBA  at  Boston  College. 

Kristen  Connolly  McCullough 
North  Bethesda,  Maryland 
McCullough  writes,  "I  met  my  husband, 
Patrick  McCullough,  in  law  school  at 
Washington  University  in  St.  Louis. 
We  were  married  on  August  25,  2006. 
Brandeis  alumni  in  attendance  were 
Kate  Higgins-Shea  '00,  Chris  Shea 
'96,  Aarati  Sridharan,  Lyonel  Jean- 
Pierre,  Brian  Safier,  Nicole  Waldheim 
'00,  Tali  Levin,  Laura  Weiss  '00, 
Sharon  Meiri  Fox  '00,  and  Ari  Fox  '99. 
I  graduated  law  school  in  2005  and  work 
at  a  firm  that  specializes  in  energy  law. " 

Raphael  McGregor 
Brooklyn,  New  York 
McGregor  writes,  "I've  been  performing 
for  the  past  few  years  with  a  great  band 
called  Nation  Beat.  We  play  the  club 
circuit  all  over  the  country,  performed 
and  recorded  in  Brazil,  and  recently 
completed  an  artist's  residency  at  the 
University  of  Florida  at  Gainesville.  Our 
first  CD,  Maracatuniversal,  recorded  last 
year  in  Brazil  with  traditional  musicians, 
is  available  online  at  nationbeat.com  or 
cdbaby.com/cd/nationbeat.  Send  me  an 
e-mail  through  our  Web  site." 

Casey  Ngo-Miller  and  Daniel  Miller 
New  York  City 

Ngo  and  Miller  wed  July  1 5,  2006,  in 
Syracuse,  New  York,  after  seven  years 
together.  The  couple  were  joined  in  the 
celebration  by  classmates  Stephanie 
Bower  (maid  of  honor),  Mark  Stagno 
(groomsman),  and  Jeffrey  Abergel 
(groomsman).  They  live  in  Manhattan, 
where  Dan  is  a  social  policy  doctoral 
candidate  at  Columbia  University  and 
Casey  is  a  school  psychologist. 


Anna  Natapova 

Flushing,  New  York 
Natapova  writes,  "I  recently  left  Mercer 
HR  Consulting  and  joined  Korn/Ferry 
International  as  a  senior  associate  in  the 
executive  compensation  consulting 
practice.  My  husband,  Jason  White,  is 
head  of  the  math  department  at 
Williamsburg  Charter  School.  This 
summer  (his  summer  vacation  and  my 
time  in  between  jobs),  we  traveled  on  a 
safari  to  southern  Africa  for  a  month. 
Amazing  vacation!  Also,  we  had  a  mini- 
Brandeis  reunion  for  New  Year's — a  party 
at  our  house  attended  by  Nayan  Panchal, 
Mike  Zussman  '02,  and  Amy  Posner" 

Meaghan  O'Connor 
Jamaica  Plain,  Massachusetts 
O'Connor  received  a  fellowship  to 
pursue  a  degree  in  library  science  at 
Simmons  College.  Her  interests  are  in 
youth  services  and  international 
librarianship. 

Betsy  Plumb 
Tonawanda,  New  York 
Plumb  writes,  "I  recently  made  my 
second  appearance  on  the  History 
Channel  program  ShootOut!  I  provide 
commentary  for  an  episode  that  follows 
the  Army's  1st  Infantry  Division  through 
its  combat  action  in  World  War  II. 
Entitled  'The  Big  Red  One,'  the  episode 
airs  every  now  and  again  on  HC.  It  was 
my  swan  song  with  the  National  WWII 
Museum  in  New  Orleans,  and  I'm  pretty 
proud  of  it.  I  left  for  no  other  reason 
than  it  was  about  time  to  get  back  to 
grad  school.  I'm  excited  to  be  working 
toward  my  PhD  in  history  at  the 
University  at  Buffalo." 

Steve  Rapoport 

Studio  City,  California 

Rapoport  was  married  last  year  and 

recently  welcomed  his  first  son. 

Michael  Rose 
New  York  City- 
Rose  received  a  master's  degree  in 
journalism  from  New  York  University's 
cultur.il  reporting  and  criticism  program 
and  works  on  the  editorial  staff  of 
Concierge.com,  the  companion  Web  site 


to  Conde  Nast  Traveler  magazine.  He  has 
also  written  freelance  pieces  for  the  San 
Francisco  Chronicle,  Travel  and  Leisure, 
Publishers  Weekly,  and  other  publications. 

Lindsey  Schust 

Andover,  New  Hampshire 
Schust  writes,  "My  song  'Cafe  con  leche' 
('Coffee  with  Milk')  was  featured  in  the 
December  2006  edition  of  Global  Rhythm 
magazine  on  its  world  music  compilation 
CD.  I  entered  the  Somch\As,l Global 
Rhythm  magazine  song  contest  last 
summer,  and  my  song  won!" 

Cliff  Smith 

Elizabethtown,  Pennsylvania 
Smith  was  named  head  baseball  coach 
and  equipment  manager  at 
Elizabethtown  College.  He  played 
minor  league  baseball  from  2001  until 
2005  and  was  most  recently  an  assistant 
coach  at  Bowdoin  College  in 
Brunswick,  Maine. 


Hannah  R.  Johnson 

1688  Devonshire  South  Drive,  Apt.  F 
Greenwood,  IN  46143 
2002notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Debra  (Winetz)  and  Marc  Bennet 
New  Brunswick,  New  Jersey 
Winetz  and  Bennet  were  married  on 
June  1 1,  2006.  Brandeis  alumni  in 
attendance  included  Aliza  Saivetz  '01, 
Bonnie  (Matross)  Antoniou,  Daniel 
Glasser,  Arianna  Gordon,  Lesley 
Greenberg,  Ruth  Israely,  Sara  Katel, 
Edith  Meyerson,  Margo  Vallee,  Jamie 
Weissbrot,  Benjamin  Zober,  Helene 
(Oppenheimer)  Shapiro  '04,  and  Ross 
Shapiro  '04. 

Daniel  Handel 

Bridgewater,  New  Jersey 
Handel  received  a  master's  degree  in 
international  economics  at  the  University 
of  Sussex,  England.  His  thesis  was  titled 
"Trade  Liberalization,  the  Infant 
Industry  Argument,  and  Economic 
Performance  in  Latin  America." 


SpriTif;  "in  I  Hi- 


<iri>   I    tli\  <-i  sjl\    VliiL'Jli 


107 


classnoKvs 


ATTENTION 
ALUMNI  AUTHbRS 


Send  two  copies 

of  your  baok(s)  to: 

Alumni  Authors  Program 

MS  1 24  Brandeis  University 

415  South  Street 
Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

Books  will  be  included  in  the 

Alumni  Author  Archives  in  the 

Robert  D.  Farher  University  Archives 

in  the  Goldfarb  Library  on  campus, 

as  vrell  as  at  Brandeis  House  in 

New  York  City. 

Recent  pubUcations  (less  than  a 

year  old)  will  also  be  considered 

for  inclusion  in  an  upcoming  issue 

of  Brandeis  University  Magazine. 

For  more  information: 
authars@alumni.brandeis.edu. 


Jennifer  Mies 

Engelwood,  Colorado 
Illes  has  resettled  in  her  hometown  of 
Denver  after  living  in  Israel  for  a  year 
and  backpacking  through  South  America 
tor  several  months.  She  works  as  an 
account  strategist  at  Google  Inc. 

Molly  Jackson-Watts 
Amherst,  Massachusetts 
See  Rachael  Goren  '01. 

Sarah  Katel 

Los  Angeles 

Katel  graduated  from  medical  school  and 
has  started  her  residency  in  obstetrics- 
gynecology  at  Kaiser  Permanente. 

Jennifer  Klein 

Brookline,  Massachusetts 

Klein  is  the  associate  editor  of  associate 

publications  at  the  Warren  Group, 

a  real-estate  and  financial  information 

company. 

Miriam  Stern  Kramer 
Boston 

Stern  married  Dan  Kramer  on  May  21, 
2006,  in  Woodbury,  New  York.  Brandeis 
friends  who  attended  included  Ray 
Sass,  Paul  Tartak,  Zach  Sherwin, 
Aaron  Kagan,  Lana  Feiman,  Kim  Lam, 
and  Sandi  Intraub.  Kramer's  sister, 
Katarina  Stern  Raphael  '98.  was  maid 
of  honor.  Kramer  writes,  "Dan  and  I 
honeymooned  in  Italy  and  Prague. 
Shortly  after  we  came  back  from  our 
honeymoon,  we  attended  the  wedding  of 
Ari  Gnepp  and  Stella  Finn  '03.  We 
now  both  live  and  work  in  Boston. " 

Mikael  Lurie 

Washington,  D.C. 

Lurie  writes,  "I  went  to  the  Fletcher 

School  at  Tuhs  University  and  learned 

how  to  rock  out  in  the  international 

community.  I  married  a  cool  chick  and 

still  hang  out  with  Dave  Mandel." 

Christina  Robinson 

Sudbury,  Massachusetts 

Robinson  became  engaged  to  David 

Gagner  of  Los  Angeles.  They're  hoping 

for  a  fall  wedding. 


Dannah  Rubinstein 

Philadelphia 

Rubinstein  and  Ross  Breitbart  '03  were 
married  on  September  3,  2006,  at  the 
Water's  Edge  in  Queens,  New  York. 
Rubinstein  is  a  cantorial  student  at  Grarz 
College,  and  Breitbart  is  a  medical 
student  at  Philadelphia  College  of 
Osteopathic  Medicine. 

Rachel  Wolkinson  Rubinstein 
Washington,  D.C. 

Wolkinson  married  Jason  Rubinstein  in 
August  2006.  Three  months  later,  both 
graduated  from  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania  Law  School.  Rachel  is  now 
an  associate  at  LeBoeuf  Lamb,  Greene 
and  MacRae. 

Hal  Schneider 
Lowell,  Massachusetts 
See  Liliana  Kualapai  '03. 

Bari  Sittenreich 

Merrick,  New  York 
Sittenreich  graduated  from  St.  John's 
University  School  of  Law  in  spring 
2006.  She  works  as  an  associate  at 
Lawrence  and  Walsh  in  Hempstead, 
New  York,  focusing  on  commercial 
real-estate  law. 

Karen  Thomashow 

Cincinnati 

Thomashow  married  Dr.  Yonatan  Eyal 
on  September  3,  2006,  at  Temple 
Emanuel  in  Worcester,  Massachusetts. 
She  will  be  ordained  as  a  rabbi  in  May. 
He  is  a  visiting  professor  at  the 
University  of  Cincinnati. 


2003 


Caroline  Litwack 

325  Summit  Avenue,  #6 
Brighton,  MA  02135 
2003notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


Ross  Breitbart 

Philadelphia 

See  Dannah  Rubinstein 


02. 


108 


Brandeis  University  Magazine  |  Spring  07 


classnotes 


Jeremy  Goren 
Brooklyn,  New  York 
Goren  is  a  film-section  editor  and  a 
contributing  writer  for  NY  Mosaico 
(www.nymosaico.com),  a  New  York- 
based  bilingual  webzine  focusing  on 
Latin  America  and  Latino-related  issues. 

Aaron  Gorodetzer 

Malvern,  Pennsylvania 
Gorodetzer  married  Ashley  Sbarbaro  on 
August  4,  2006.  Sam  Blaustein,  Bill 
Burns  and  Arjun  Kakar  '02  were  in  the 
wedding  party. 

Llliana  Kualapai 

Lowell,  Massachusetts 
Kualapai  writes,  "In  August,  I  opened  a 
dance  supply  store.  Downtown 
Dancewear,  in  Lowell.  We  sell  apparel, 
shoes,  and  accessories  tor  all  forms  of 
dance.  We've  only  been  open  for  a 
couple  of  months,  but  we've  had  a  very 
successful  beginning.  My  husband,  Hal 
Schneider  '02,  and  I  bought  a  house  in 
Lowell  this  summer.  Our  Web  site  is 
www.downtowndancewear.com.  We  have 
a  special  discount  for  Brandeis  alumni 
(10  percent  off  all  online  orders).  The 
coupon  code  is  GODEIS." 

Kazia  Levin 

Fairfax,  Virginia 

Levin  married  Ben  Felnberg  '04  on 

December  30,  2006,  in  Hawaii.  Josh 

Goldstein  and  Lonn  Drucker  were  in 

the  wedding  party. 

Yaser  Robles 
Bronx,  New  York 

Robles  received  a  master's  in  Caribbean 
cultural  studies  in  May  under  a  joint 
program  between  the  University  at 
Buffalo  and  Universidad  de  La  Habana. 
He  currently  attends  the  University  at 
Albany,  working  toward  a  doctorate 
in  Spanish  with  a  specialty  in  Latin 
American,  Caribbean,  and  U.S.  Latino 
cultural  studies. 


2004 


Audra  Lissell 

11  Cross  Street 

Plympton,  MA  02367 

2004notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Benjamin  Feinberg 
Fairfax,  Virginia 
See  Kazia  Levin  '03. 

Jesse  Gordon 

Vallejo,  California 
Gordon  completed  her  first  year  ot 
medical  school  at  the  Touro  University 
College  of  Osteopathic  Medicine  after 
working  for  a  year  at  the  University  of 
California  at  San  Francisco.  She  toured 
Latin  America  this  past  summer  with 
Eyal  Wallenberg. 

Adam  Herman 

Ann  Arbor,  Michigan 
Herman  graduated  from  Eastern 
Michigan  University  with  a  master's  in 
higher  education  and  student  affairs.  He 
is  working  as  an  admissions  counselor  at 
Wayne  State  University  in  Detroit. 

Rachel  Schneider 
New  York  City 

Schneider  and  Josh  Robbins  '99  were 
engaged  on  September  2,  2006.  The 
couple  live  in  Manhattan,  where  he 
works  for  the  Jewish  Diabetes  Research 
Foundation  and  she  is  an  editor.  They 
will  be  married  on  October  7. 

Eyal  Wallenberg 

Brooklyn,  New  York 

Wallenberg  teaches  mathematics.  He 

traveled  to  Latin  America  this  summer 

with  Jesse  Gordon. 


2005 


Judith  Lupatkin 

15  York  Terrace 

Brookline,  MA  02446 

2005notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


2006 


Class  of  2006 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

2006notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Kate  Brophy  and  Robert  Friedman 

St.  Louis 

Brophy  and  Friedman  were  married  on 
New  Year's  Day  2006  in  Portland, 
Oregon.  They  traveled  the  country  and 
lived  in  Jerusalem  for  five  months  before 
moving  to  St.  Louis  to  pursue  law  school 
and  teaching,  respectively. 

Logan  Hepner 

New  Fairfield,  Connecticut 
Hepner  is  in  the  paratrooper  unit  of 
the  Israeli  Defense  Forces.  The  kibbutz 
on  which  he  is  based  is  on  the 
Lebanese  border. 


GRAD 


Susan  Band  Horowitz,  PhD'63 
Larchmont,  New  York 
Horowitz,  distinguished  professor  and 
cochair  of  the  Department  of  Molecular 
Pharmacology  and  the  Falkenstein 
Professor  of  Cancer  Research  at  the 
Albert  Einstein  College  of  Medicine  at 
Yeshiva  University,  has  been  elected  to 
the  Institute  of  Medicine.  Members  are 
elected  through  a  highly  selective  process 
that  recognizes  people  who  have  made 
major  contributions  to  the  advancement 
of  the  medical  sciences,  health  care,  and 
public  health.  Horowitz,  who  was 
elected  to  membership  in  the  National 
Academy  of  Sciences  in  2005,  is 
renowned  for  her  pioneering  work  in 
elucidating  the  mechanisms  of  action  of 
antitumor  agents.  Her  research  in  the 
1980s  eventually  led  to  the  development 
of  Taxol,  one  ot  the  most  important 
anticancer  agents  ever  developed.  In 
recent  years,  she  has  focused  on  the 
mechanisms  of  drug  resistance,  an 
increasingly  serious  problem  in  cancer 
treatment. 


Spriiif;  '()■"  I  Br 


ilii-  I 


in\  rrsil\ 


Ma" 


109 


'lass 


SI  101  OS 


Gerry  Showstack,  MA'72,  MA'80, 

MA'81,  PhD'81 
Omer,  Israel 

Showstack  sends  his  greetings  from 
Israel,  where  he  has  four  grown  kids  and 
heads  an  office  he  founded  that  matches 
donors  from  abroad  with  philanthropic 
causes  in  Israel  in  the  fields  of  medicine, 
education,  sports,  children  with  special 
needs,  and  children  at  risk. 

Ruben  Rumbaut,  MA'73,  PhD'78 

Irvine,  California 

Rumbaut  is  a  professor  of  sociology  and 
codirector  of  the  Center  for  Research  on 
Immigration,  Population,  and  Public 
Policy  at  the  University  ot  Calitornia, 
Irvine.  He  coauthored  Immigrant 
America:  A  Portrait  (2006)  and  Multiple 
Origins,  Uncertain  Destinies:  Hispanics 
and  the  American  Future  (2006). 

Sherri  Silverman,  MA'74,  PhD'96 

Santa  Fe,  New  Mexico 
Silverman's  book.  The  Transcendental 
Home:  Vastu,  the  Yoga  of  Design,  will  be 
published  by  Gibbs  Smith  Publishers  in 
the  fall.  Her  artwork  is  featured  in  100 
Artists  of  the  Southwest  (Schiffer  Books). 

Nancy  Steffen-Fluhr,  PhD77 

Newfoundland,  New  lersey 
Steffen-Fluhr,  associate  professor  in  the 
department  of  humanities  at  the  New 
Jersey  Institute  of  Technology,  received 
the  Constance  Murray  Diversity  Award 
for  Outstanding  Teaching  at  the  school's 
annual  awards  convocation  on 
September  13,  2006. 

Luis  Rubio,  MA78,  PhD'83 

Houston 

Rubio  is  general  director  of  the  Centro 

de  Investigaci6n  para  el  Desarrollo. 

He  coauthored  El  Poder  de  la  Competi- 

tavidad,  which  was  published  in  2005. 

Joan  Wallace-Benjamin,  PhD'80 
Dedham,  Massachusetts 
Wallace-Benjamin  is  chief  of  staff  to 
Massachusetts  governor  Deval  Patrick. 
She  was  formerly  chief  executive  officer 
of  the  Home  for  Little  Wanderers  and 
former  head  of  the  Urban  League  of 
Massachusetts. 


Lynn  Stephen,  PhD'87 

Eugene,  Oregon 

Stephen,  distinguished  professor  of 
sociology  at  the  University  of  Oregon, 
organized  a  panel,  "Procesos 
Organizativos  Transnacionales  de 
Pueblos  y  Organizaciones  Indigenas 
Migrantes:  Retos  y  Avances,"  at  the 
Latin  American  Studies  Association. 

Eduardo  Saenz-Rovner,  PhD'89 
Bogota,  Colombia 

Saenz-Rovner  is  professor  of  history  and 
economics  at  the  Universidad  Nacional 
de  Colombia  in  Bogota.  In  2005,  he 
published  La  conexion  cubana: 
Narcotrdfico,  contrabando  y  juego  en 
Cuba  entre  los  anos  20  y  comienzos  de  la 
Revolucion. 

Alon  Kahana,  MA'91 
Madison,  Wisconsin 
Kahana  writes,  "My  wife,  Heidi  Cohen 
Kahana  '91,  and  I  had  our  third  child 
and  first  daughter,  Kyra  Faye,  on 
August  25,  2006.  Our  son,  Adam, 
turned  ten  in  December,  and  Ethan 
turned  six  in  February.  I  passed  my 
board  exams  and  am  now  a  board- 
certified  ophthalmologist.  I  will  be 
finishing  my  oculoplastic  and  recon- 
structive surgery  fellowship  in  June  and 
will  join  the  faculty  at  the  University  of 
Michigan  in  July  as  an  assistant 
professor,  where  I  will  see  patients  and 
do  research.  Heidi  recovered  well  from 
delivery  and  has  maintained  a  busy 
schedule,  including  finding  time  to 
volunteer  at  the  children's  school.  We 
are  looking  forward  to  our  move  to 
Ann  Arbor,  Michigan." 

Leann  Shamash,  MA'97 

Newton,  Massachusetts 

Shamash  will  receive  a  2007  Keter  Torah 

Award  from  the  Bureau  of  Jewish 

Education  in  May.  Keter  Torah  Awards 

celebrate  outstanding  achievements  in 

Jewish  education  in  Greater  Boston. 

Karen  Tolchin,  MA'98,  PhD'OO 
Lehigh  Acres,  Florida 
Tolchin  married  Thomas  DeMarchi  on 
December  16,  2006,  in  St.  Lucia.  The 
couple  met  at  Florida  Gulf  Coast 


LIniversiry's  orientation  for  new  faculty 
in  August  2004,  two  days  before 
Hurricane  Charley  struck  the  area. 
DeMarchi,  who  lived  two  hours  from 
campus,  was  forced  to  find  temporary 
quarters  because  of  the  impending 
hurricane.  Tolchin  offered  him  the  use  of 
her  couch  and  made  him  a  spare  key. 
They  became  good  friends,  and  a  few 
months  later,  talked  about  the  possibility 
of  dating  but  were  worried  that  the 
relationship  might  jeopardize  their  jobs. 
Tolchin  wrote  to  the  chairman  of  the 
department  to  ask  if  they  were  allowed 
to  date  each  other.  The  chairman  wrote 
back  and  gave  his  blessing. 

Jonathan  Vuotto,  MA'98 
Collegeville,  Pennsylvania 
Vuotto  joined  the  law  firm  Riker 
Danzig  Hyland  &  Perretti  as  an 
associate  in  the  firm's  litigation 
group.  He  concentrates  his  practice  in 
commercial  litigation. 

MedanI  Bhandarl,  MA'04 

Syracuse,  New  York 
Bhandari  writes,  "Our  class  was  great. 
My  friends  were  very  helpful,  and  we 
became  as  close  as  family  members.  We 
are  still  in  very  close  contact  with  each 
other.  We  are  doing  well  to  achieve  our 
goals.  We  are  all  over  the  world,  but  are 
always  connected  by  work,  emotions, 
and  love." 

Jessica  (Weir)  Douglas,  MS'04 

Natick,  Massachusetts 
Douglas  has  joined  Learning  and 
Development  Disabilities  Evaluation  and 
Rehabilitation  Services'  autism  clinic  as  a 
genetics  counselor.  She  is  also  working  as 
a  genetics  counselor  at  the  Massachusetts 
General  Hospital  Partners  Genetics 
Clinic  as  part  of  the  autism  consortium. 

Jessie  Hastings,  MS'04 
Cambridge,  Massachusetts 
Hastings  married  Sean  Conta  on 
September  10,  2006,  in  the  garden  of 
the  Linden  Place  historic  mansion  in 
Bristol,  Rhode  Island.  She  is  a  cancer 
genetics  counselor  at  Lahey  Clinic  in 
Massachusetts. 


Briiiiilris  I'liiversiiy  Magazine  |  Spring '07 


#4:  Lonashot 


ames 

double  crostic 

By  Sue  Gleason 


1      Q 

2       N 

A^^H4 

6       D 

7        L 

8        R  9        X  10     W 

11      U 

12      B 

13       J 

14      0 

1 

15      V 

16      N 

17      C 

18      0 

1 

19      T 

20     X 

21      V 

^^■22      H 

23       1 

24      K^^H25      B 

26      E 

27     N 

aHH29      S 

30     A 

31      Q 

32      L 

33      0 

34     G 

35      X 

36      H 

37     M 

38     U 

39      C 

40      V 

41      B 

42      P 

43     Q 

44      H  4^E^^B46     0 

1 

47      U 

48      J 

49      0 

50     W 

51      N 

52      R^^H53     G  54     O^^HSS     D 

56     N 

57      C 

58      E 

59     U 

■ 

60       1 

61      A 

62      S 

jHH6^H 

65     T 

66      E 

67     0 

68     D 

69      K 

70      B 

■ 

71      D 

I^^H73      C 

74      0 

75       J 

76      R 

77      B 

78      V  79     W 

^^■80      L 

81      V^^H82      P 

83     D 

84      F85     Q86     T 

87      A 

1 

88     B 

89     Q 

90     M 

91      R 

92     W 

93     N 

94     C 

95       1 

^H9b      D 

97      L 

98     P 

■ 

99      F 

100    D 

101     V 

102    R 

103    S 

104    K 

10b    L^HlllOb    H 

107    Q 

108    D 

109    R 

110    H 

HI     C 

112      1 

113     P 

114     J 

115    V  116     E  117     T 

1 

118    C 

119     K 

120    E 

121     T 

122    Q 

123    V 

124    X^^H12b    M 

126    K 

127    U 

128    S 

129    T 

130    X 

131    N 

132    0 

133    A 

134    G 

135     F 

136    L 

kHHi38    T 

139   0 

140    J 

141      1 

1 

142    T 

143    R 

144    S 

145     F 

145   M 

147      1 

148    P 

149    N 

150    K 

151     D^^Hl52    R 

153    P 

154    G 

155    J 

156    H 

1 

157   W 

158    A 

159    H 

160    V 

161    C 

162    U 

163    G 

164   M 

165    A 

166    K 

167    P 

168   Q^^Hlb9    S 

170    A 

1/1     R^^Hl/2 

173    U 

174     X 

175    0 

176    U 

177    M  178     J  179    S 

180    G 

181    Q 

182      1 

183    F^^H184   M 

185     L 

186    X 

Solve  the  answers  to  the  clues  below,  and  place  each  letter  in  its  corresponding  numbered  square  in  the  grid  above.  When  complete,  the  grid  will  reveal  a 
quotation  (words  can  turn  corners;  black  squares  indicate  word  breaks).  The  first  letter  of  each  answer  word  below,  when  read  alphabetically,  will  spell  out 
the  author  and  published  source  of  the  quotation.  The  solution  appears  at  the  bottom  of  Page  104. 


A.  Gullet 


B.  Knighted;  nicknamed 


C.  Forgiveness;  acquittal 


D.  Inside  layer 


E.  Hayfever  trigger 


F.  Look  into;  turn  over 


G.  First  electricity  lighted  city 


H.  Not  capable  of  survival 


I.  Broadcast 


J.  Choke 


K.  Single;  qualified 


L.  More  than  a  penny 


7 

45 

169 

34 

52 

120 

56 

151 

133 

114 

30 
1 

11 

143 

18 

149 

32 

59 

48 

76 

80 

7 

45 

169 

34 

52 

120 

56 

151 

133 

114 

7 

45 

169 

34 

52 

120 

56 

151 

133 

114 

7 

45 

169 

34 

52 

120 

56 

151 

133 

114 

7 

45 

169 

34 

52 

120 

56 

151 

133 

114 

;d  c 

ty 

7 
val 

45 

159 

34 

52 

120 

56 

151 

133 

114 

7 

45 

169 

34 

52 

120 

56 

151 

133 

114 

7 

45 

169 

34 

52 

120 

56 

151 

133 

114 

7 

45 

159 

34 

52 

120 

56 

151 

133 

114 

7       45     159     34     52     120     56     151    133    114 
M.  Joined  together,  hitched 


7      45     169     34     52    120     56     151    133    114 


N.  Clear-cut;  hard-hitting 


7       45     169     34     52     120     56     151    133    114 
0.  Netherlands  metropolis 


7      45     169    34     52    120     55     151    133    114 


P.  Out  of  favor  (2  wds.) 


Q.  Managuan.  maybe 


R.  Pregnant 


S.  Nicotine  container 


7       45     169    34     52    120     56     151    133    114 


7       45     159    34     52    120     56     151    133    114 


7      45     159    34     52    120     56     151    133    114 


7       45     159     34     52    120     56     151    133    114 
T.  Just  right;  perfect  (hyph.;  1920s  term) 


U.  Highlight;  stress 


7      45     159     34     52    120     56     151    133    114 


7       45     169     34     52    120     55     151    133    114 


7       45     159     34      52     120     56     151     133    114 


Sue  Gleason.  the  mother  of  two  Brandeis  graduates,  runs  the 
Web  site  www.doublecrostic.com.  She  publishes  acrostic  and 
sudoku  puzzles  to  play  online  daily. 


v.  Competitors;  rivals 

7       45     159     34     52     120     56     151    133    114 
W.  Decorative  denim  fastener 


X.  Talmudic  academy 


7      45     169    34     52    120     55     151    133    114 


7      45     169     34     52    120     56     151    133    114 


photofinish 


Not  Such  a  Blast  After  All  By  Mike  Lovett 

If  you  didn't  already  know,  campus  is  undergoing  a  building  boom — literally. 
Since  January,  workers  have  been  blasting  ledge  from  behind  the  administration  building  to  clear 
land  for  the  new  Carl  Shapiro  Science  Center.  Risking  life,  limb,  and,  perhaps,  an 
earache,  your  intrepid  photographer  made  his  way  down  to  the  blast  site  on  a  recent  afternoon, 
hoping  to  capture  on  film  that  ultimate  moment  of  rocks  hurtling  skyward,  flames  erupting  in 
their  wake.  Were  it  not  for  the  safety  officer  who  shooed  me  away  and  a  severe  case  of 
chickenitis,  I  would  have  gotten  it,  too.  Alas,  I  had  to  settle  for  this  more  mundane — though 
surely  more  artistic — scene  of  workers  preparing  to  detonate  the  explosives. 


112 


Brandcis  Tniversitv  Maga/irn-  |  I-all  '()() 


What  jniBijJway  to  say  happy  birthday, 
get  well,  congratulations,  thank  you... 


•«S  ojiiinef 


©2003 


Berry  Cliocolaie  5ouc)[uei^ 


To  order, please  call  or  visit 
the  location  nearest  you: 


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617-232-5100        617-441-3666 


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eunion 


June  8-10 


For  more  information,  visit  alumni.brandeis.edu 
or  call  781-736-4111. 


Volume  27     Number  2       ■     Summer  2007 


university    magazine 


SUCCESS 

Brandeis  scientists 

move  ideas  into 
the  marketplace 


Brimming  Bowls  of  Understanding       Going  Places       The  Art  of  Science 


Brandeis  University  International  Business  School 

MINDING  THE 

WORLD'S  BUSINESS 


The  Brandeis  International  Business  School  is  a  pioneering  professional  school  dedicated  to  teaching  and  research  in 
global  finance,  management,  and  economic  policy.  To  learn  how  your  company  can  hire  IBS  students  or  participate  in 
the  ninth  annual  IBS  Career  Fair,  please  call  Katherine  Prum  at  781-736-4854  or  send  an  e-mail  to  kprum@brandeis.edu. 

www.brandeis.edu/global 


contents 


Summer  2007       Volume  27,  Number  2 


departments 

3     Mail  Call 
7     Ruminations 

The  ballad  of  social  change. 

Take  5 

Monique  Gnanaratnam,  director  of  the 
Intercultural  Center. 

10     Innermost  Parts 
45     Fieldwork 

God  in  the  ICU. 

47     Arts 

The  art  of  science. 

49     Sports 

That's  the  spirit. 

51     Books 


82    Class  Notes 

Alumni  profiles,  birth.s/adoptions, 
marriages/unions,  in  memoriam. 

111  Games 

112  Photo  Finish 

Small  wonder. 


14 


20 


28 


34 


59 
71 


features 


To  Market,  to  Market 

At  Brandeis,  what  goes  on  in  the  laboratory  does  not 
necessarily  stay  in  the  laboratory. 
By  Laura  Gardner 

Brimming  Bowls  of  Understanding 

In  a  remarkable  collaboration.  Middle  Eastern  artists  share 
visions  of  common  pain  and  promise. 

Peeling  Off  the  Mask 

Depression  put  Terrie  Williams  on  the  fast  track  from 
Hollywood  publicist  to  motivational  speaker  and  author. 
Now  she  burns  to  carry  her  message  to  anyone  who  will  listen. 
By  Terrie  Williams  '75 

Do  What  You  Love 

Thomas  Friedman  '75,  H'88,  addresses  2007  graduates; 
President  Jehuda  Reinharz's  "call  to  arms";  honorary  degree 
citations;  student  profiles:  Jacob  Olidort,  Samantha  Levin,  and 
Pesha  Black. 


special  sections 

Development  Matters 
Alumni  News 


Cover  illustralio>i  by  Jiiines  Steinberg. 


.        /  ^  _  -^    Serving  Greoter  Boston  Since  1 963      /I 

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Nestle  Waters  North  America  Inc.  is  an 
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ADVERTISE  IN 
BRANDEIS  UNIVERSITY 
MAGAZINE,  AND  YOUR 
BUSINESS  WILL  GROW 


AND 

5TR0NGJ 

To  advertise,  call  Ken  Gornstein 

at  781-736-4220  or  e-mail 

magazine@brandeis  .edu 

Brandeis 


liraiiilci^  I  iiiversii\   .\la"a/ 


|S„ 


Brandeis 

university    magazine    j 


Senior  Vice  President 
for  Communications 

Lorna  Miles 

lorna@brandeiS-edu 

Publisher 

Ken  Gornstein 
keng@brandeis.edu 

Editor 

Theresa  Pease 
tpease@brandeis.edu 

Art  Director 

Eson  Chan 

Science  Editor 

Laura  Gardner 
gardner@brandeis.edu 

Staff  Writer 

Marione  Lyon 
lyon@brandeis.edu 

Production  Manager 

Audrey  Griffin 
griffin@brandeis.edu 

Photographer 

Mike  Lovett 
mlovett@brandeiS-edu 

Class  Notes  Editor 

Lauren  Stefano  '04 
lstefano@brandeis.edu 

Contributing  Writers 

Adam  Levin  '94,  Marsha  MacEachern. 
Dennis  Nealon.  MA'95.  Carrie  Simmons 

Send  letters  to  the  editor  to: 

Brandeis  University  Magazine 
MS  064.  Brandeis  University 
415  South  Street 
Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 
magazine@brandeis.edu 

Postmaster: 

Send  address  changes  to 
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PO  Box  549110 
Waltham.  MA  02454-9110 

Opinions  expressed  in  Brandeis 
University  Magazine  are  those  of 
the  authors  and  not  necessarily  of 

the  editor  or  Brandeis  University. 

Office  of  Communications©2007 
Brandeis  University 


inailcall 


Write  on  the  Mark 


I've  just  finished  reading  the  Spring  2007  issue 
of  Brandeis  University  Magazine.  I  especially 
appreciated  Noah  Lukeman's  article  on  dealing 
with  literary  agents.  Great  tips  for  potential 
writers,  presented  in  an  authoritative  yet  easy- 
to-read  way. 

Thank  you  for  continuing  to  send  me 
the  magazine. 

Birat  Simha  '76 

New  York  City 


Suinmi'i"  07  |  lir;iiiilfi>  I  Mi\ci>iiv  M;i_iiaziiu' 


Culture  of  Fear 

It  was  with  considetable  chagrin  that  I  read 
the  solipsistic  and  self-serving  account  of 
|immy  Carter's  visit  to  Brandeis.  No  men- 
tion was  made  of  the  considerable  unrest  it 
caused  within  the  larger  Brandeis  commu- 
nit)',  including  its  impact  on  generous  sup- 
porters of  the  university  and  concerned 
alumni  still  reeling  from  previous 
university  decisions  insensitive  to  Israel — 
e.g.,  the  awarding  of  an  honorary  degree  to 
Tony  Kushner.  The  "provocative"  student 
questions  were,  you  acknowledge,  "prese- 
lected by  the  host  committee,"  which  trans- 
lates into  a  carefully  choreographed 
censorship  and  also  manages  to  omit  the 
name  of  the  "host  committee"  or  the  source 
of  funds  for  the  speaker's  honorarium.  You 
quote  Carter's  defense  of  his  book's  title 
without  acknowledging  that  the  very  use  of 
the  word  "apartheid"  triggers  an  association 
with  racism  that  was  accusatory  rather  than 
"provocative."  There  is  also  no  mention  of 
Carter's  own  admission  of  inaccuracies 
within  the  text,  nor  is  their  any  reference  to 


the  denial  of  admission  to  Alan 
Dershowitz.  Those  of  us  who  remember  the 
glorious  days  of  Gen  Ed  S  cringe  at  the 
carefully  controlled  format  of  the  Carter 
event.  When  did  Brandeis  fall  victim  to  the 
culture  of  fear,  censoring  both  attendance 
and  questions? 

It  is  puzzling  that  Brandeis  offered  a 
forum  to  a  former  president  whose  trans- 
parent anti-Israel  prejudice  and  dubious 
scholarship  have  been  painfully  apparent.  It 
is  painful  that  the  administration  has  not 
addressed  the  larger  issues  involved.  Our 
university  is  named  for  a  committed  Zion- 
ist. Let  us  not  betray  our  own  history  by 
continuing  to  open  our  doors  to  the  Carters 
and  Kushners,  whose  words  are  hostile  to 
the  Jewish  state,  founded  in  the  very  year 
that  Brandeis  University  opened  its  doors. 
— Gloria  Goldreich  Horowitz  '55 
Tiickahoe.  New  York 

A  Professor  Worth  Remembering 

It  was  with  great  pleasure  that  I  read  about 
the  establishment  ot  the  William  Goldsmith 


Endowed  Scholarship  ["Development  Mat- 
ters," Spring].  I,  too,  was  one  of  the  many 
lucky  students  to  have  stumbled  onto  Profes- 
sor Goldsmith  at  Brandeis.  I  use  the  word 
stumbled  because  that  was  pretty  much  what 
I  was  doing  academically  at  Brandeis  until  I 
lucked  into  choosing  American  studies  as  a 
major  and  encountered  some  amazing  pro- 
fessors (Whitfield,  Cohen,  and  Fuchs  spring 
to  mind). 

With  even  greater  pleasure  I  see  that  Pro- 
fessor Goldsmith  is  living  in  Vineyard 
Haven.  As  was  the  case  with  Mr.  Twain.  I 
had  mistakenly  heard  rumors  of  his  demise, 
and  unfortunately  believed  them. 

Long  before  the  days  of  e-mail  and  tax 
machines,  I  once  hand  delivered  a  past-due 
final  exam  to  Professor  Goldsmith  in  Vine- 
yard Haven,  which  I  needed  in  order  to 
graduate.  I  remember  this  like  ir  was  yester- 
day. When  my  friend  and  I  arrived  at  his 
house  to  drop  off  the  exam,  he  invited  us 
in,  poured  us  a  drink,  and  enthusiastically 
began  telling  us  about  what  he  was 
currently  writing.  There  was  no  mention  of 


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Bran(h'i.s  I  iiivtM>>it\   Magaziiic  |  Siimnift    0? 


the  fact  that  I  was  two  weeks  late  with  the 
exam  or  the  inconvenience  to  him  to  have 
his  students  drop  in  and  interfere  with  his 
writing.  That  wasn't  his  style. 

Processor  Goldsmith  was  an  incredibly 
supportive,  inspiring  professor  to  students 
of  all  backgrounds.  Your  article  brought 
back  many  happy  memories.  Thank  you  to 
Gail  Sullivan,  Paul  Regan,  and  the  others 
who  are  involved  in  the  creation  of  this 
wonderful  scholarship.  I  know  that  I  plan 
to  support  it. 

— -Jonathan  M.  Chimene  '81 
New  York  City 

Brandeis  University  Magazine  welcomes 
your  letters  and  reserves  the  right  to  edit 
them  for  space  and  clarity. 

Mail  them  to: 

Brandeis  University  Magazine 
MS  064  Brandeis  University 
415  South  Street 
Waltham,  MA  02454 
classnotes@alumni.brandeis.edu. 


I 


Magazine  wins  four  awards 
for  design,  editorial  excellence 

Brandeis  University  Magazine  recent- 
ly received  four  national  awards  lor 
design  and  editorial  excellence. 

In  June,  the  magazine  won  a  plat- 
inum medal  for  general  excellence 
and  an  honorable  mention  for 
design  in  the  2007  Hermes  Creative 
Awards.  The  publication  was  also 
named  a  finalist  for  most-improved 
periodical  in  the  2007  Distin- 
guished Achievement  Awards,  spon- 
sored by  the  Association  of 
Educational  Publishers. 

In  May,  the  magazine  won  a 
bronze  medal  for  use  of  illustration 
in  the  2007  Circle  of  Excellence 
Awards,  sponsored  by  the  Council 
for  Advancement  and  Support  of 
Education.  The  award  was  tor  free- 
lancer Cynthia  von  Buhler's  illustra- 
tion that  accompanied  Bernadette 
Brootens  "Ruminations"  essay  in 
the  Summer  2006  issue. 


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•  A  beautiful  36-room  Tudor-style  mansion. 

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ruminations 


The  Ballad  of  Social  Change 

A  half  century  later,  The  Threepenny  Opera  still  resonates. 


By  Scott  Edmiston 


On  a  bucolic  Massachusetts  campus  in  a  newly  built 
amphitheater,  the  petite  German  actress  Lotte  Lenya  sings 
a  sardonic  ballad  about  humankind's  lack  of  humanity: 
"What  keeps  a  man  alive?  He  feeds  on  others. "  Leonard  Bernstein 
conducts  the  orchestra.  The  occasion  is  the  inaugural  Festival  of  the 
Creative  Arts,  June  1952,  celebrating  Brandeis  University's  first 
commencement.  The  performance  is  the  concert  premiere  of 
Bertolt  Brecht  and  Kurt  Weill's  The  Threepenny  Opera  in  a  new 
English  adaptation  by  Marc  Blitzstein. 

This  October,  the  Brandeis  Theater  Company  will  revive 
Blitzstein's  adaptation  in  a  production  sponsored  by  Malcolm 
Sherman  and  Barbara  Cantor  Sherman  '54.  As  a  college  sophomore, 
Barbara  Sherman  worked  on  the  stage  crew  for  the  landmark  1952 
production.  "I'll  never  forget  the  thrill  of  that  performance, "  she 
told  me.  "I  don't  think  any  of  us  realized  we  were  watching  history. " 

That  moment  of  Brandeis  history  actually  began  in  1928  when 
The  Threepenny  Opera  was  written  by  the  German  playwright  and 
artistic  rebel  Bertolt  Brecht  (1898-1956).  Brecht's  aggressive  polit- 
ical idealism  and  persistence  in  using  art  to  pose  provocative  ques- 
tions about  the  conflicts  between  society  and  morality  generated 
intense  controversy  throughout  his  lifetime.  By  his  late  twenties, 
Brecht  had  begun  to  envision  a  new  theatrical  system  that  would 
serve  his  political  and  artistic  sensibility.  He  saw  the  stage  as  an 
ideological  forum  for  lehist  cau.ses  and  wanted  to  create  theater  that 
depicted  human  experience  with  the  brutality  and  intensity  of  a 
boxing  match.  He  rejected  the  conventions  of  stage  realism  and 
Aristotelian  drama,  which  offer  empathetic  identification  with  a 
hero  and  emotional  catharsis.  Brecht  didn't  want  his  audience  to 


feel,  but  rather  to  be  shocked,  intellectually  stimulated,  and  moti- 
vated to  take  action  against  an  unjust  society. 

Ideologically,  The  Threepenny  Opera  grew  out  of  its  young  author's 
experiences  in  Berlin  during  the  Weimar  Republic  (1919-1933), 
when  Germany  struggled  to  establish  a  parliamentary  democracy  in 
the  face  of  economic  devastation,  notorious  decadence,  and  bitter 
military  defeat.  More  than  ten  million  Germans  were  without  any 
source  of  income,  and  crime  proliferated  as  citizens  were  reduced  to 
begging  on  the  street.  Horrified  by  the  poverty  and  mounting  vio- 
lence, Brecht  took  The  Beggars  Opera  by  eighteenth-century  English 
satirist  John  Gay  and  re-imagined  it  through  the  lens  ot  his  emerging 
dramatic  theories.  Kurt  Weill  was  asked  to  compose  the  score,  and 
The  Threepenny  Opera  was  born. 

Chaotic  rehearsals  and  preproduction  mishaps,  in  addition  to  the 
script's  political  themes  and  satiric  plotline  involving  beggars,  pros- 
titutes, and  criminals,  fueled  predictions  that  The  Threepenny  Opera 
would  flop,  but  it  was  an  instant  hit.  Its  songs  became  best-selling 
recordings;  the  Threepenny  bar,  where  no  other  music  was  played, 
opened  in  Berlin;  and  Weill's  wife,  Lotte  Lenya,  who  created  the 
role  of  the  prostitute  Jenny,  became  an  international  star.  Theaters 
throughout  Europe  clamored  for  the  rights,  resulting  in  forty-six 
productions  within  a  year  after  the  show  debuted.  However,  Brecht 
never  achieved  the  ethical,  activist  response  from  his  audience  that 
he  desired.  In  1933,  he  interviewed  himself  on  the  topic: 

Q.  What,  in  your  opinion,  accounted  for  the  success  of  The 
Threepenny  Opera? 

A.  I'm  afraid  it  was  everything  that  didn't  matter  to  me:  the  plot, 
the  love  story,  the  music. 


SinliniiT   ()""  I  Iir;iMilfis  I  ni\"-r>il\    \la:;;i/itii- 


Q.  And  what  would  have  mattered  to  you? 

A.  The  critique  of  society. 

The  enduring  popularity  of  the  musical's 
song  "The  Ballad  of  Mack  the  Knife" 
[recorded  in  1959  by  pop  singer  Bobby 
Darin],  is  representative  of  Brecht's  failure. 
Listeners  will  swing  and  snap  their  fingers 
to  the  jazz-infused  melody  and  disregard 
the  harrowing  lyric  that  describes  a 
sociopath  on  a  killing  spree.  Whether  in 
Brecht's  time  or  our  own,  audiences 
inevitably  choose  entertainment  over  rigor- 
ous social  commentary  (assuming  they  are 
exclusive).  An  unusual  challenge  in  pro- 
ducing Brecht's  work  in  the  rwenty-first 
century  is  that  its  provocative  depiction  of 
corruption  and  immorality,  once  so 
shocking,  is  now  commonplace  on  stage 
and  screen.  The  effect  Brecht  desired  was 
"alienation,"  and  has  there  ever  been  a 
more  alienated  public  than  today?  When 
Michael  Moore's  Fahrenheit  91 1,  the  most 
widely  seen  documentary  in  history,  failed 
to  affect  the  outcome  of  the  reelection  of 
George  Bush,  one  wonders  if  it  possible  to 


shock  and  provoke  audiences  to  take  action 
about  anything. 

Many  artists  vehemently  reject  Brecht's 
agenda,  feeling  his  theories  diminish  the 
purity  of  art  by  turning  it  into  a  tool  for  prop- 
aganda. Others  feel  passionately  chat  the 
artist  as  citizen  has  a  unique  ability  and 
responsibility  to  repair  the  world.  The  com- 
plex relationship  between  art  and  social  jus- 
tice is  ot  special  interest  at  the  university 
named  for  Louis  Brandeis,  a  former  Supreme 
Court  justice  who  spent  his  life  and  career  in 


I  do  believe  great  theater,  great  works  of 
art,  can  motivate  social  change  and  inspire 
personal  transformation.  I  first  saw  The 
Threepenny  Opera  in  1979  and  directed  my 
own  production  in  2001,  and  this  hopeless, 
hopefiil  musical  has  powerfully  influenced 
my  identity  and  work.  If  the  entirety  of 
Brecht's  idealistic  vision  has  never  been  fully 
realized,  his  bold,  confrontational  theatrical- 
ity has  undeniably  changed  the  way  we  expe- 
rience art.  The  Threepenny  Operas  call  to 
action    against   economic    injustice,    blind 


The  relationship  between  art  and  social  justice  is  of 
special  interest  at  the  university  named  for  Louis 
Brandeis,  who  spent  his  life  in  social  justice's  pursuit. 


social  justice's  pursuit.  Most  of  us  would 
agree  that  the  theater  has  some  capacity  to 
influence  thought,  but  we  are  unlikely  to 
attend  a  play  with  a  message  in  opposition  to 
our  own  values  or  political  beliefs.  Is  it  possi- 
ble for  someone  to  enter  the  theater  a  Repub- 
lican and  leave  two  hours  later  a  Democrat? 


patriotism,  and  moral  hypocrisy  is  as  relevant 
as  ever.  We  still  need  tough,  dramatic  ques- 
tioning of  a  society  that  lacks  common  cents. 

Scott  Edmiston  is  the  director  of  Brandeis's 
Office  of  the  Arts  and  teaches  modern  drama 
in  the  Department  of  Theater  Arts. 


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I'M 


BO'^TON  UOMVy 

REAl  FSTA^F 

301  Newbury  Street, 
Boston,  \L\  02 11.5 


litamlci'^  L  ni\(Msil\   M;ig;iziiie  |  SuiiiiiU'r   07 


Monique  Gnanaratnam 


Director,  Intercultural  Center 


Monique  Gnanaratnam  (nya-na-rot- 
nem)  began  work  last  September 
as  director  of  the  Intercultural 
Center  (ICC).  She  has  worked  in  higher 
education  administration  for  fourteen  years, 
most  recently  as  director  of  oft-campus 
student  services  at  Northeastern  University 
in  Boston.  She  holds  a  bachelors  degree  in 
communications  from  Wilmington  College 
and  a  master's  in  college  student  personnel 
from  Bowling  Green  State  University,  both 
in  her  native  Ohio. 

1.  The  Intercultural  Center  recently 
celebrated  its  fifteenth  year  on 
campus.  What  do  you  see  as  its  major 
contribution  to  Brandeis?  You  have  this 
great  group  of  students  who  have 
continued  to  carry  on  the  legacy  of  the 
Intercultural  Center  for  fifteen  years. 
They're  putting  on  productions,  educa- 
tional pieces,  and  programs  that  are 
phenomenal.  These  students  are  doing 
things  I  would  be  paid  to  do.  What  is 
most  impressive  is  that  it's  not  just 
students  getting  up  on  stage  and 
entertaining  you.  It's  what  I  call 
"edu-tainment " — teaching  one  another 
and  others  at  the  university  about  all 
aspects  oi  their  culture. 

2.  What's  the  best  way  to  promote 
multlculturalism  and  diversity  on 
campus?  It  all  comes  down  to  communi- 
cation. People  have  to  sit  down  together 
and  ask  questions — have  a  two-way 
conversation — and  realize  that  learning 

is  a  lifelong  process. 

3.  You've  talked  about  the  ICC  playing 
an  important  role  beyond  the  Brandeis 
campus.  What  do  you  envision?  I  want 
the  Waltham  community  to  know  that  the 
Brandeis  University  Intercultural  Center 
exists.  If  it's  Hispanic  Heritage  Month,  for 


example,  there's  no  reason  our  students 
couldn't  go  into  a  city  school  and  perform 
the  flamenco  or  sit  down  and  talk  about 
the  origins  of  Latino/Latina  culture.  It's  not 
only  beneficial  to  the  city,  it's  good  for  our 
students  as  well.  This  is  something  new  for 
them  to  explore — dealing  with  the  public, 
dealing  with  people  outside  the  university. 

4.  Your  job  is  really  one  of  forging  per- 
sonal relationships  with  students.  What 
is  the  secret  to  your  success?  1  think 
it's  my  Midwestern  personality  [laughs]. 
I'm  a  very  hiendly  person  who  has 
nothint;  but  the  best  intentions.  1  do  what 


I  do  because  I  enjoy  it  and  because  people 
along  the  way  instilled  in  me  a  love  for 
higher  education  and  student  affairs. 
I  also  love  having  the  opportunity  to 
empower  people  and  to  help  people  to 
realize  their  lull  potential. 

5.  Describe  the  perfect  day  off.  Hanging 
with  my  baby  girls  [daughters  Yazmine  and 
Anjali]  and  my  husband.  You  don't  get  to 
do  that  a  lot  in  today's  society;  everything  is 
so  fast-paced.  So  to  have  an  opportunity  to 
kick  back  and  take  a  few  hours  to  do  some- 
thing together  as  a  family  is  wonderful. 

— Ken  Gornstein 


Siiiiciiiii    ll~  I  Hiviiiili-i>  I  iii\cr>iiy  Magazine 


iNN^h 


inner 


Curiosity  carries  the  day 


In  Jeopardy,  but  No  Peril 


Answer:  The  Brandeis  grad  who  recently 
won  more  than  $130,000  on  Jeopardy! 

Question:  Who  is  Mehrun  Etebari  '04? 

The  twenty-tour-year-old  defeated  ten 
opponents  in  five  episodes  of  the  popular 
TV  quiz  show  that  aired  in  May.  Now  the 
seventh-highest/ccyarrt'y.' winner  of  all  time, 
Etebari  is  all  but  guaranteed  an  invitation 
to  this  fall's  Tournament  of  Champions. 

Etebari  had  no  strategy — nor  does  he 
possess  a  photographic  memory.  He's  just 
naturally  curious,  he  says. 

"I'm  fascinated  by  facts  and  happenings 
in  different  fields  and  subjects,"  he  says. 
"1  take  notice  of  what  1  read  and  hear,  and 
I  do  bits  of  research  on  things  that  inter- 
est me.  " 

No  stranger  to  trivia  games,  Etebari 
competed  in  state  and  national  Quiz  Bowl 
challenges  during  high  school  and  college; 
his  Brandeis  team  finished  eighth  nation- 


ally in  its  division  in  2003.  And  he's  a  reg- 
ular for  trivia  nights  at  his  local  pub.  But 
the  Holv  Grail  for  Etebari,  who  first  saw 
Jeopardy!  in  elementary  school,  was  being 
quizzed  by  host  Alex  Trebek  (shown  lower 
left  with  the  Brandeis  contestant). 

The  Durham,  N.H.,  native  auditioned 
for  Teen  Jeopardy!  three  times  and  tried  out 
(or  Jeopardy!  during  his  senior  year  at  Bran- 
deis. He  passed  the  written  test  each  time 
and  participated  in  mock  contests  but  did 
not  get  chosen  to  appear  on  the  show  until 
after  his  fifth  audition,  which  he  entered  at 
the  last  minute  after  his  mom  spotted  the 
Boston  casting  call. 

Etebari's  winning  streak  included  sweeps 
of  the  categories  on  philosopher  Rene 
Descartes  and  actor  Ted  Danson,  but 
ended  in  his  sixth  episode  with  a  Final 
Jeopardy  question  about  female  Oscar  win- 
ners. Though  friends  had  quizzed  him 
about  Mommie  Dearest,  Etebari  drew  a 
blank  when  asked  for  the  name  of  the 
1976  Best  Actress  winner  (Faye  Dunaway) 
who  later  portrayed  the  1943  Best  Actress 
(Joan  Crawford). 

Etebari,  an  economics  major  at  Brandeis, 
was  surprised  to  find  the  environment  more 
daunting  than  the  questions.  The  rapid  pace 
of  the  game,  the  bright  stage  lights,  and 
perfecting  the  timing  of  the  handheld  buzzer 
made  it  tough  to  stay  calm. 

"It  is  a  lot  different  when  you're  sitting  in 
your  living  room  and  shouting  answers  at 
the  TV,"  says  Etebari,  who  plans  to  spend 
part  of  his  prize  money  on  student  loan 
payments  and  travel.  Now  enrolled  in  a 
master's  program  in  international  relations 
at  Yale  University,  he  hopes  to  find  a  career 
in  political  or  economic  development. 


AllB 


usiness 


Bruce  Magid 


San  Jose  administrator 
takes  reins  of  IBS 

Bruce  R.  Magid,  former  dean  of  the 
College  of  Business  and  founding  dean  of 
the  Lucas  Graduate  School  of  Business  at 
San  Jose  State  University,  began  work  in  July 
as  the  new  dean  of  Brandeis's  International 
Business  School  (IBS).  He  succeeds  E 
Trenery  Dolbear  Jr.,  the 
Clinton  S.  Darling  Professor 
of  Economics,  who  held  the 
post  on  an  interim  basis  for 
the  2006-07  academic  year. 

Magid  brings  both  aca- 
demic leadership  and  pro- 
fessional practice  to  IBS. 
While  at  San  Jose  State,  he  secured  reaccred- 
itation  for  the  college  and  graduate  school 
and  developed  a  more  global  focus  in  both 
undergraduate  and  graduate  programs, 
including  an  experience  abroad  program. 

Prior  to  joining  San  Jose  State,  Magid 
was  the  founding  executive  director  of 
MSU  Global,  Michigan  State  Universin''s 
online  and  global  distance-education  busi- 
ness unit.  He  was  also  an  adjunct  professor 
in  the  department  of  finance  at  Michigan 
State  University's  Eli  Broad  Graduate 
School  of  Management. 

Over  his  career,  Magid  has  been  senior 
adviser  to  the  minister  ot  planning  of  the 
Republic  of  Venezuela,  and  developed  and 
taught  executive  education  courses. 

In  addition  to  a  bachelor's  degree  in  for- 
eign service  from  Georgetown  University, 
the  new  dean  holds  a  multidisciplinary 
PhD  in  international  economics,  business 
law,  and  comparative  politics  from  the 
Fletcher  School  at  Tufts  University.  He 
also  earned  a  master's  degree  in  law  and 
diplomacy  at  the  Fletcher  School. 


mostparts 


Aboodi 


Alter 


Asper 


Barkas 


Koplow 


Lewtan 


ZIotoff 


New  Trustees  Seated 

Sherman  succeeds  Kay  as  board  chair 

Malcolm  Sherman,  P'83.  became  the  new  chair  ot  Brandeis's  Board 
of  Trustees  just  aher  commencement.  Sherman,  who  served  as  vice 
chair  of  the  board  since  2002,  succeeds  Stephen  Kay. 

Sherman  joined  the  board  in  1981  while  serving  as  chair  of  the 
Board  ol"  Fellows.  He  and  his  wile,  Barbara  (Cantor)  Sherman  '54, 
established  the  Barbara  Sherman  '54  and  Malcolm  L.  Sherman 
Chair  in  Theater  Arts  and  have  made  substantial  gifts  to  support 
the  performing  arts  at  Brandeis. 

"The  Sherman  family — Mai,  Barbara,  and  their  daughter, 
Robin — have  been  great  friends  and  tireless  supporters  of  Bran- 
deis over  the  years,"  said  President  Jehuda  Reinharz,  PhD'72. 
"We  are  so  pleased  that  Mai  will  be  serving  as  the  next  chair  of 
the  Brandeis  Board  of  Trustees  following  the  very  successful 
tenure  of  Steve  Kay. " 

Sherman  formerly  served  as  chairman  of  Zayre  Stores  and  exec- 
utive vice  president  of  Zayre  Corp.  Since  his  retirement  from 
Zayre,  he  has  been  a  chief  executive  of  several  companies,  includ- 
ing Regina  Electric,  Channel  Home  Centers,  and  Ekco  Group. 

Sherman  will  be  joined  on  the  board  by  several  others  who  were 
elected  or  reelected  in  the  spring.  They  include  Henry  Aboodi  '86; 
Allen  Alter  '71;  Leonard  Asper  '86;  Alex  Barkas  '68;  Meyer  Koplow 
'72,  P'02,  P'05:  Stuart  Lewtan  '84;  and  Paul  ZIotoff  '72. 

Aboodi,  who  joined  the  trustees  in  2001,  established  the  Esther 
Aboodi  Endowed  Scholarship  with  his  sister,  Abi  Hottman  '90,  in 
honor  of  their  late  mother.  Aboodi  operates  the  family-owned  real- 
estate  company  Alpine  Capital  Properties. 

Alter  is  serving  as  a  trustee  by  virtue  of  his  position  as  president 
ot  the  Brandeis  Alumni  Association.  A  supporter  of  the  Brandeis 
Annual  Fund,  he  is  a  rwcnty-rwo-year  veteran  of  CBS  News  and 
currently  a  producer  at  48  Hours. 


Asper  has  established  the  $5 
million  Asper  Center  for  Global 
Entrepreneurship,  the  Asper 
Entrepreneurship  Fund,  and  the 
Asper  Suite  lor  Entrepreneurial 
Studies  at  the  International 
Business  School.  He  is  CEO  of 
CanWest  Global,  Canada's 
largest  media  conglomerate. 

Barkas  chairs  the  Brandeis 
Science  Advisory  Council  and 
recently  made  a  gift  to  support 
the  Campaign  for  Brandeis  sci- 
ence initiative.  He  is  managing 
director  ol  Prospect  Venture 
Partners,  a  health-care  venture- 
capital  firm  in  California. 

Koplow  has  supported  the  Village  residential  complex  and  estab- 
lished the  Richards  and  Koplow  Endowed  Scholarship.  He  is  a 
partner  in  the  New  York  law  firm  Wachtell,  Lipton,  Rosen  &  Katz. 

Lewtan,  chair  of  the  Global  Business  Council  at  the  Internation- 
al Business  School,  has  supported  the  IBS  Pioneers  Fund  and  the 
Peter  Petri  Global  Fellowship.  He  founded  and  built  Lewtan  Tech- 
nologies into  a  worldwide  leader  in  the  asset-based  securitization 
industry. 

ZIotoff  is  serving  on  the  board  in  his  capacity  as  chair  of  the 
Board  of  Fellows.  He  has  been  narional  president  of  the  Alumni 
Association  and  has  supported  the  Campaign  for  Brandeis.  He  is 
chairman  and  CEO  of  LIniprop,  a  real-estate  development  and 
investment  firm. 


Malcolm  Sherman,  P'83 


Siitnmrr  '0^  |  liriiii'lri-  I 


r^ilN    \hi;;.i 


11 


/\M^.\^ 


innermost  parts 


Three  honored  for  distinguished  contributions  to  their  profession 

Alumni  Who  Make  a  Difference 


Jules  Bernstein 


Leading  union  and  labor  attorney  Jules  Bernstein  '57,  Posse  Foun- 
dation president  and  founder  Deborah  Bial  '87,  and  Pulitzer  Prize- 
winning  historian  David  Oshinsky,  PhD  '71,  have  more  in  common 
than  their  Brandeis  degrees.  Each  was  recognized  this  spring  with  a 
2007  Alumni  Achievement  Award  in  honor  of  contributions  to  his 
or  her  field,  and  each  has  been  guided  by  a  desire  to  help  others 
through  education,  research,  and  advocacy. 

Bernstein  received  the  award  during  his  50th  Reunion  celebration 
in  May.  Bial  and  Oshinsky  were  feted  at  a  special  gala  that  took  place 
during  Reunion  Weekend  in  June. 

Bernstein,  who  specializes  in  Fair  Labor  Standards  Act  litigation,  has 
spent  his  lite  fighting  for  the  "little  guy."  Based  in  Washington,  D.C., 
he  has  represented  the  teamsters,  laborers,  and  postal  workers  unions, 
winning  many  important  judgments.  Bernstein  has  been  equally  ded- 
icated to  his  alma  mater  and  to  ensuring  that  deserving  students  have 
the  opportunity  to  receive  a  Brandeis  educa- 
tion. He  is  a  founding  member  and  served  as 
chair  of  the  President's  Advisory  Council  on 
the  Transitional  Year  and  Posse  programs,  a  pair 
of  pioneering  initiatives  that  recruit  talented 
disadvantaged  students  to  Brandeis  and  pro- 
vide them  the  skills  they  need  to  succeed. 

Bernstein  also  served  as  a  member  of  the 
Jubilee  Committee,  helping  coordinate  the 
university's  yearlong  celebration  ol  former 
Supreme  Court  Justice  Louis  D.  Brandeis's  150th  birthday  and 
overseeing  production  of  a  commemorative  book  about  the  uni- 
versity's namesake. 

"I  accept  this  award  in  a  representative  capacity,"  Bernstein 
informed  President  Jehuda  Reinharz,  PhD'72,  during  his  50th 
Reunion  celebration.  "First,  for  members  of  my  50th  Reunion  Class, 
and  second,  on  behalf  of  the  thousands  of  lawyers  in  this  country 
who,  like  me,  have  spent  their  careers  trying  to  help  workers  achieve 
respect  and  fair  compensation  at  work. " 

After  seeing  talented  inner-city  students  drop  out  of  college  at 

alarming  rates,  Bial  remembered  hearing  a  student  say,  "If  only  I'd  had 

my  posse  with  me."  She  soon  formed  the 

^^^^^  Posse  Foundation,  a  college-access  program 

^^H^^^  that  identifies,  recruits,  and  trains  student 

^^Pm^HB  leaders  from  public  high  schools  and  forms 

^E  ^P  multicultural  peer  groups  to  help  students 

^B^     '^HL^       succeed  in  competitive  colleges. 

^^^^K     '^^^^B^  Since  its  founding,  the  Posse  Foundation 

^^^^B      ^^^^1     has  placed  more  than  1,500  students,  who 

^ — ^^^^^     together  have  won  more  than  $142  million 

Deborah  Bial  •        l    i      l  •      r         n  •         • 

m  scholarships  from  Posse  partner  universi- 
ties, including  Brandeis.  Posse  students  boast  a  90  percent  gradu- 
ation rate,  well  above  the  national  average. 

In  2004,  Bial  earned  a  doctorate  from  Harvard.  For  her  disserta- 
tion, she  received  a  $L9  million  grant  from  the  Andrew  W.  Mellon 


David  Oshinsky 


Foundation  to  develop  a  new  college  admissions  tool,  the  Bial  Dale 
College  Adaptability  Index. 

"I  am  honored  to  receive  the  Alumni  Achievement  Award  from 
an  institution  that  I  value  so  highly,"  Bial  said.  "Brandeis  gave  me 
an  outstanding  education,  a  commitment  to  social  justice,  and  life- 
long friends." 

After  thirty  years  in  the  history  department  at  Rutgers  University, 
Oshinsky  moved  in  2001  to  the  University  of  Texas-Austin,  where 
he  became  the  George  Littlefield  Professor  of 
American  History.  Specializing  in  twentieth- 
century  U.S.  political  and  cultural  history, 
he  is  a  prolific  writer. 

In  1983,  Oshinsky  won  the  Hardeman 
Prize  for  A  Conspiracy  So  Immense:  The  WorU 
of  Joe  McCarthy,  and  in  1996  he  received  the 
Robert  Kennedy  Prize  for  Worse  Than  Slav- 
ery: Parchman  Farm  and  the  Ordeal  of  Jim 
Crow  Justice. 

His  latest  book.  Polio:  An  American  Story,  published  in  2005  by 
Oxford  University  Press,  won  the  2006  Pulitzer  Prize  in  history.  The 
book  reveals  how  the  quest  to  cure  an  illness  affecting  millions  of 
Americans  changed  the  world  of  philanthropy,  medical  research, 
and  the  competitive  environment  of  scientific  research.  The  book  re- 
ceived rave  reviews  from  historians,  scientists,  and,  most  important, 
polio  survivors. 

"I  received  many  e-mails  from  survivors,  doctors,  and  nurses  who 
said,  'You  got  the  story  right,'"  Oshinsky  said.  "To  me,  that  is  the 
essence  of  scholarship — getting  it  right." 


Brandeis  Goes  Global 

The  university  has  established  an  Office  of  Global  Affairs  to  advance 
international  programs,  activities,  and  initiatives  and  to  promote 
Brandeis's  global  focus. 

Led  by  Daniel  Terris,  director  of  the  International  Center  for  Ethics, 
Justice,  and  Public  Life, the  office  will  work  to  enhance  cooperation 
and  partnerships  among  schools,  departments,  and  centers  with  a 
global  focus.  These  include  current  programs  in  International  and 
Global  Studies  and  in  Sustainable  International  Development,  as 
well  as  the  Slifka  Program  on  Intercommunal  Coexistence  and  the  In- 
ternational Business  School. 

"The  new  Office  of  Global  Affairs  demonstrates  our  commitment 
to  and  support  of  international  activities  at  Brandeis,"  said  provost 
Marty  Wyngaarden  Krauss,  PhD'71. 

The  new  office  will  help  make  connections  between  academic  and 
administrative  offices  serving  international  students,  visitors,  and  schol- 
ars, and  work  with  the  Office  of  Communications  to  publicize  the  uni- 
versity's global  programs  and  initiatives  both  on  and  off  campus. 


12 


lil*allcl^M^  L  ni\i'rsil\    Miiiijizinc  |  Siiiiiiiht    1)7 


newsmakers 


Heller  prof  takes  aim  at  world  poverty 

Googling  for  Global  Change 


He  may  not  be  a  full-fledged  "googler,"  but 
since  January  Brandeis  sustainable  develop- 
ment expert  Larry  Simon  has  been  busy 
providing  strategic  advice  to 
the  philanthropic  arm  of  the 
Internet  search  engine  giant 
Google.  Simon's  job  at 
Google.org  is  to  help  staffers, 
known  as  googlers,  think 
through  some  of  the  toughest  planetary 
challenges  during  the  fledgling  foundation's 
development  period  or  "quiet  phase. " 

Simon  has  been  on  a  semester-long  sab- 
batical from  the  Heller  School,  where  he  is 
director  of  sustainable  international  develop- 
ment graduate  programs  and  associate  dean 
for  academic  programs.  He  was  recruited  to 
the  Googleplex  in  Mountain  View,  Califor- 
nia, as  senior  adviser  on  global  poverty. 

The  philanthropic  agenda  for  Google.org 
is  nothing  less  than  breathtaking;  global  cli- 
mate change  and  energy;  global  health;  and 
global  development.  The  "dot-org"  includes 
a  traditionally  organized  foundation  as  well 
as  an  investment  fund  to  further  new  tech- 
nologies and  enterprises  consistent  with  its 
major  social  objectives. 

"What  does  Larry  Simon  bring  to 
Google.org?"  says  Google. org's  executive 
director,  Larry  Brilliant.  "In  a  word,  what  he 
brings  is  wisdom. " 


Simon  is  recruiting  senior  staff  and  help- 
ing googlers  to  frame  povert)'  and  develop- 
ment issues  and  decide  where  and  how  to  in- 
vest the  foundation's  resources.  "What  are 
the  origins  of  poverty?  What  sustains  it? 
How  can  Google.org  help  promote  sustain- 
able development,  not  just  financially,  but 
through  information  technology? "  asks 
Simon,  who  has  divided  his  sabbatical  be- 
tween advising  Google.org  and  writing  a 
book  at  Stanford  on  the  Brazilian  social  the- 
orist Paulo  Freire. 

In  climate  change,  the  dot-org's  main 
goals  are  to  reduce  greenhouse  gases  and  in- 
crease the  use  of  clean-energy  techniques. 
In  public  health,  Simon  says,  the  overall  ob- 
jective is  to  advance  disease  prevention  and 
eradication  in  developing  nations.  In  sus- 
tainable development,  Simon  helps  the 
foundation  create  strategies  for  equitable 
economic  growth  while  improving  both  ac- 
cess and  quality  of  services  to  the  poor. 

As  Brilliant  notes  on  the  philanthropy's 
Web  site,  "So  where  are  we  going  now? 
Google.org  is  looking  to  better  understand 
the  inextricable  linkages  among  climate 
change,  global  public  health,  and  econom- 
ic development,  and  the  impact  of  global 
warming  on  the  poor  We  want  to  fund  proj- 
ects that  are  making  a  difference  and  that  are 
effective  on  a  large  scale." 


University  gets  NEASC  approval 

Extra  Credit 

Brandeis  was  recently  reaccredited  by  the 
New  England  Association  of  Schools  and 
Colleges  (NEASC),  which  praised  the 
university  for  its  academic  excellence, 
sound  fiscal  management,  and  improved 
physical  plant. 

New  York  University  president  John 
Sexton  headed  a  NEASC  team  that  visited 
the  campus  for  four  days  last  fall  as  part  of 
Brandeis's  decennial  reaccreditation. 

"We  find  Brandeis  University  to  be  a 
healthy,  dynamic  institution,"  the  team 
wrote  in  its  report.   "It  has  developed  a 


coherent  integrated  plan  for  managing  its 
resources  and  setting  priorities.  It  has  a 
capable  and  collegial  management  team 
and  a  university  community  which  shares 
core  values  and  an  atmosphere  of  trust. " 

The  team  praised  Brandeis  for  its  intel- 
lectual intensity,  the  quality  of  the  faculty 
and  their  commitment  to  teaching,  the 
strength  of  the  three  professional  schools, 
the  gains  realized  from  the  integration  of 
enrollment  management  and  student 
services,  its  fiscal  management,  and  facili- 
ties enhancements. 


Talal  Y.  Eid,  the  university's 
Muslim  chaplain,  was  ap- 
pointed by  President 
George  W.  Bush  to  die  U.S. 
Commission  on  Interna- 
tional Religious  Freedom, 
an  independent,  bipartisan 
federal  agency.  His  term 
will  run  through  May  2009.  A  native  of 
Lebanon,  Eid  is  founder  and  director  of  reli- 
gious affairs  at  the  Islamic  Institute  of  Boston. 

Fran  Forman  '67,  a  visiting  scholar  at  the 
Women's  Studies  Resource  Center,  received  a 
second  prize  in  the  Prix  de  la  Photographic 
Paris  for  her  series  The  Child  Defies  Gravity. 

Eve  Marder,  the  Victor  and  Gwendolyn  Bein- 
field  Professor  of  Neuroscience,  and  Chris 
Miller,  professor  of  biochemistry,  were  elected 
in  May  to  the  National  Academy  of  Sciences, 
the  nation's  most  honored  scientific  advisory 
organization,  in  recognition  of  their  "distin- 
guished and  continuing  achievements  in  orig- 
inal research. "  Marder's  research  focuses  on  the 
neurotransminer  modulation  of  neural  circuits. 
Miller  studies  the  structure  and  function  of  ion 
channel  proteins. 

Charles  B.  McClendon,  professor  and  chair 
of  the  Department  of  Fine  Arts,  was  given 
the  2007  Otto  Griindler  Prize  at  the  forty- 
second  International  Congress  on  Medieval 
Studies.  Given  for  the  outstanding  book  in 
medieval  studies,  the  award  honored  his  work 
The  Origins  of  Medieval  Architecntre  (Yale  Uni- 
versity Press,  2005). 

Eileen  McNamara,  a  former  Boston  Globe 
columnist  and  winner  of  the  1997  Pulitzer 
Prize  for  commentary,  has  accepted  a  full- 
time  teaching  position  as  professor  of  the 
practice  of  journalism.  McNamara,  who  holds 
a  master's  degree  from  Columbia  University, 
has  been  a  lecturer  in  the  Brandeis  journalism 
program  since  1994. 

Sarah  Mead-Ramsey,  associate  professor  of 
the  practice  of  music  and  director  of  the  Early 
Music  Ensemble,  won  Early  Music  Americas 
2007  Thomas  Binkley  Award,  which  recog- 
nizes outstanding  achievement  in  both  per- 
formance and  scholarship  by  the  director  of  a 
universit)'  or  college  collegium  musicum. 


Suiiinirr  07  |  lii^ciidris  I  iiiMTsiij   Magazine 


13 


If  you've  ever  buttered  your  toast  with  Smart 
Balance  spread,  you  may  have  noticed  the  fine 
print  on  the  bright  yellow  tub  that  tells  how 
Brandeis  Universit}'  researchers  enhanced  the 
ratio  of  good  to  bad  cholesterol.  This  year,  the 
license  from  the  Smart  Balance  brand  of  prod- 
ucts will  bring  in  the  lion's  share  of  more  than 
Si  million  in  royalties  for  the  university  and 
its  Office  of  Technology  Licensing  (OTL). 

Universiry  technology  transfer — the  move- 
ment of  knowledge  and  discoveries  from  the 
academy  to  the  general  public — was  embry- 
onic at  Brandeis  a  decacHe  ago  when  "Brandeis 
butter"  was  licensed  to  GFA  Brands,  Inc.  (now 
Boulder  Specialty  Brands,  Inc.).  Today,  Smart 
Balance  buttery  spread,  a  patented  blend  of 
natural  vegetable  oils  that  improves  the 
HDL/LDL  cholesterol  ratio,  is  only  Brandeis's 
most  famous  and  visible  tech-transfer  project 
to  date.  In  the  last  few  years,  following  an 
extreme  makeover  of  the  tech-transfer  office 


here,  licensing  of  technology  to  third  parties 
has  gained  remarkable  momentum  across  a 
range  of  innovations  in  the  life  sciences, 
physics,  computer  science,  and  education. 

By  all  accounts,  the  growing  visibility  and 
sophistication  of  tech  transfer  is  generating 
excitement  in  many  circles,  both  within  and 
beyond  the  university. 

"I  think  Brandeis  stock  is  undervalued — I 
see  the  stock  going  up,"  quips  physician 
Laurence  Blumberg  '8.3,  a  member  of  the 
Brandeis  Universit)'  Science  Advisory  Council 
(BUSAC)  and  a  prominent  biotechnology 
investor.  "Brandeis  is  a  top-ten  science  univer- 
sity, and  it's  hard  to  keep  the  lid  on  that." 

From  tortilla  chips  to  3-D  mammography 

As  at  any  top-ten  science  universiry,  inventions 
at  Brandeis  cover  a  range  of  technologies.  Biol- 
ogist and  veteran  lipid  expert  K.  C.  Hayes,  who 
developed  Smart  Balance,  more  recendy  dis- 
covered with  his  colleagues  a  way  to  produce 
tortilla  chips  that  actually  reduce  your  choles- 
terol while  you  eat  them.  And  they  taste  good, 
too.  So  good  that  last  year  California-based 


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Corazonas  Foods  licensed  the  phytosterol 
technology  that  makes  the  chips  cholesterol- 
lowering.  Today,  the  company  is  building  a 
family  of  snacks  around  it. 

Other  Brandeis  faculty  inventors  include 
computer  scientist  Jordan  Pollack,  whose 
online  interactive  educational  video  games 
help  kids  learn  spelling,  math,  and  other  sub- 
jects, and  synthetic  chemist  Li  Deng,  whose 
chemical  catalysts  are  used  in  the  pharmaceu- 
tical and  biotech  industries. 

But  that's  not  all.  In  the  fields  of  drug 
development  and  medical  diagnostics,  faculty 
inventors  are  developing  a  range  of  technolo- 
gies that  promise  to  benefit  humankind  in 
profound  ways.  Some  examples:  Larry  Wangh 
and  his  team  of  scientists  in  the  biology 
department  are  developing  DNA  tests  to 
detect  infectious  diseases  as  well  as  assays  to 
test  for  cancer  and  bioterrorism  agents.  Biolo- 
gist  Neil    Simister   and    his   colleagues    at 


developed  a  pharmaceutical  technology  that 
could  be  instrumental  in  finding  new  treat- 
ments for  Gaucher's  disease,  and  Brandeis, 
along  with  Brigham  and  Women's  Hospital,  has 
entered  into  an  option  agreement  with  New 
Jersey-based  Amicus  Therapeutics  to  license  it. 
In  addition,  chemist  Jeff  Agar  has  provisionally 
patented  a  promising  method  to  treat  the  famil- 
ial form  of  amyotrophic  lateral  sclerosis  (ALS), 
also  called  Lou  Gehrig's  disease. 

It's  not  just  about  money 

While  the  Office  of  Technology  Licensing  has 
achieved  impressive  revenue  growth,  filling  the 
university's  coffers  is  not  the  primary  goal  of 
tech  transfer,  says  Irene  Abrams,  OTL  execu- 
tive director.  Blockbuster  licenses  that  bring  in 
many  millions  a  year  are  the  exception  rather 
than  the  rule;  only  a  handful  of  universities 
can  boast  such  a  revenue  stream,  while  the  cost 
of  obtaining  global  patent  protection  for  a  sin- 
gle invention  can  easily  reach  $250,000. 

"People  like  to  focus  on  the  money,  but  I 
would  like  to  put  forward  a  broader  view  of 
technology  licensing, "  explains  Abrams.  "If  we 
can  increase  Brandeis's  visibility  and  faculty 
opportunities  to  interact  with  industry,  there 
will  be  many  other  benefits  to  the  university." 

Those  benefits  include  attracting  and 
retaining  top-notch  faculty;  disseminating 
research  to  make  a  positive  social  impact;  fos- 
tering corporate  investment  in  basic  research, 
industry  collaborations,  and  consulting  rela- 
tionships; providing  access  to  better  technical 
facilities;  and  cultivating  job  opportunities  for 
graduates  and  postdocs. 

"Brandeis  has  taken  the  lead  in  facilitating 
my  engagement  with  faculty,  and  I  expect 
that,  over  time,  there  will  be  opportunities  to 
identify  graduates  and  postdocs  we  could 
hire,"  says  Reid  Leonard  '80,  executive  direc- 
tor of  licensing  and  external  research  at  Merck 
Research  Laboratories  in  Boston.  "It  is  equally 
likely  that  we  could  identify  some  collabora- 
tive research  opportunities  down  the  road." 


Above,  cancer  detection,  prenatal  diagnosis, 
forensics,  and  animal  infectious  diseases  are  all 
potential  applications  for  Larry  Wangh's  platform 
technology,  LATE-PCR. 

On  facing  page,  OTL  executive  director  Irene  Abrams 
says  Brandeis  is  now  attracting  more  first-time 
inventors,  industry-sponsored  research,  and 
venture  capitalists. 


Brigham  and  Women's  Hospital  and  Chil- 
dren's Hospital  Boston  have  created  technolo- 
gies that  deliver  drugs  by  inhalation  and 
extend  the  efficacy  of  drugs  in  the  blood- 
stream, reducing  dosing  frequency. 

Scientists  at  Brandeis  spin-out  Dexela  Cor- 
poration are  testing  a  prototype  for  low-dose 
3-D  digital  mammography.  The  biochemistry 
team  of  Greg  Petsko  and  Dagmar  Ringe  has 


Collaborating  with  a  global  leader 

"Scientifically,  it's  a  fabulous  deal,  and  com- 
mercially, too,"  asserts  Larry  Wangh, 
describing  his  lab's  relationship  with  Smiths 
Detection,  a  world  leader  in  threat  detection 
and  screening  technology  for  military,  trans- 
portation (such  as  airport  screening  sys- 
tems), and  homeland  security  applications. 
Over  the  last  three  years,  the  U.K.  corpora- 


16 


Brandeis  L'liiversity  Magazine  |  Summer   1)7 


tion  has  invested  substantial  resources  in 
Wangh's  research  program  to  develop  a  plat- 
form technology  for  DNA  testing. 

"Not  only  has  Smiths  invested  in  Larry 
Wangh's  lab,  but  the  company  is  continuing 
to  expand  its  relationship  with  Brandeis, 
increasingly  relying  on  the  university  to  sup- 
ply the  creative  research  fueling  their  invest- 
ment in  life-science  technology,"  says 
Abrams.  "When  an  industry  leader  like 
Smiths  is  committed  to  an  ongoing  relation- 
ship with  Brandeis,  it  shows  tremendous  con- 
fidence in  our  science." 

Agar,  whose  ALS  research  has  also  caught 
the  attention  of  industry,  seems  to  reflect  the 
general  sentiment  about  commercializing 
basic  research  at  Brandeis:  "I  do  basic 
research,  but  I'm  not  happy  until  it  actually 
does  something.  Curing  ALS  in  a  dish  is  a 
good  start,  but  treating  it  in  humans  is  the 
ultimate  goal." 

Patent  prowess 

The  number  of  invention  disclosures  (internal 
confidential  documents  describing  patentable 
intellectual  property),  patents,  and  licenses  an 
institution  tallies  is  the  first  measure  of  tech- 
transfer  prowess.  In  this  regard,  Brandeis  is 
beginning  to  leverage  its  considerable  faculty 
and  student  talent.  So  fat  this  year,  OTL  has 
received  twenty-five  invention  disclosures, 
and  Abrams  projects  several  more  before 
year's  end.  Last  year  saw  nineteen  invention 


the  office,  says  Alex  Barkas  '68,  BUSAC  chair- 
man and  a  member  of  the  university's  board  of 
trustees. 

While  invigorating  tech  transfer,  the  uni- 
versity also  retained  a  clear  commercial  incen- 
tive for  faculty  and  students  with  patentable 
intellectual  property:  40  percent  of  any  rev- 
enues or  royalties  resulting  from  licenses  goes 
to  the  inventors.  A  25  to  30  percent  revenue- 


'IF  We  tAN  INCREASE  BRANDEIS'S  VISIBILITY  AND  FA( 

U>J4T«;S  TO  INTERACT  WITH  INr 
bL  MAf^Y  OTHER  BENEFITS  TO  THE  UNiV;^, 


disclosures,  up  from  six  in  2004.  Abrams 
projects  twelve  new  patent  applications  this 
year,  up  from  one  just  three  years  ago. 

Several  factors  have  contributed  to  this 
wave  of  activity.  The  Science  Advisory  Coun- 
cil was  instrumental  in  rescuing  the  university 
from  the  tech-transfer  shoals,  where  lack  of 
funding,  visibility,  and  experienced  leadership 
had  stranded  the  office  in  the  nineties,  despite 
the  Smart  Balance  deal.  At  the  council's  inau- 
gural meeting  in  2000,  member  Margery 
Feldberg  '74  says,  the  board  decided  then  and 
there  to  "get  the  tech-transfer  function  up  and 
running,  promote  it,  and  make  it  profitable." 
Feldberg  helped  lead  the  transformation  of 


sharing  arrangement  between  a  university  and 
its  inventors  is  much  more  typical.  The  office 
came  into  its  own  under  the  guidance  of  tech- 
transfer  white  knight  Latry  Steranka  and  his 
successor,  Abrams,  who  spent  seventeen  years 
honing  her  skills  at  the  icon  of  tech  transfer, 
MIT,  before  joining  Brandeis  last  year. 

"We've  hit  the  ground  running,  really,  since 
we  started  at  almost  ground  zero,"  says 
Barkas,  who  holds  a  PhD  in  biology  and  is 
cofoimder  and  managing  director  of 
California-based  Prospect  Venture  Partners. 
"We're  really  capturing  the  potential  licenses 
now,  and  it's  partly  because  the  faculty  believe 
they  have  advocacy  and  support." 


"For  a  small  research  university  with,  really, 
a  newly  professional  tech-transfer  office, 
Brandeis  is  negotiating  a  record  number  of 
patents  and  licenses,  and  we're  now  able  to 
attract  more  first-time  inventors,  industry- 
sponsored  research,  and  the  attention  of  ven- 
ture capitalists,"  says  Abtams. 

Reinventing  tech  transfer 

If  academic  tech  transfer  is  maturing  nicely 
now,  it's  because  of  a  historic  act  of  Congress 
more  than  two  decades  ago.  The  Bayh-Dole 
Act  of  1980  turned  the  status  quo  on  its  head 
by  allowing  universities  and  other  nonprofit 
institutions  to  own  the  discoveries  resulting 
from  federally  funded  research.  Before  then, 
federal  agencies  owned  the  patents  that  grew 
out  of  tax-supported  university  research, 
though  by  and  large  the  government  allowed 
patents  to  wither  on  the  vine.  The  potential 
public  benefits  of  tech  transfer — economic 
development  and  a  positive  impact  on  soci- 
ety— just  didn't  materialize. 

"It's  very  difficult  to  develop  the  eatly-stage 
technology  that  comes  out  of  universities 
without  a  lot  of  championing,  and  the  federal 
government  really  wasn't  able  to  provide  that," 
says  Abrams. 

The  Bayh-Dole  Act  stipulated  that  universi- 
ties must  protect  their  discoveries  through 
patents  and  pursue  commercialization.  Most 


.Siiinincr  1)7  |  liriiridci^  I  nivcrsily  Maj;a/ini 


17 


Above,  biologist  Neil  Simister  cofounded  Syntonix, 
the  first  Brandeis  spm-out  to  be  acquried  by  a 
biotechnology  giant. 

Facing  page.  Chemist  Jeff  Agar  is  developing  a  novel 
strategy  to  treat  Lou  Gehrig's  disease. 


important,  the  legislation  said  all  revenues  must 
go  to  the  university  and  be  shared  wilJi  the 
creators,  thereby  providing  a  powerfiil  incen- 
tive to  inventors.  Stanford  boasts  the  oldest 
tech-transfer  office  in  the  country,  organized  in 
the  wake  of  the  Bayh-Dole  Act  and  followed  a 
few  years  later  by  MIT.  But  it  was  closer  to 
1990  when  the  field  of  technology  licensing 
really  began  to  come  into  its  own,  according  to 
Abrams.  "Now,  virtually  every  university  has 
some  form  of  technology  licensing,"  she  says. 

The  mother  of  invention 

According  to  a  national  survey  by  the  Associa- 
tion of  University  Technology  Managers 
(AUTM),  universities  and  other  nonprofits 
signed  almost  5,000  new  licenses  in  2005. 
That  same  year,  527  new  products  came  on  the 
market,  628  spin-out  companies  were  created, 
and  more  than  $42  billion  was  invested  in  U.S. 
academe.  Indeed,  the  tech-transfer  movement 
gave  rise  to  the  biotechnology  industry,  whose 
lifeblood  is  early-stage  technology  originating 
at  the  lab  bench  of  basic  research. 

As  a  leader  in  life-science  research,  Brandeis 
is  fueling  innovation  in  biotechnology  in  a 
number  of  areas  where  there  is  unmet  need  for 
more  effective  treatment  or  diagnosis. 
Syntonix,  a  biopharmaceutical  spin-out 
formed  by  Brandeis  with  Brigham  and 
Women's    Hospital   and   Children's    Hospital 


Boston  to  commercialize  novel  drug-deliver\' 
methods,  was  bought  earlier  this  year  by 
Biogen  Idee,  becoming  the  first  Brandeis  spin- 
out  to  be  acquired  by  a  biotech  giant. 
Syntonix  was  started  by  Brandeis's  Simister, 
along  with  Wayne  Lencer  of  Children's  Hospi- 
tal; Richard  S.  Blumberg  of  Brigham  and 
Women's;  and  Blumberg's  brother  Laurence, 
who  was  the  business  founder. 

Better  health  care 

Syntonix's  technologies  harness  the  human 
body's  natural  immunological  pathways  to 
provide  novel  methods  ol  drug  delivery.  Many 
pharmaceuticals  consist  of  molecules  too  large 
to  be  absorbed  through  the  mucous  mem- 
branes, meaning  that  patients  with  chronic 
conditions  like  hemophilia,  anemia,  multiple 
sclerosis,  and  autoimmune  disorders  must  take 
drugs  either  intravenously  or  by  injection.  Fre- 
quent dosing  is  typically  needed,  because  the 
drugs  break  down  quickly  in  the  bloodstream. 

In  the  early-  to  mid-1990s,  Simister,  Lencer, 
Blumberg,  and  their  colleagues  discovered 
that  the  molecular  receptor  that  carries 
immunoglobulin  G  antibodies  from  mother 
to  fetus  across  the  placenta  is  also  found  in  the 
mucous  membranes  lining  the  intestines,  air- 
ways, and  lungs.  This  discovery  led  to  the  idea 
that  the  receptor,  known  as  FcRn,  could  be 
used  to  carry  large-protein  drugs  across 
mucous  membranes  into  the  bloodstream, 
suggesting  the  possibility  of  replacing  these 
injection  drugs  with  inhaled  or  oral  versions. 

Then  the  scientists  discovered  that  the  FcRn 
receptor  also  prevents  antibodies  from  breaking 
down  quickly  in  the  bloodstream,  the  normal 
fate  of  other  molecules.  This  rescue  capability 
made  FcRn  part  of  a  so-called  salvage  pathway. 
To  take  advantage  of  this  pathway,  Syntonix 
scientists  designed  pharmaceutical  proteins  that 
bind  to  FcRn,  extending  the  lifetimes  of  these 
drugs  in  the  bloodstream. 

"We  founded  Syntonix  with  the  hope  of 
translating  our  basic  discoveries  into  improve- 
ments in  health  care.  The  company  developed 
and  expanded  our  technologies  to  the  stage 
where  they  have  preclinical  drug  candidates 
for  treating  hemophilia  and  infertility,"  says 
Simister,  adding,  "Biogen  Idec's  acquisition  is 
an  excellent  outcome  because  they  have  the 
expertise  in  manufacturing  and  development 
to  bring  these  drugs  to  the  clinic." 

Under  the  deal,  Biogen  Idee  paid  $40  mil- 
lion for  Syntonix,  with  the  potential  for  up  to 


TO  MARKET, 

TO  MARKET 


another  $80  million  in  payment  if  certain 
milestones  are  met.  "It's  a  very  good  outcome; 
the  underlying  biology  is  sound,  and  in  three 
to  four  years  we  could  have  a  life-saving  drug 
on  the  market, "  says  Laurence  Blumberg.  "It's 
all  about  innovation." 

Which  takes  time,  money,  patience,  perhaps 
the  spark  ot  genius,  and  probably  more  money. 

Larry  Wangh  should  know.  After  teaching 
in  Brandeis's  genetic  counseling  program  for 
years,  he  and  his  colleagues  sought  to  improve 
preimplantation  genetic  diagnosis  for  couples 
at  risk  of  having  children  with  severe  heredi- 
tary x-chromosome-linked  disorders.  His 
research,  in  collaboration  with  two  other  labs. 


"I  AM^SJICKING  WITH  ALS  T 


tive,  rapid,  affordable  assays,  replacing  or  sup- 
plementing current  tests  that  take  days  or 
weeks  to  generate  answers  and  cost  the  users 
millions  of  dollars,"  says  Wangh. 

A  daring  dream 

Ever  since  he  was  a  boy,  chemist  Jeff  Agar  was 
certain  he  wanted  to  cure  disease  in  humans. 
Later,  as  a  graduate  student,  he  realized  he 
wasn't  seeking  to  defeat  just  any  disease,  but  a 
truly  cruel  killer  whose  progression  is  swift  and 
unstoppable.  "ALS  is  the  place  where  I  thought 
I  could  make  the  biggest  difference,"  he  says. 

Agar's  scientific  verve  has  brought  him  much 
closer    to    achieving   that   daring   childhood 


'EJSfT.  XH^HRSTTIME  I'LL ,  ..  ,   .,,  

THE  lyfOMENTxIT  EXTENDS  THE  LIFE  OF  A  PATIENT.' 


did  lead  to  better  in  vitro  genetic  diagnosis 
using  real-time  polymerase  chain  reaction 
(PCR),  a  molecular  biology  technique  that 
replicates  DNA  from  a  single  gene  or  gene 
fragment.  Wangh's  early  focus  on  PCR's  limi- 
tations, particularly  for  samples  as  small  as  a 
single  DNA  molecule,  fueled  a  research  direc- 
tion that  today  promises  to  open  a  whole  new 
landscape  to  DNA  testing. 

"Even  after  twenty  years  of  research, 
there  are  only  a  handful  of  PCR-based 
tests,  and  the  reason  is  that  there  are  inaccura- 
cies in  the  standard  methodologies,"  says 
Wangh.  "We  have  reduced  and  eliminated 
those  inaccuracies." 

The  new  and  improved  method  developed 
in  the  Wangh  lab,  known  as  Linear-After- 
The-Exponential  PCR  (or  LATE-PCR  for 
short),  is  substantially  more  reliable  and  sen- 
sitive than  conventional  PCR.  "From  now  on, 
anywhere  there  is  DNA  or  RNA  that  you 
want  to  study,  or  make  more  of,  LATE-PCR 
will  be  the  technology  to  use,"  says  Wangh. 

Cancer  detection,  prenatal  diagnosis, 
forensics,  and  human  and  animal  infectious 
diseases  are  all  potential  targets  for  this  testing 
technology.  For  its  part.  Smiths  Detection  is 
focused  on  military-threat  detection  and 
homeland  security  issues  and  is  planning  to 
leverage  this  platform  technology  in  the  areas 
of  biodefense  and  first  response. 

"In  all  of  these  fields,  LATE-PCR  will 
make  it  possible  to  construct  highly  informa- 


and  Agar  is  hammering  out  the  final  details 
of  an  agreement  with  ExSAR,  a  New  Jersey 
drug-development  company  interested  in  com- 
mercializing his  ALS  research.  Agar  says  the 
entrepreneurial  culture  here  played  no  small 
role  in  bringing  him  to  Brandeis,  where  he 
works  not  only  around  the  clock,  but  against 
the  disease's  own  deadly  timeline. 

The  fatal  neuromuscular  condition  rypically 
starts  by  affecting  walking  and  ends  by  causing 
loss  of  respiratory  function,  all  within  the 
course  of  three  to  five  relentlessly  devastating 
years.  Motor  neurons  transmit  the  command 
to  move  from  the  brain  to  the  skeletal  muscles, 
but  in  a  person  with  ALS  those  motor  neurons 
are  weakened  and  ultimately  destroyed  by  a 
toxic  protein.  Underlying  Agar's  research  is  the 
key  discovery  that  changes  taking  place  in  pro- 
teins, such  as  oxidation,  are  toxic  to  motor 
neurons.  His  strategy  is  to  commercialize  a 
novel   class  of  pharmaceuticals,   called  AGE 


dream.  At  thirty-four  one  of  Brandeis's  youngest 
inventors,  he  has  developed  a  novel  method  to 
treat  Lou  Gehrig's  that  he  believes  is  unlike  any 
other  approach  in  neurodegenerative  research. 
Moreover,  he  has  developed  a  portable  kit  using 
mass  spectrometry,  an  analytic  technique  that 
measures  the  composition  of  physical  samples, 
such  as  tumors  and  tissue,  to  detect  disease, 
including  ALS.  Both  are  in  the  patent  pipeline, 


inhibitors,    that    prevent    modified    proteins 
from  killing  motor  neurons. 

"I  am  sticking  with  ALS  research  until 
there's  a  treatment,"  Agar  says  with  quiet 
determination.  "The  first  time  I'll  ever  feel  joy 
in  my  research  is  the  moment  it  extends  the 
life  of  a  patient." 

Laura  Gardner  is  the  university  science  editor. 


SuiiuiiiT  (JT  I  IJriirnli-i^  \  iii\iT?,iiy  Majiaziiic 


19 


In  late  March  and  early  April,  Brandeis's  Rapaporte  Trea- 
sure Hall  was  the  first  stop  on  a  nationwide  peace  tour  fea- 
turing Israeli  and  Palestinian  artwork.  The  exhibition, 
Offering  Reconciliation,  showcased  135  interpretations  by 
prominent  artists  of  the  intrinsic  realities  of  reconciliation: 
coexistence,  pain,  loss,  fracture,  and  fusion. 

The  Israeli  and  Palestinian  painters,  sculptors,  and  pho- 
tographers, representing  many  different  faiths  and  countries 
of  origin,  created  one-of-a-kind  pieces  from  identical 
ceramic  bowls.  The  vessels  served  as  a  common  denomina- 
tor for  artistic  depiction  of  the  pain-filled,  yet  hopeful,  sto- 
ries of  the  conflict.  Their  fragility  symbolizes  the  fragility  of 
the  relationship  between  Israelis  and  Palestinians. 

Offering  Reconciliation  was  commissioned  by  the  Parents 
Circle— Families  Forum,  a  grassroots  organization  of  bereaved 
Israelis  and  Palestinians  who  promote  reconciliation  as  an 
alternative  to  hatred  and  revenge.  It  was  first  exhibited  in  May 
2006  at  the  Museum  of  Israeli  Art  in  Ramat  Gan,  Israel, 
where  it  drew  an  unprecedented  2,500  viewers,  including 
politicians,  prominent  members  of  the  international  and 
Middle  East  communities,  and  media  representatives.  The 


U.S.  tour  was  cosponsored  by  the  Association  of  Israel's  Dec- 
orative Arts,  a  nonprofit  dedicated  to  exposing  the  work  of 
contemporary  Israeli  decorative  artists  to  a  global  audience. 

During  its  Brandeis  stay,  hundreds  of  area  schoolchildren 
viewed  the  exhibition.  In  addition,  the  university  hosted  talks 
by  Parents  Circle  members  Ali  Abu  Awwad,  whose  brother  was 
shot  and  killed  by  an  Israeli  soldier,  and  Robi  Damelin,  whose 
son  was  killed  by  a  Palestinian  sniper  while  guarding  a  setde- 
ment.  Awwads  and  Damelin's  stories  are  featured  prominently 
in  Encounter  Point,  a  documentary  by  a  team  of  Palestinian, 
Israeli,  and  North  and  South  American  filmmakers  that  was 
screened  at  the  university's  Wasserman  Cinematheque. 

From  Brandeis,  Offering  Reconciliation  traveled  to  the 
World  Bank  in  Washington,  D.C.,  and  it  is  now  on  view  at 
the  Bellevue  Art  Museum  in  Bellevue,  Washington,  through 
August  19.  The  exhibition  will  be  featured  at  the  United 
Nations  in  New  York  September  1  to  28;  at  the  Pomegran- 
ate Gallery  in  New  York  October  4  to  18;  and  at  SOFA  in 
Chicago  November  2  to  4.  A  full-color,  trilingual  catalog 
with  an  introduction  by  curators  Orna  Tamir-Schestowitz 
and  Daphna  Zmora  documents  the  exhibition. 


Curators  Tamir-Schestowitz  and  Zmora  wrote  in  the  exhibition 
catalog,  "In  some  ot  the  bowls  a  clear  statement  emerges  ot  the 
essence  of  the  conflict,  a  conflict  ot  cultural  diflference  on  the  one 
hand  and  common  pain  on  the  other,  and  above  all  quivers  the 
yearning  for  simple  and  peaceful  daily  living."  This  mosaic  by 
artist  Lauri  Recanti  suggests  memories  of  simplicity  in  her  use  of 
buttons,  beads,  jevveln,'  fragments,  and  shards  of  everyday  china. 

B 

i\hmad  Canaan,  b.  1965,  created  this  work  in  industrial  paints. 
As  in  Alima's  bowl  (below),  the  hues  chosen  ju-\tapose  the  patri- 
otic colors  ot  Israel  and  Palestine.  The  mounted  figure  on  horse- 
back is  a  recurring  theme  in  Canaan's  art.  A  beloved  painter  and 
sculptor,  Canaan  is  also  curator  of  the  Tamra  Municip.il  Art 
Gallery,  where  he  showcases  the  works  of  young  Arab  artists. 


Rita  Alima,  b.  1932,  who  signs  all  her  works  "Alima, "  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  distinguished  Plus  Ten  Group  and  Burston  Workshop 
for  Lithography  in  Jerusalem.  Hers  is  one  of  several  works  that 
draw  on  symbolic  colors,  particularly  emphasizing  the  green  and 
red  of  the  Palestinian  flag  and  the  blue  of  the  Israeli  flag. 


v_y 


In  a  remarkable 
collaboration, 
Middle  Eastern 
artists  share 
visions  of 
common  pain 
and  promise. 


Mohammad  Said  Kalash,  from  Kara,  near  Hadera  on  the  plains 
of  Sharon,  calls  himself  "a  Palestinian  Israeli."  His  creation  in 
mixed-media  includes  a  quote  from  poet  and  political  activist 
Taufik  Ziad:  "I  offer  more  than  half  of  my  life  to  anyone  who 
ever  made  a  crying  boy  laugh." 


As  a  photojournalist  in  Jerusalem  since  1983,  Jim  Hollander  used 
his  bowl  to   memorialize  a  hopeful  instant  he  captured  for 
Reuters  in  1986.  "I  was  in  the  Old  City  of  Jerusalem  covering  a 
story  after  a  religious  Jewish  'settler'  was  stabbed  in  the  Moslem 
quarter,  close  to  its  border  with  the  Jewish  quarter,"  he  recalls. 
"Tensions  were  high,  and  the  police  tried  to  broker  a  'sulka,'  or 
reconciliation.  Two  men — leaders  of  the  opposing  sides,  I  pre- 
sumed— briefly  kissed,  then  moments  later  scuttles  again  broke 
out  as  someone  yelled,  'Arabs  are  murderers!' ' 


Artist  Alex  Kremer  was  born  in  Tadzhistan  in  1966  and  immi- 
grated to  Jerusalem  in  1982.  He  has  exhibited  widely  in  both 
Israel  and  the  United  States.  Among  his  many  awards  are  the 
2001  young  artist  prize  of  the  Israel  Ministry  of  Science,  Culture, 
and  Sports.  His  design,  which  suggests  two  people  reaching  out 
to  each  other,  is  rendered  in  oils. 


Palestinian  artist  Osama  Zatat  sculpted  a  barbed  wire  olive  tree 
that  gfows  out  of  a  painted  rural  landscape.  The  legs  of  his 
inverted  bowl  are  adorned  with  symbols  of  Christianity,  Judaism, 
and  Islam.  Zatar  told  A\e  Jerusalem  Post  he  chose  an  olive  tree 
"because  it  is  something  shared  by  us  all,  something  that  repre- 
sents life  whose  roots  are  deeper  than  human  roots,  and  which 
lives  peacefully  with  the  earth  and  gives  its  fruit  to  .ill."  He 
asked,  "If  we  continue  to  water  our  trees  with  blood,  what  legacy 

will  our  children  inherit?" 


22 


liriinileis  I'nivorsilv  .M;iii;iziiif  |  SiiiiiniiT   (1"^ 


H 

One  of  the  most  celebrated  artists  of  her  day,  Maya  Cohen-Levy 
has  received  myriad  awards.  Her  images  are  often  derived  from 
nature,  evoking  greatly  magnified  details  of  sunflower  hearts, 
thatch,  and  honeycombs.  She  decorated  her  bowl  in  black  and  red 
oils,  choosing  colors  known  to  illustrate  grief  blood,  loss  and  pain. 

I 

Israeli  conceptual  artist  Micha  Ullman,  b.l939  in  Tel  Aviv,  is  a 
leading  painter  and  sculptor  of  his  generation.  He  serves  on  the 
faculty  at  the  University  of  Stuttgart,  and  his  work  is  represented 
in  London's  Tate  Collection.  One  of  several  interpretations  that 
emphasize  breaking  and  destruction,  his  bowl — fractured  and 
then  reconstituted  with  marble  glue — speaks  volumes  about  his 
current  view  of  the  Middle  East.  In  several  other  artists'  rendi- 
tions, the  bowl  was  left  in  fragments. 


Numerous  artists  incorporated  the  wrirten  word — in  English, 
Hebrew,  of  Arabic — into  their  messages.  After  coating  her 
ceramic  vessel  with  a  mirror-like  material  called  PVD — for  physi- 
cal vapor  deposition — artist  Shira  Sagol  set  forth  the  salient  but 
unanswerable  question,  "Who  is  the  righteous  of  us  all?"  Another 
literal  interpretation  came  from  Aliza  Olmert,  daughter  of  Holo- 
caust survivors  and  wife  ot  Israeli  prime  minister  Ehud  Olmert, 
who  spiraled  in  a  continuous  loop  on  her  bowl  the  words  "Jews 
do  not  evict  Arabs  do  not  evict  lews  do  not  evict  Arabs..." 


K 

Iranian-born  artist  Yehuda  Porbuchrai  emigrated  to  Tel  Aviv  as 
an  infant.  His  incorporating  of  the  words  "Hava  Nagila" — the 
title  of  a  traditional  Jewish  song — typifies  works  in  the  exhibition 
that  drawn  upon  what  the  curators  called  phrases  "from  the  cul- 
tural warehouse  of  poetry  and  prose  of  both  nations." 


24  Brandcls  I  ni\rr>ii\   Mugaziuf  |  Suiiiiiifr '07 


Artist  Shirly  Bar-Amotz  is  a  facult)'  member  in  the  Bezalel  Acad- 
emy's Department  of  Jewelry  and  Fashion.  She  often  works  in 
enamels  and  glass.  Her  mixed-media  design  is  among  those  that 
blend  idyllic  memories  (the  swan,  the  palm  trees)  with  evidence 
of  disruption  (the  depiction  of  shattered  glass).  Other  artists  con- 
tributed pastoral  designs  featuring  woodlands,  fields,  and  gardens. 

M 

Sculptor  Ofra  Zimbalista  is  creating  a  sensation  throughout 
Europe  with  site-specific  installations  that  show  often  frightening 
life-sized  figures,  frequently  in  the  shadows  of  public  places.  For 
this  exhibition,  she  worked  with  Narin  Zimbalista  to  re-create 
one  ot  these  eerie  scenes  in  microcosm.  Her  hopehil  twist: 
instead  of  bullets,  the  soldiers'  guns  are  spouting  butterflies 
and  flowers. 


N 

Speaking  with  a  reporter  for  Aljazeera.net,  artist  Dalia  Reizel 
described  this  mixed-media  work  as  showing  a  woman's  womb 
with  hands  emerging,  trying  to  grasp  ohve  leaves,  the  universal 
symbol  of  peace.  "The  leaves  are  just  out  ot  reach, "  she  com- 
mented, "but  hopefully  the  hands  will  get  there  one  day."  Birth 
is  also  the  theme  in  a  jarring  sculptural  treatment  by  Assi 
Mesluillam,  who  used  the  bowl  as  a  whelping  dish  where  what 
appears  to  be  a  dead  mother  dog  lies  crumpled  in  a  pool  of  blood 
and  covered  with  giant  flies. 


I  he  color  red  is  a  unifying  theme  among  many  ot  the  bowls, 
used  to  represent  blood  as  well  as  anger,  courage,  and  a  range  of 
other  emotions.  In  this  mixed-media  work,  fashioned  by  Israeli 
industrial  designer  Ezri  Tarazi,  director  of  the  Bezalel  Academy  of 
Art  and  Design  in  Jerusalem,  the  outside  of  the  bowl  is  painted 
black,  while  the  crimsom  dome  is  illuminated  from  beneath. 


Yuval  Caspi  was  one  of  sevetal  contributing  artists  who  elected  to 
ptit  a  face  on  the  conflict  through  selt-portraiture.  Wrote  the  cura- 
tors, "Here  [in  personal  portraits]  the  statement  is  more  direct  and 
clear — reconciliation  is  me.  The  personal  overwhelms  the  national. 
Portraits  are  presented  on  many  works,  harsh  or  soft  faces,  pleasant 
or  brash,  all  reflecting  a  sense  ot  hope."  In  June,  Caspi  joined  with 
dozens  of  other  artists  to  mount  the  show  40  Years  of  Occupation, 
1 96^-2007 — Israeli  and Palestitiian  Artists  against  the  Occupation 
and  for  a  Just  Peace  at  The  Artists'  House  gallery  in  Jerusalem. 


SiiiriiiHT   ()7  I  Briimlii-,  I  (ii\ri'>ilv  Majiaziiir  27 


^ff*:-::,-:y 


"tk>c:.y;. 


m 


'■  ifm!^  hull  5; 


Ihave  rwo  favorite  pictures  of  myself  as  a  little  girl. 
One  is  of  me  at  age  three,  naked  except  for  my 
panties,  standing  on  a  hassock,  with  a  huge  smile 
and  my  arms  flung  out  wide.  The  other  is  of  me  about 
a  j'ear  later  dressed  as  Queen  Esther  from  the  Bible  for 
a  school  play.  For  the  past  couple  of  years,  almost  fifty 
years  down  a  very  long  road,  I  find  I  am  more  like  the 
child  in  those  pictures  than  I  have  ever  been. 

When  I  cast  my  eyes  over  the  sweep  of  my  lite  up  to 
now,  I  see  my  whole  adulthood  in  the  long  shadow  of 
depression.  The  shadow  starts  right  on  the  brink  of  my 
grown-up  life,  while  I  was  attending  Brandeis.  I  was 
painfully  shy  as  a  child  and  remained  introverted 
through  my  high  school  and  college  years.  My  antidote 
was  to  bury  myself  in  my  studies,  to  succeed  at  all 
costs,  to  excel  in  school  and  in  life. 

While  at  Brandeis  I  would  often — much  too 
often — ignore  the  social  aspect  of  college  life  and 
simply  hole  up  in  my  room.  Friends  would  try  to  coax 


me  to  go  out,  but  I'd  offer  some  excuse:  studying  to 
do,  papers  to  write,  whatever. 

Next  1  found  myself  studying  at  Columbia  Univer- 
sity to  obtain  a  graduate  degree  in  social  work.  1  was 
like  a  maniac — doing  everything  required,  everything 
optional,  and  even  more  work  that  I  assigned  to 
myself  The  rest  of  the  time  I  slept.  At  first  I  didn't 
notice  the  change.  Then  things  got  worse.  I  always 
hated  waking  up,  but  slowly  it  was  turning  into  some- 
thing deeper;  it  was  less  like  I  didn't  want  to  wake  up 
and  more  like  I  couldn't.  I  didn't  feel  tired,  but  1  had 
no  energy. 

Afl:er  a  while  my  symptoms  lessened,  and  I  began 
work  as  a  clinical  social  worker.  But  after  two  years  of 
social  work  I  felt  drained.  God  must  have  had  a  hand  in 
leading  me  on  a  new  path,  because  within  a  year  I  had 
changed  careers  completely.  After  reading  a  news  article 
about  the  field  of  public  relations,  I  took  two  PR  courses 
and  did  volunteer  consulting  to  organizations.  Finally, 


Peeling 

Depression  put  Terrie  Williams  on  the  fast  track  from  Hollywood 
publicist  to  motivational  speaker  and  author.  Now  she  burns  to  carry 
her  message  to  anyone  who  will  listen.  By  Terrie  Williams  '75 


Illustrations  by  Melissa  Walley 


I  WOKE  UP  ONE  MORNING  WITH  A  KNOT  OF  FEAR  IN  MY 


having  developed  the  necessary  skills,  I  was  named 
director  of  communications  at  Essence  magazine. 

In  1988,  when  I  began  to  think  about 
starting  a  company,  I  had  no  clue  how  to  run  a  busi- 
ness. So  when  I  asked  God  to  bless  me  with  my  first 
client,  I  didn't  expect  him  to  send  me  the  biggest  box- 
office  draw  in  the  world  at  the  time — Eddie  Murphy. 

I  had  met  Eddie  two  years  earlier  on  a  yacht  in 
Marina  del  Rey,  California,  at  a  sixtieth  birthday  cele- 
bration for  Miles  Davis,  whom  I'd  gotten  to  know 
when  I  was  a  practicing  social  worker  at  a  New  York 
hospital.  I'd  heard  Eddie  was  looking  for  a  PR  person, 
but,  of  course,  I  wasn't  just  going  to  walk  up  to  a 
superstar  like  Eddie  Murphy  and  say,  "Hey,  Eddie,  I'm 
thinking  of  starting  a  public  relations  firm.  Why  not 


be  my  first  client?"  Instead,  to  create  a  natural  inroad 
to  him,  I  developed  a  rapport  with  his  friends  Ken  and 
Ray,  sending  them  notes  and  articles  of  interest — 
whatever  it  took  to  further  establish  and  cement  the 
relationship.  Finally  I  put  together  a  package  for 
Eddie — an  overview  of  my  duties  and  accomplish- 
ments at  Essence  and  a  list  of  people  who  could  vouch 
for  my  work  and  my  character.  One  night  I  phoned  his 
cousin,  whom  I  had  also  connected  with.  His  cousin 
said  Eddie  was  there  and  wanted  to  speak  with  me. 
When  Eddie  Murphy,  one  of  the  most  recognizable 
stars  in  the  world,  picked  up  the  phone  and  said,  "I  got 
your  package,  and  I  would  love  to  have  you  represent 
me,"  I  cried.  Those  were  his  exact  words.  I'll  never  tor- 
get  them.  As  nervous  as  I  was  about  starting  my  busi- 


30 


Bi;iinli'i,s  Liii\cr^ity  Mai^aziiir.^  |  Suiiiiiier  "07 


PEELING  OF 


MASK 


ness  with  such  a  high-profile  celebrity,  I  knew  this  was 
a  confirmation  that  God  would  show  me  the  way. 

But  there  was  enormous  pressure.  Whispers  flew 
around  the  industry:  Who  was  this  unknown  black 
woman  who'd  landed  Eddie  Murphy?  Until  he  signed 
with  me,  Eddie  had  never  had  a  personal  public  rela- 
tions adviser,  so  for  him  to  put  his  faith  in  me  validated 
my  agency.  Although  I  was  scared,  1  did  whatever  1  had 
to  do  to  get  the  business  up  and  running.  I  put  in  long 
hours  at  the  office,  was  constantly  on  the  phone,  sat  in 
endless  meetings.  Months  after  Eddie  hired  me,  clients 
like  Anita  Baker,  Jackie  Joyner-Kersee,  and  Miles  Davis 
also  signed  on.  In  the  following  years,  my  business  grew 
to  include  celebrities  like  Sean  "Diddy"  Combs,  Janet 
Jackson,  and  best-selling  author  Stephen  King.  But  as 
my  client  list  expanded,  so  did  my  level  of  exhaustion. 

During  the  glamorous  whirl  ot  my  days,  I  put  on  my 
game  face — my  mask — for  the  power  lunches,  film 
openings,  press  events,  and  parties.  But  most  nights  I 
crawled  home,  overcome  by  fatigue.  When  1  wasn't 
working,  I  was  sleeping.  1  didn't  know  it  then,  but  I'd 
already  begun  a  downward  spiral  that,  years  later,  would 
culminate  in  a  paralyzing  depression. 

By  the  year  2000  I  was  head  of  a  public  relations  and 
marketing  firm  that  was  growing  beyond  my  wildest 
hopes,  but  ever)'  day  1  would  wake  up  with  crippling 
anxietv'.  Here  1  had  everything  the  culture  tells  us  should 
make  us  happy — success,  money,  access — but  not  one 
thing  in  my  life  gave  me  pleasure.  In  the  middle  of  all 
this  action  and  all  these  people,  1  felt  as  if  I  were  in  soli- 
tary confinement.  And  I  began  to  cope  with  these  feel- 
ings of  emptiness  and  dread  by  numbing  the  pain  with 
food — the  only  thing  I  looked  forward  to  after  a  sixteen- 
hour  day.  1  began  to  gain  weight.  The  more  weight  I 


remain  involved  as  a  partner.  Then,  after  seven  years 
of  subleasing  space  in  an  office  building,  the  agency 
was  forced  to  move  to  another  location.  That  big 
move  coincided  with  another:  My  parents  sold  the 
home  I  grew  up  in,  and  following  that  sale  they  sep- 
arated. Because  the  transaction  happened  very 
quickly,  there  was  no  time  for  me  to  take  one  last  trip 
to  the  house  and  mourn  the  loss.  That  year  I  also  lost 
two  aunts  whose  constancy  and  love  had  provided  a 
foundation  for  me  during  my  entire  life.  Even  the 
restaurant  I'd  frequented  for  years  closed  down  its 
Saturday  brunch!  All  at  once  I  felt  the  ground 
shifting  beneath  my  feet.  So  I  did  what  I'd  always 
done  during  a  crisis:  I  slept. 

Finally  I  reached  a  breaking  point.  I  woke  up  one 
morning  with  a  knot  of  fear  in  my  stomach  so  crip- 
pling that  I  couldn't  face  light,  much  less  day,  and  so 
intense  that  I  stayed  in  bed  for  three  days  with  the 
shades  drawn  and  the  lights  out.  Three  days.  Three 
days  not  answering  the  phone.  Three  days  not 
checking  my  e-mail.  I  was  disconnected  completely 
from  the  outside  world,  and  I  didn't  care. 

On  the  fourth  morning  some  friends  came  by,  made 
an  emergency  appointment  with  a  therapist,  and  took 
me  to  get  help.  Fifteen  minutes  into  the  session,  1  was 
staring  at  the  therapist,  barely  understanding  our  con- 
versation, when  she  said  the  words  "clinical  depres- 
sion."  I  felt  like  I  was  outside  my  body,  like  I  was 
seeing  us  on  TV,  but  I  knew  something  had  finally 
given:  I  couldn't  go  on  the  way  I  was  without  hurting 
myself  more. 

My  friends  took  me  home.  One  of  them  stayed  the 
night.  Somehow  (that  is,  thanks  to  my  friend)  I  did 
make  it  to  the  next  day  and  to  my  appointment  with 


STOMACH  SO  CRIPPLING  THAT 


I  COULDN'T  FACE  LIGHT. 


gained,  the  more  disgust  1  felt;  the  more  self-disgust  I 
felt  the  more  I  wanted  to  hide  from  the  pain  by  eating 
and  sleeping.  Like  every  drug,  the  food  gave  me  less 
relief  each  day,  but  I  clung  to  it. 

Sometimes  I  think  about  how  things  might  have 
gone  if  I  had  been  a  less  talented  actress,  less  able  to 
convince  everyone  around  me  of  something  I  knew 
was  false.  The  bottom  line  was  that  my  success,  the 
thing  to  which  I  had  given  so  much  of  myself,  was  a 
cover  for  what  was  killing  me.  I  had  reduced  myself  to 
two  modes:  my  game  face,  the  soul-destroying  mask  I 
wore  to  work,  and  the  numbed-out  shell  of  a  woman 
who  sat  alone  in  her  apartment  eating  and  sleeping. 

Then  in  October  2003  1  went  through  a  series  of 
major  transitions.  First  1  sold  my  business,  though  1 


the  psychiatrist.  She  asked  questions,  took  my  blood 
pressure,  and  began  the  long  process  of  finding  the 
right  medication  for  me.  The  next  six  months  were 
some  of  the  hardest  of  my  life.  After  two  weeks  the 
drugs  kicked  in  a  little  and  I  felt  slightly  better,  but 
with  the  relief  came  an  overwhelming  clarity  about 
what  my  life  had  become,  a  clarity  that  brought  me  a 
new  kind  of  despair.  I  was  in  a  pit  so  deep  1  didn't 
know  whether  I  could  get  out. 

Then  I  had  a  thought  that  began  to  change  my  life:  If 
this  could  happen  to  me,  with  all  my  experience  and 
knowledge  and  access,  what  was  happening  to  other 
people?  What  was  happening  to  people  who  didn't  have 
any  of  my  advantages?  I  realized  the  only  way  I  was 
going  to  get  through  this  was  to  stop  pretending,  finally. 


iSmiiMiiT   0''  I  lirjiiiclri^  I  iii\cr„il\    MaiiJizini" 


31 


TNG  r^FF  THF  MASK 


that  it  wasn't  happening.  And  the  only  way  to  stop  pre- 
tending was  to  let  people  know  how  I  felt  every  day. 

The  first  time  I  decided  to  do  this  was  just  four 
months  after  my  meltdown,  when  I  was  scheduled  to 
give  a  talk  at  a  conference  with  some  of  the  best- 
known  people  in  the  world  of  business.  I  wanted  to 
cancel  the  talk,  telling  myself  again  and  again  that  it 
was  too  early,  that  I  wasn't  ready.  But,  for  reasons 
I  couldn't  understand,  I  didn't  cancel,  and  I  forced 
myself  to  go.  As  I  walked  up  to  the  podium  my  tear 
was  so  intense  that  I  thought  I  was  going  to  vomit. 
I  made  myself  breathe  deep  and  keep  reminding 
myself  that  there's  no  way  out  but  through — I  knew 
God  had  put  me  there  for  a  reason.  And  then  I 
did  something  that  shocked  everyone  in  the  room, 
including  me:  I  told  the  truth. 

Instead  of  delivering  the  high-powered,  upbeat  talk 
about  self-marketing  that  we  were  all  expecting,  I  told 
the  audience  straight  out  that  1  suffered  from  depres- 
sion. That  1  was  standing  in  front  of  them  on  sheer 
willpower,  and  that  I  was  afraid  that  willpower  would 
fail  me  at  any  moment.  As  1  spoke  I  heard  a  voice 
inside  me  say  "career  suicide."  To  my  surprise,  I  was 
relieved  by  the  thought — if  telling  the  truth  was  career 
suicide,  then  the  sham  I  had  been  living  for  so  long 
was  about  to  end. 

But  instead,  something  amazing  happened.  The 
powerful  men  and  women  gathered  to  talk  business 
seemed  to  be  empathizing  with  me.  I  barely  remember 
the  talk,  but  I  vividly  recall  that  after  it  many  people  in 


When  we're  courageous  enough  to  tell  the  truth 
about  our  heartache,  it's  as  if  we're  saying  to  others, 
"You're  not  in  this  by  yourself"  All  we  have  to  do  is 
step  outside  our  fear  and  pull  off  a  layer  of  the  mask. 
When  I  dared  to  do  that,  numerous  friends  and  col- 
leagues, both  famous  and  not,  began  to  pour  out  their 
stories  to  me. 

A  dear  friend  of  mine  who  also  struggles  with 
depression  once  told  me,  "Black  people  expect  to  be  in 
pain  every  day,  so  for  us  a  good  day  is  heaven. "  But  the 
truth  is,  evetybody  on  the  planet  is  walking  around 
with  wounds.  We're  all  challenged  on  some  level. 
Think  you  know  a  person  who  doesn't  have  a  problem? 
Think  again.  These  days  when  I'm  invited  to  corpora- 
tions to  speak  about  business  and  life  principles,  I'll 
often  throw  in  a  few  words  about  depression.  I'll  say, 
"The  reason  1  have  the  courage  to  stand  up  here  and 
talk  to  you  about  this  is  because  I  know  that  half  of 
you  are  probably  on  Prozac  or  Paxil.  Raise  your  hand 
if  you're  sure!"  As  people  laugh,  hands  go  up.  After- 
ward, without  fail,  several  of  these  businesspeople, 
women  and  men  whom  others  may  never  guess  have 
experienced  clinical  depression,  will  come  up  to  me 
and  share  their  struggle.  I  get  the  same  reaction  from 
college  students  and  teens. 

I've  learned  that  dealing  with  depression  isn't  about 
escaping  the  feelings.  It's  about  managing  them — 
through  talk  therapy,  medication,  exercise,  a  closer 
relationship  with  God.  We  each  have  to  find  our  own 
path  to  wholeness.  Above  all,  we  have  to  share  where 


WHEN  WE  OPEN  OUR  LIVES,  WE  FIND  OUT  THAT  WE'RE 

NOT  STANDING  ON  THE  LEDGE  ALONE. 


the  audience — men  and  women  alike — came  over  and 
told  me  how  moved  they  were  by  my  courage  and  con- 
fession. They  admitted  to  similar  bouts  of  despair  and 
spoke  of  how  helpless  and  afraid  they  were,  how 
ashamed  to  have  those  feelings. 

I  first  mentioned  my  depression  in  2002  in  my 
third  book,  A  Plentiful  Harvest:  Creating  Balance  and 
Harmony  through  the  Seven  Living  Virtues.  But  even 
then  I  was  afraid  to  speak  candidly  about  my  struggle. 
Then  God  said  to  me,  "You  have  to  tell  others  about 
your  depression,  Terrie."  I  can't  begin  to  express  how 
incredibly  liberating  it  was  to  accept  God's  challenge. 
In  June  2005  I  wrote  an  article  about  my  depression 
for  Essence.  I  was  not  prepared  for  the  reaction.  To 
date,  I  have  received  over  ten  thousand  letters  from 
people  of  all  walks  of  life,  and  they  are  still  coming  in 
as  if  the  article  ran  yesterday. 


we  are  on  the  journey,  because  revelation  leads  to 
recovery.  I  now  know  that  it  is  only  through  sharing 
our  stories  that  we  will  find  healing,  starting  with  one 
another  and  then  extending  to  our  community. 

When  we  open  our  lives,  we  find  out  that  we're  not 
standing  on  the  ledge  alone — we're  surrounded  by 
hundreds  of  others.  That  ledge  is  so  crowded,  the  con- 
crete is  breaking! 

That's  exactly  why  I  want  to  use  my  voice  and  God's 
grace  to  create  a  sanctuary  for  people  to  tell  their  truths, 
understand  their  calling,  and  reach  their  lull  potential. 
As  we  unburden  ourselves,  one  truth-telling  session  at  a 
time,  we  move  closer  to  the  divine  plan  the  Creator  has 
for  each  of  us.  There's  a  reason  God  allows  us  to  walk 
through  difficult  circumstances:  it's  so  we  can  use  our 
pain  for  the  purpose  of  transformation — so  we  can  lift 
each  other  up.  If  I  hadn't  survived  the  hell  I  found 


32 


Braiuii'is  rni\(^rsit\  Magazine  |  Smniner  "07 


m)'sclf  in  rwo  years  ago,  I  wouldn't  be  able  to  tell  you 
that  there's  a  miracle  on  the  other  side  of  the  storm. 

Whenever  I  start  to  feel  overwhelmed  by  this  chal- 
lenge I've  taken  on,  this  responsibility  I've  been 
given,  I  look  at  that  childhood  photograph  of  me  as 
Esther.  I  remind  mvself  that  when  Esther  became 
queen,  she  thought  things  would  be  smooth  from 
there  on  in — she  didn't  know  she'd  be  called  upon  to 
reveal  her  Jewish  heritage  and  sacrifice  her  own  com- 
fort to  save  her  people.  Once  she  decided  to  do  it, 
though,  she  understood  that  she  was  not  burdened 
with  responsibility,  but  blessed  with  the  opportunity 
to  help  the  people  she  loved.  I  am  inspired  by 
Esther — the  queen  in  the  Bible  and  myself  as  a  little 
kid.  I  will  talk  about  pain  and  depression  because  so 


many  ot  my  people  and  so  many  others  are  dying. 
I  will  not  stop  talking  about  them,  and  I  will  not  rest 
until  we  can  freely  speak  our  pain  without  shame, 
because  I  am  a  woman  on  fire. 

We  all  wear  masks  at  some  point  in  our  lives.  It's 
time  to  take  them  off 

Terrie  Williams's  new  book,  Black  Pain:  It  Just  Looks 
Like  We're  Not  Hurting,  will  be  released  by  Scribner 
Books  (Simon  &  Schuster)  in  January  2008.  Earlier  pub- 
lished  volumes  include  The  Personal  Touch:  What  You 
Really  Need  to  Succeed  in  Today's  Fast-Paced  Business 
World;  A  Plentiful  Harvest:  Creating  Balance  and 
Harmony  through  the  Seven  Living  Virtues;  rfW  Stay 
Strong:  Simple  Lile  Lessons  for  Teens. 


SiliinlHT '()"  I  liriinilri,  I  iiiMT>ily  Maga/illc 


33 


Three-time  Pulitzer  Prize  winner  Thomas  L.  Friedman  '75,  H'88,  advised  graduates 
at  Brandeis's  fifty-sixth  commencement  that  as  more  jobs  become  automated  by 
software  or  outsourced  to  other  countries,  it  is  more  essential  than  ever  that  grad- 
uates do  what  they  love. 
"The  good  jobs  that  remain  will  be  those  that  demand  or  encourage  some 
uniquely  human  creative  flair,  passion,  and  imagination,"  he  said.  "In  other  words,  jobs  that 
can  only  be  done  by  people  who  love  what  they  do  and  bring  something  extra  to  that  work." 

Friedman,  a  foreign  affairs  columnist  for  the  New  York  Times,  told  more  than  one  thousand 
members  of  the  Class  of  2007  that  how  they  do  things — from  putting  together  a  resume  and 
writing  letters  to  collaborating  and  keeping  promises  they  make — is  just  as  important  as  what 
they  do.  He  urged  them  to  start  building  a  solid  character  and  reputation  early.  Today's  wired 
and  transparent  society  doesn't  permit  many  second  chances,  he  said. 

"When  everyone  can  blog  with  their  laptop,  when  everyone  can  be  a  paparazzi  with  their  cell 
phone  camera,  and  everyone  can  be  a  movie  maker  with  their  YouTube  site,  it  means  that  every- 
one else  is  a  public  figure,"  Friedman  said.  "As  individuals  are  able  to  create  more  of  their  own 
content  in  digital  form,  and  search  engines  and  computers  get  better  at  sitting  and  storing  all 
of  that  digital  content,  the  Internet  is  becoming  a  kind  of  permanent  record." 


34 


BriiiiileU  llniversil\   \hii:aziiii'  |  Siiniiin-r  ()7 


COMMENCEMENT 


-s^^ 


iHiPjiiiiTj  r"l 


^Jr^. 


r-^l 


■^^<^ 


-^--^ 


LOVE... 

...  and  other  pearls  of  wisdom  from  commencement  speaker  Tliomas  Friedman 


Photographij  bij  Mike  Lovett  and  Justin  Knight 


SunitiuT   ()"*  I  Ur;iti(li*is  Iniversil)   Majzaziiic  35 


iH 


Friedman,  a  member  of  the  Brandeis  Board  of  Trustees, 
also  shared  a  number  of  the  lessons  he  has  learned  in  more 
than  twenty-five  years  as  a  journalist.  People  often  ask  him 
how  he  is  able  to  operate  in  the  Arab  and  Mushm  world  as  an 
American  Jew.  The  secret,  he  said,  is  being  a  good  listener. 

"You  can  get  away  with 
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  really  disagreeing  with  peo- 

ple as  long  as  you  show 
them  the  respect  of  really 
listening  to  what  they  have 
to  say  and  taking  it  into 
account  when  and  if  it 
makes  sense,"  Friedman 
said.  "I'm  always  impressed 
by  how  much  you  can  tem- 
per their  anger  and  open 
some   ears   by   just   starting 


Six  for  Success 

Tom  Friedman's  six  rules  for  succeeding  in  a  job: 

1.  Do  what  you  love.  "One  hundred 
percent  of  people  who  do  what  they 
love,  love  what  they  do,  and  that  means 
that  they  are  always  well  paid,  either 
emotionally  or  financially." 

2.  Never  be  afraid  to  work  for  UPI. 

"There  is  simply  nothing  like  starting  at 
the  bottom  of  whatever  field  you're  in 
and  working  your  way  up  by  building  a 
foundation  of  competence,  one  brick  at 
a  time." 

3.  Be  a  good  listener.  "You  can  get 
away  with  disagreeing  with  people  as 
long  as  you  show  them  the  respect  of 
really  listening  to  what  they  have  to  say 
and  taking  it  into  account,  when  and  if 
it  makes  sense." 

4.  Always  be  nice  to  the  help.  "Paul 
Wolfowitz  is  out  of  a  job  today  at  the 
World  Bank  not  because  he  violated 
some  ethics  rules  with  his  girlfriend — 
he  could  have  survived  that — but 
because  he  was  not  nice  to  the  help." 

5.  How  you  do  things  today  really 
matters  more  than  ever.  "Do  you 

imagine  for  a  second  that  George  W. 
Bush  would  ever  have  been  elected  pres- 
ident if  there  were  cell-phone  cameras 
at  Yale  thirty  years  ago?" 

6.  Always  remember  there  is  a  differ- 
ence between  skepticism  and  cyni- 
cism. "The  skeptic  says,  'I  do  not  think 
that's  true;  I'm  going  to  check  it  out.' 
The  cynic  says,  'I  know  that's  not  true, 
it  couldn't  be,  I  am  going  to  slam  him 
or  her.'" 


your  answers  to  their  questions  with  the  phrase,  'You're 
making  a  legitimate  point,'  or  'I  hear  what  you  say,'  and 
really  meaning  it." 

After  the  university  awarded  1,440  degrees — 809  bache- 
lor's, 538  master's,  and  93  doctorates — blue  and  white  bal- 
loons fell  from  the  ceiling  of  the  Gosman  Sports  and 
Convocation  Center  as  the  award-winning  Branches  Pan 
Groove  Steel  Orchestra  played  celebratory  music  for  the 
newest  class  of  alumni. 

Graduating  students  from  the  Graduate  School  of  Arts  and 
Sciences,  the  Heller  School  for  Social  Policy  and  Manage- 
ment, and  the  International  Business  School  also  took  part  in 
the  ceremony. 

Honorary  degrees  were  presented  to  four  individuals  for 
their  contributions  to  their  respective  fields:  author  Joyce 
Carol  Oates;  biologist  Judah  Folkman;  former  Canadian  jus- 
tice minister  Irwin  Coder;  and  architect  Daniel  Libeskind. 


A  Call  to  Arms 


Following  are  excerpted  remarks  delivered  by 
President  Jehuda  Reinharz  at  the  university's 
ftfiy-sixth  commencement. 

Today  is  a  joyous  occasion  for  all  of  us,  and  we 
have  a  great  deal  to  celebrate.  But  I  hope  you 
will  permit  me  to  discuss  a  very  serious  topic 
that  has  touched  college  students  everywhere. 
As  you  all  know,  a  ttagedy  occurred  five  weeks 
ago — the  murder  on  an  American  campus  of 
thirty-two  innocent  students  and  faculty  and 
the  suicide  by  the  perpetrator,  a  fellow  stu- 
dent. The  whole  world  responded  to  this 
tragedy.  Why? 


Why  did  the  pope  send  a  message  of  condo- 
lence? Why  did  students  across  America  react 
with  such  anguish?  Why  was  this  event  on  the 
front  page  of  every  major  newspaper  in  this 
country  and  abroad  for  days  on  end?  Why  is 
this  more  than  an  isolated,  horrific  event? 

After  all,  we  wake  up  almost  every  morning 
to  news  that  there  has  been  a  suicide  bombing 
somewhere  in  the  world,  often  with  as  many 
as  one  hundred  or  more  victims. 

Is  this  shocked  reaction  to  the  campus  mas- 
sacre a  consequence  of  our  shattered  belief 
that  campuses  are  supposed  to  be  oases  of 
peace,  oases  of  reasoned  dialogue  and  rational- 
ity, and  not  sites  of  violence  and  mayhem?  Is  it 
the  location  that  is  so  shocking? 

Your  young  lives  have  been  touched  by 
shocking  events:  the  Columbine  High  School 
shootings,  the  attack  on  the  World  Trade  Cen- 
ter, and  the  bombing  at  Oklahoma  City.  You 
have  seen  the  terrible  destruction  of  a  tsunami 
and  the  devastation  ot  Hurricane  Katrina — 
and  the  outpouring  of  grief,  sympathy,  and 
support  that  accompanied  and  immediately 
followed  each  of  these  events — and  then  a 
return  to  business  as  usual.  And  last  month, 
after  Virginia  Tech,  many  declared  that  they 
had  had  enough.  We  were,  and  we  stand, 
ready  for  a  change. 

Consider  the  following:  What  would  the 
world  be  like  it  we  responded  to  the  daily 
events  in  the  Sudan,  in  Iraq,  in  Zimbabwe,  in 
China,  in  Russia,  or  in  Chad  as  we  did  to  the 


36 


liiiiiidci.s  I  iii\iT?,il\   Mjijiia/irit'  I  .Suiiinu-r  07 


COMMENCEMENT 


Author  David  Halberstam  had  been  scheduled  to  receive  an  hon- 
orary degree  and  deUver  the  commencement  speech  but  was  killed  in  a 
car  accident  on  April  23  in  Menlo  Park,  California. 

President  Jehuda  Reinharz,  PhD72,  addressing  the  crowd  ot  about 
seven  thousand,  reflected  on  the  recent  tragedy  at  Virginia  Tech,  and 
challenged  graduates  to  do  what  they  can  to  care  for  themselves  and 
each  other  and  to  safeguard  and  protect  their  communities.  He  called 
on  each  of  them  to  think  about  how  his  or  her  chosen  career  can  con- 
tribute to  illuminating  and  eliminating  the  roots  of  tragedy  [see 
remarks,  page  38]. 

Senior  class  speaker  Jonathan  Krisch  '07  urged  his  classmates  to  con- 
tinue engaging  in  responsible,  ethical  dialogue  after  they  leave  Brandeis. 

"Use  your  mouth,  voice  your  own  opinion,  of  course.  But  also  use 
your  ears  to  listen  to  other  views,"  he  said.  "Use  your  Brandeis- 
enhanced  brain  to  analyze  those  perspectives,  and  use  your  heart  to 
hold  on  to  your  moral  values." 

— Carrie  Simmons 


event  at  Virginia  Tech?  What  would  happen  if 
we  had  a  moment  of  silence  every  time  we 
heard  about  a  massacre  in  these  countries  and 
others?  What  would  happen  if  there  was  a 
moment  ot  silence  for  every  murder  shortly 
after  it  occurred  in  Boston?  Or  in  New  York? 
Or  any  other  American  city?  Would  we  live  in 
a  world  ot  near-complete  silence?  Or  simply,  a 
better  world? 

I  think  that  what  touched  our  community 
here  at  Brandeis  about  the  events  at  Virginia 
Tech  is  that  we  understood  that  this  kind  of 
mayhem  can  happen  anywhere,  even  here. 

The  people  who  were  murdered  were  very 
much  like  ourselves.  Young  people,  faculty, 
staff,  all  with  dreams  and  aspirations  that  were 
highlighted  in  the  small  and  poignant  biogra- 
phies that  appeared  in  the  newspapers. 

The  tragedy  in  Virginia  raises  questions  that 
we,  ourselves,  must  address,  particularly  at  a 
place  like  Brandeis  that  cares  so  much  about 
community  and  so  often  speaks  about  the 
Brandeis  family. 

Are  we,  in  fact,  responsible  enough  for  each 
other?  Do  we  care  enough  about  the  collective 
human  spirit  to  be  able  to  prevent  similar  inci- 
dents? Do  we  understand  what  went  wrong?  Is 
it  even  possible  to  change  the  course  of  events? 

In  1957,  at  the  peak  ot  the  cold  war,  the 
Russians  put  up  Spumik,  the  world's  first  arti- 
ficial space  satellite.  In  the  United  States, 
Americans  were  shocked  and  fearful  at  the 
Russian    accomplishment.    In    response,    the 


U.S.  government  launched  a  program  to 
intensify  and  improve  science  and  math  edu- 
cation in  this  country.  We  in  the  United  States 
responded  to  the  challenges  of  Russian  success 
in  outer  space  with  a  commitment  to  master 
outer  space  ourselves. 

What  happened  at  Virginia  Tech  may  never 
be  fully  understood,  but  the  Virginia  Tech 
tragedy  should  represent  the  same  kind  ot 
wake-up  call  and  challenge  to  the  United 
States  as  Sputnik  did.  The  challenge  in  this 
case  is  to  discern  and  understand  what  we  can 
do  as  a  community  to  care  for  ourselves  and 
each  other,  to  safeguard  and  protect  our  com- 
munities as  we  would  our  families  of  origin  or 
our  Brandeis  family.  In  other  words,  this 
generation  can  succeed  in  taking  care  of  our 
collective  "inner  space"  the  same  way  the  last 
great  generation  addressed  the  issue  of 
exploring  "outer  space." 

I  am  raising  these  questions  today  in  part 
because  this  past  week,  a  young  man,  whom  I 
thought  I  knew  well,  was  so  distraught  that  he 
took  his  own  life.  I  and  others  who  knew  him 
are  deeply  shaken  by  what  he  decided  to  do. 

Some  might  say  that  murder,  suicide, 
tragedy,  and  mayhem  are  simply  the  human 
condition.  But  I  am  not  satisfied  with  this 
response.  So  1  would  like  you,  as  you  prepare 
to  go  forward  into  the  world  beyond  Brandeis, 
to  join  me  in  a  call  to  arms — not  military 
arms,  but  embracing  arms.  Embracing  each 
other  and  embracing  our  mutual  dissatisfac- 


tion with  the  status  quo.  I  would  like  our  cam- 
puses, workplaces,  and  schools  to  be  safe 
places,  physically  and  emotionally,  and  you,  as 
bright,  talented,  and  caring  Brandeis  alumni, 
can  help  lead  the  way. 

So  here  is  my  call:  for  each  ot  you  to  think 
about  how  your  chosen  future  career  can 
contribute  to  illuminating  and  eliminating 
the  roots  of  tragedy.  If  you  plan  to  enter  a 
medical  field,  see  what  you  can  do  to  treat 
people  as  people  with  minds  and  hearts,  not 
just  isolated  physical  symptoms.  If  you  plan 
to  enter  the  legal  field,  you  can  be  helpful  in 
representing  those  who  are  forgotten, 
ignored,  or  disenfranchised.  There  are  ways 
for  those  of  you  going  on  to  careers  in  busi- 
ness, social  work,  social  policy,  media,  the 
arts,  the  social  sciences,  and  almost  any  other 
field  to  build  community  and  connections 
among  people. 

We  need  to  think  of  Virginia  Tech  as  our 
Sputnik,  our  call  to  action.  I  have  complete 
confidence  that  this  highly  educated  group  of 
students  graduating  today  and  your  genera- 
tion as  a  whole  are  up  to  this  challenge.  1  know 
that  you  have  acquired  both  an  excellent  edu- 
cation at  Brandeis  and  a  honing  of  your  val- 
ues. I  know  that  you  care  about  the  impact 
you  will  have  on  society.  I  trust  you  to  apply 
your  minds  and  hearts  to  the  pressing  needs  of 
our  world  today. 

You  have  achieved  so  much  already,  but 
your  true  challenges  lie  ahead  of  you. 


SuiiiiMi-i-  (17  I  liraiiilri-  I  iiiM'i>ii\   NhLiiii/iiir 


37 


Irwin  Cotler 


Judah  Folkman 


Daniel  Lilieskind 


Joijce  Carol  Dales 


Honorari]  Degree  Citations 


IRWIN  COTLER 
Doctor  oi  Laws 

Educator,  scholar,  and  human  rights 
activist;  counsel  to  prisoners  of  conscience; 
advocate  for  peace  and  justice. 

For  more  than  thirty-five  years,  you  have  tire- 
lessly defended  the  defenseless.  Your  clients 
range  from  the  political  prisoners  of  China, 
Russia,  Egypt,  Peru,  and  Indonesia  to  the  chil- 
dren, minorities,  and  women  of  your  native 
Canada.  You  have  earned  the  title  "counsel  for 
the  oppressed,"  testified  as  an  expert  witness 
on  human  rights  before  national  legislatures  in 
the  United  States,  Canada,  Russia,  Israel,  Swe- 
den, and  Norway,  and  lectured  on  human 
rights  before  academic  and  professional  bodies 
throughout  the  world.  You  have  molded  legis- 
lation that  protects  children  and  attacks  traf- 
ficking in  persons.  A  leading  advocate  of  the 
human  rights  agenda,  you  have  made  pursuit 
of  international  justice  a  priority  and  have 
been  influential  in  combating  mass  atrocit)' 
and  ethnic  slaughter  in  the  former  Yugoslavia, 
in  Rwanda,  and  in  Dartur.  A  member  of  the 
Parliament  of  Canada  since  1999,  you  also 
served  as  your  nation's  minister  of  justice  and 
attorney  general.  For  your  boundless  commit- 
ment to  the  struggle  for  peace,  justice,  and 
human  rights,  Brandeis  University  is  proud  to 
bestow  upon  you  its  highest  honor. 


JUDAH  FOLKMAN 
Doctor  oi  Science 

Distinguished  researcher  and  educator, 
visionary  scientist,  cancer  warrior. 

The  son  of  a  rabbi,  you  observed  your  father's 
spiritual  ministering  to  the  sick  in  hospitals 
and  resolved  as  a  young  child  to  become  a 
physician.  Through  your  innovative  cancer 
research  work  at  Harvard  Medical  School  and 
Children's  Hospital,  you  have  dedicated  your 
lite  to  defeating  one  of  the  great  killers  of  our 


time.  In  1971,  in  a  seminal  article  in  the  New 
England  Journal  of  Medicine,  you  advanced  the 
hypothesis  that  tumors  recruit  their  own  ded- 
icated blood  supply  through  the  formation  of 
new  vessels  to  become  malignant,  and  that 
tumors  secrete  chemical  factors  that  promote 
new  blood-vessel  growth.  You  called  this 
process  "angiogenesis"  and  undertook  to 
develop  drugs  that  would  inhibit  cancer's 
deadly  disease  course.  Your  seminal  work  led 
to  the  development  of  angiogenesis  inhibitors, 
a  new  class  of  drugs  for  the  trearment  of  can- 
cer and  macular  degeneration.  Father  of  a 
major  field  of  research  and  therapy  that  is 
saving  lives  around  the  world,  you  give  new 
hope  to  sufferers  of  cancer,  macular  degenera- 
tion, and  other  diseases.  For  your  singular  sci- 
entific creativity  and  dedication  to  fighting 
cancer,  Brandeis  University  is  proud  to  bestow 
upon  you  its  highest  honor. 


DANIEL  LIBESKIND 
Doctor  oi  Humane  Letters 

Internationally  acclaimed  architect, 
educator,  visionary. 

A  man  of  singular  talents,  you  studied  music 
and  became  a  virtuoso  performer  before 
turning  to  the  study  of  architecture.  On  the 
world  stage,  you  have  used  your  architectural 
work  to  promote  international  understanding 
and  peace.  In  1989,  you  won  the  competition 
for  the  Jewish  Museum  Berlin,  which  opened 
to  wide  public  acclaim.  In  2001,  you  were  the 
first  architect  to  receive  the  Hiroshima  Art 
Prize,  an  award  presented  to  an  artist  whose 
work  promotes  international  understanding 
and  peace.  Two  years  later,  you  won  the  compe- 
tition tor  the  master  plan  to  rebuild  upon  the 
World  Trade  Center  site.  Today,  your  masterful 
architectural  designs  can  be  seen  in  major  cul- 
tural and  commercial  institutions,  in  museums 
and  concert  halls,  in  housing,  hotels,  universi- 


ties, and  convention  centers.  Among  your 
celebrated  works  are  the  Denver  Art  Museum 
in  the  United  States,  the  Imperial  War  Museum 
of  the  North  in  the  United  Kingdom,  and  the 
Wohl  Centre  at  Bar-Ilan  University  in  Israel. 
Well  known  for  introdticing  a  new  critical  dis- 
course into  architecture,  you  have  influenced  a 
generation  of  practitioners  and  those  interested 
in  the  future  development  of  cities  and  culture. 
Brandeis  University  is  proud  to  bestow  upon 
you  its  highest  honor. 


JOYCE  CAROL  DATES 
Doctor  oi  Humane  Letters 

Educator,  prodigious  author,  keen 
social  observer. 

Telling  stories — whether  about  middle-class 
intellectuals  attracted  to  prisoners,  a  mother- 
less teenager  trying  to  right  her  life,  or  a  strug- 
gling family  caught  in  the  intolerance  of  the 
1950s — marks  your  craft,  one  that  has  justly 
earned  you  a  National  Book  Award  and  three 
Pulitzer  Prize  nominations.  You  are  extraordi- 
narily prolific  in  the  variety  of  your  genres,  the 
scope  of  your  subjects,  and  the  sheer  number 
of  your  works,  and  your  unflinching  gaze 
upon  racism,  poverty,  sexual  politics,  alien- 
ation, urban  violence,  and  guilt  deepened  the 
power  and  the  impact  of  your  work.  In  addi- 
tion to  having  produced  scores  ot  novels,  short 
stories,  plays,  poetry,  essays,  and  young  peo- 
ple's literature,  you  are  the  Roger  S.  Berlind 
Professor  in  the  Humanities  at  Princeton  Uni- 
versity, where  you  share  with  students  your 
insights  into  the  human  condition.  Readers 
have  come  to  depend  on  you  to  speak  about 
our  world  with  sympathy  and  clarity,  in  pow- 
erful, often  heartbreaking  narratives  that  speak 
to  us  across  generations.  In  acknowledgment 
of  your  versatility  and  the  power  of  your  liter- 
ary voice,  Brandeis  University  is  proud  to 
bestow  upon  you  its  highest  honor. 


38 


IJramlcis  I  [ii\(M?,il\   \lafiii/iin'  |  SiimtniT   07 


COMMENCEMENT 


'57  Varieties  of  Fun 


Jeannie  Lieberman  '57  found  love  at  her  50th  Reunion. 

"People  are  telling  stories  about  me  that  I  don't  even  remember,  but 
after  hearing  them,  I'm  tailing  in  love  with  the  girl  that  1  was,"  she  said 
with  a  laugh.  "It's  surprising  and  gratifying  to  know  that  I  had  an 
impact  on  people  and  that  their  memories  are  still  so  vivid.  I  have  a 
renewed  love  for  my  Brandeis  friends  both  old  and  new. " 

In  mid-May,  Lieberman  and  125  other  members  ot  the  Brandeis 
Class  of  '57  returned  to  the  place  they  called  home  a  half-century  ago 
to  reminisce  about  their  time  together,  update  each  other  on  their  lives, 
and  make  vows  to  return  in  five  years  for  their  55th  Reunion. 

"Accepting  my  age  has  been  tough,  but  being  with  these  people  at  my 
50th  Reunion  is  beyond  vanity, "  Lieberman  said.  "I'll  go  back  with  a 
sense  of  pride  after  Reunion  is  over.  Nothing  can  ever  erase  the  exhilara- 
tion of  being  cheered  and  applauded  during  the  graduation  procession." 

The  Reunion,  led  by  committee  chair  Richard  Kaufman  '57,  so  ener- 
gized the  Class  of  '57  that  discussions  have  begun  about  scheduling 
mini-reunions  in  different  parts  of  the  country. 

For  football  stars  Jim  Stehlin  '57  and  Dick  Bergel  '57,  returning  to 
campus  triggered  memories  of  past  glory  on  the  gridiron — and  the  man 
who  made  it  all  possible.  Hall  of  Fame  coach  Benny  Friedman. 


"I  was  in  awe  of  him,"  Stehlin  said.  "He  had  a  great  football  mind, 
but  taught  us  more  about  life.  I  was  fortunate  to  have  had  the  oppor- 
tunity to  play  for  him.  Both  he  and  Brandeis  had  a  tremendous  influ- 
ence on  me." 

"All  of  us  who  played  for  Benny  Friedman  have  a  special  bond,"  said 
Bergel,  who  served  as  vice  chair  of  the  50th  Reunion  Committee.  "It 
was  a  special  time  when  'little  of  Brandeis'  was  beating  schools  like 
New  Hampshire  and  UMass." 

While  the  Reunion  attendees  had  no  trouble  recognizing  their  class- 
mates— even  some  they  had  not  seen  in  fifty  years — the  same  could  not 
be  said  for  their  level  of  familiarity  with  the  campus. 

"I'm  totally  lost,  but  in  a  good  way,"  said  John  Crosby  '57,  who  last 
visited  campus  for  his  25th  Reunion.  "The  campus  is  covered  with 
buildings  now.  Brandeis  has  come  a  long  way." 

To  Mimi  Bergel  '57,  vice  chair  of  the  50th  Reunion  Committee, 
Brandeis's  exterior  has  been  enhanced,  but  the  soul  remains  the  same. 

"I  think  everybody  is  proud  and  happy  about  the  way  Brandeis  has 
grown  and  developed,  but,  to  us,  it  still  feels  like  the  same  special 
place,"  she  said. 

— David  E.  Nathan 


From  kit:  Wijmie  Wolkenberg  Miller,  Mimi  Bergel,  Richard  Kaulman,  Dick  Bergel,  and  Jules  Bernstein. 


■••■'x,^^-'k::^ 


Increasinglij,  Brandeis  students  are  choosing  to  stud^  abroad 

GOING  PLACES 

What  on  earth  do  students  want  to  learn?  Whether  theij're  curious  about  the  secret  lives  oi  sharks  in  the  Caribbean, 
the  inner  workings  ot  the  British  stage,  or  the  Pentecostal  leanings  ol  the  Nicaraguan  proletariat,  Brandeis  can  help 

them  match  their  interest  to  the  wide  world  of  knowledge.  Each  gear,  about  35  percent  of  the  university's  juniors 
update  their  passports  and  set  out  in  search  of  greater  global  understanding.  That's  double  the  number  who  studied 
abroad  a  mere  decade  ago,  according  to  J.  Scott  Van  Der  Meid,  director  ol  the  Study  Abroad  office,  which  helps  place 
and  support  students  in  some  250  programs  operating  in  G9  countries.  Here,  three  members  of  the  Glass  of  2007  who 

did  part  of  their  undergraduate  studies  overseas  share  their  experiences  of  living  and  learning  in  another  land. 


Profiles  by  Theresa  Pease   ■  Photographs  by  Mike  Lovett 


Jacob  Olidort 

From  9/11  Horror  to  Fulbright  Scholar 

Jacob  Olidort's  world  used  to  resemble  one  ot  thiose  old  posters  that 
depicts  Mantiattan  as  the  center  of  the  universe,  the  rest  of  the  plan- 
et telescoped  humbly  beyond  its  corners.  True,  his  Orthodox  Jewish 
parents  had  both  been  born  in  Russia,  and  his  dad  had  entered  the 
United  States  by  way  of  Israel.  But  Olidort  lived  on  the  Upper  East 
Side,  attended  a  private  Jewish  high  school  around  the  corner  from 
the  Metropolitan  Museum,  and  spent  his  time  pursuing  interests  in 
theater  and  singing.  He  was  on  track  to  become  the  consummate  life- 
long New  Yorker. 

Then  came  the  morning  of  September  11,  2001,  near  the  start  of 
Olidort's  eleventh-grade  year,  when  his  father,  a  civil  engineer,  went  off 
to  work  and  almost  didn't  come  home.  Fortunately,  the  older  Olidort 
left  his  office  on  the  ninety-first  floor  of  the  World  Trade  Center's  south 
tower — the  second  to  be  hit  and  the  first  to  collapse — for  a  meeting  on 
the  fifty-fifth  floor  of  the  north  tower,  just  five  floors  below  where  the 
first  of  two  hijacked  planes  hit  the  complex. 

For  him,  it  was  a  sad  but  lucky  day.  For  his  son,  it  was  "a  rude  awak- 
ening about  the  global  nature  of  Judaism  and  Islam,"  the  May  gradu- 
ate now  recalls.  The  boy  became  a  news  junkie,  and  the  more  he  knew 
the  more  his  thirst  for  knowledge  grew.  Already  fluent  in  Hebrew,  he 
took  an  Arabic  course  as  a  Brandeis  sophomore  and  soon  fell  in  love 
with  Arabic  literature,  culture,  and  dialects.  Setting  aside  his  interest  in 
theater  and  later  his  performance  career  with  the  group  Jewish  Fella  A 


Cappeila,  he  declared  a  major  in  Middle  East  studies  and  history  and 
began  writing  opinion  pieces  in  that  area  for  the  student  newspaper  the 
Justice,  which  he  served  as  news  editor.  Then,  frustrated  by  what  he  saw 
as  "a  vacuum  for  a  cooperative,  non-partisan  forum  on  campus  for 
Middle  East  issues, "  he  took  a  giant  step  forward  as  a  first-semester  jun- 
ior to  establish  the  Brandeis  Middle  East  Review.  The  magazine,  for 
which  Olidort  secured  funding  through  Brandeis's  Crown  Center  for 
Middle  East  Studies  and  the  Student  Finance  Board,  features  commen- 
tary on  the  news,  politics,  religion,  and  culture  of  the  region  developed 
by  a  staff  that  includes  Jews,  Christians,  and  Muslims. 

While  Olidort  derived  satisfaction  from  the  venture,  which  he  says 
provided  him  "a  way  to  contribute  something  to  the  development  of  a 
young  university,"  he  soon  decided  he  had  to  view  the  situation  up 
close.  Having  already  been  to  Israel,  he  signed  on  to  spend  the  fol- 
lowing semester  at  the  American  University  in  Cairo,  where  he  studied 
Egyptian  and  Aramaic  languages  and  Islamic  law.  In  Egypt's  largely 
benign  milieu,  he  also  had  opportunities  to  visit  the  Sahara  Desert,  the 
historic  monuments  at  Luxor,  and  the  Suez  Canal. 

One  of  only  two  U.S.  citizens  in  in  one  particular  class  dominated  by 
Saudis,  Syrians,  and  other  Middle  Easterners,  he  often  found  himself 
called  upon  to  interpret  American  foreign  policy  to  his  classmates — 
having  to  answer,  for  example,  for  the  U.S.  government's  involvement 
in  Iraq.  But  if  being  an  American  was  only  mildly  awkward  in  Cairo, 


40 


liiJiHtli'i-'  I  iiivtTsity  Magazine  |  Siiititiin-  '^)~! 


COMMENCEMENT 


being  a  Jew — and  an  Orthodox  Jew — was  a  closely  held  secret.  In 
Egypt,  Olidort  confided  his  ethnicit)'  to  just  one  or  two  fiiends,  and  on 
a  side  trip  to  Lebanon  he  told  no  one.  Warned  that  merely  being  an 
American  would  make  him  a  target  in  Beirut,  he  communicated  prin- 
cipally in  French,  confident  his  fair  skin  and  light  hair  would  help  him 
pass  for  a  European.  Still,  a  friendly  Christian  taxi  driver  told  Olidort 
he'd  made  a  potentially  fatal  error  by  revealing  his  U.S.  citizenship  to  a 
cabbie  of  dubious  affiliation  who  had  promised  to  take  him  into  the 
mountains  near  Syria — Hezbollah  territory.  Olidort  scuttled  the  trip, 
shaken  by  what  he  believes  was  a  close  brush  with  danger. 

Despite  the  fear,  Olidort  places  high  value  on  his  experience  in  the 
Middle  East.  His  studies  there  broadened  his  worldview,  and — to  his 
own  surprise — deepened  both  his  sense  of  identity  as  an  American  and 
his  pride  in  his  Russian,  Israeli,  and  Jewish  heritage. 

Moreover,  his  educational  travels  confirmed  his  passion  for  the 
region  and  solidified  his  determination  to  become  a  Middle  East 


"It  would  surprise  most  Americans  to 
understand  the  complexity  of  the  Islamic 
law  and  culture.  It's  not  all  ahout  people 
chopping  off  heads." 


specialist  in  academe.  Upon  returning  from  Cairo,  Olidort  penned  a 
senior  thesis  on  political  economy  and  the  Arab  media  and  applied  to 
Georgetown  University,  where  he  plans  to  complete  a  doctoral  program 
in  Middle  Eastern  studies. 

First,  though,  he  has  another  stop  to  make:  Just  days  before  gradua- 
tion, he  received  a  highly  competitive  Fulbright  Scholarship  for  study  at 


the  United  Arab  Emirates  University.  His  project  will  focus  on  Islamic 
legal  theory  and  the  building  ot  Islamic  society,  including  a  detailed 
study  of  the  Shariah,  or  religious,  courts  in  Abu  Dhabi  and  their  inter- 
play with  other  aspects  of  life  in  the  modern,  thriving  metropolis. 


"It  would  surprise  most  Americans, "  Olidort  says,  "to  understand  the 
complexity  of  the  Islamic  law  and  culture.  It's  not  all  about  people 
chopping  off  heads.  It's  more  about  seeking  out  an  elevated,  abstract 
concept  of  what  God  imagines  for  our  world. " 


^"t^^ 


Samantha  Levin 

Putting  Her  Anger  to  Work 

Talk  about  a  tickcd-oft  kid. 

Samantha  Levin  was  raised  in  highly  Republican  and  heavily  Catholic 
South  Bend,  Indiana,  where  her  father  was  in  the  scrap  metal  business. 

And  everywhere  she  looked,  she  saw  things  that  made  her  feel 
scrappy  as  well. 

"I  was  one  of  those  angry  people.  I  was  angry  about  war,  about  racial 
injustice,  about  women's  issues.  I  knew  the  fact  that  I  thought  abortion 
was  OK  drove  the  people  around  me  crazy,  and  I  had  no  idea  there  were 
places  like  Boston  where  people  were  not  socially  conservative.  I'd  never 
been  to  the  East  Coast.  I  believed  everyone  else  thought  the  same  way 
as  those  1  knew  in  South  Bend,  and  I  thought  maybe  I  might  just  be 
really  weird." 

Happily  for  Levin,  an  acquaintance  from  her  Jewish  youth  group  had 
enrolled  at  Brandeis,  so  she  obtained  a  view  book  and  read  about  the 
university  s  strong  social-justice  agenda. 


"It  was  a  fiuke  that  I  even  heard  of  the  school,  but  I  started  talking 
to  people  at  Brandeis,  and  they  said,  'Oh,  we  have  the  Feminist 
Majority  Group,  we  have  the  Radical  Student  Alliance,  and  we  have  six 
hundred  Israel-Palestine-Middle  East  rights  organizations  for  you  to 
pick  from.'  That  was  appealing, "  she  laughs. 

Although  Levin  had  performed  community  service  in  high  school,  it 
took  noncontroversial  forms  like  collecting  canned  goods  for  food 
pantries.  In  her  freshman  year  at  Brandeis,  her  inner  crusader  was 
unleashed  when,  as  she  tells  it,  "a  campus  publication  printed  the 
'N'  word  and  didn't  feel  a  need  to  apologize  for  it.  There  was  an  escala- 
tion of  people  not  getting  it,  and  pretty  soon  I  was  what  you  would  call 
a  highly  involved  student. " 

In  Waltham,  Levin  has  advocated  for  AIDS  prevention  measures, 
spearheading  a  gathering  that  attracted  three  hundred  people  in  eight 
hours  for  free  HIV  screening  and  prompted  eight  hundred  more  to 


SiiiMiiii'i D"  I  liiiiiiilii^  I  Mi\c-i'^ii\   \lii!;a/iiii 


41 


■fy-'!i;,L.-:ii"lf!^- 


masmmm^mk 


petition — successfully — tor  the  procedure  to  be  made  routinely  avail- 
able through  the  student  health  service.  She  has  also  been  active  in 
cross-cultural  life  on  campus,  serving,  for  example,  as  the  residential 
adviser  in  a  thematic  learning  community  comprising  international  stu- 
dents and  others  committed  to  the  idea  of  global  citizenship.  She  was  a 
driving  force  behind  a  2006  May  Day  Coalition  that  involved  showing 
solidarity  with  some  Brandeis  food  service  and  facilities  workers  who 
participated  in  a  daylong  national  strike  relating  to  immigration  issues. 


Levins  sense  of  justice  also  inspired  her  to  become  one  of  just  a 
handful  of  African  and  Afro-American  studies  majors  and  to  minor  in 
Latin  American  and  Latino  studies.  Then,  through  the  School  for 
International  Training,  located  in  Brattleboro,  Vermont,  she  decided 
to  spend  a  semester  in  Morocco. 

"I  picked  Morocco  because  I  had  studied  French,  Spanish,  and 
Arabic,  and  those  languages  are  used  there.  I  wanted  to  go  someplace 
where  people  wouldn't  automatically  speak  English  to  me  when  they 
saw  I  was  a  blonde;  I  also  wanted  to  go  somewhere  people  told  me  I 
should  not  go  because  it  was  dangerous,"  she  deadpans. 


Headquartered  in  ancient  Medina,  part  of  the  Moroccan  capital 
Rabat,  Levin  dwelt  with  a  host  mother  who  would  speak  to  her  only 
in  French;  a  sister  who  would  speak  only  in  Spanish;  and  another  sis- 
ter who,  eager  to  polish  her  own  command  of  a  foreign  language,  con- 
versed only  in  English.  Her  host  father  and  brother  addressed  her 
exclusively  in  Arabic. 

She  would  walk  each  day  to  the  Center  for  Cross-Cultural  Learning, 
housed  in  a  transformed  riad — one  of  a  cluster  of  homes  around  a  cen- 
tral courtj'ard.  The  center  provided  intensive  language  training  as  well 
as  immersion  into  Moroccan  and  Arabic  politics,  culture,  women's 
issues,  and  religion. 

During  rhe  program's  final  month,  Levin  set  off  to  do  an  independent 
research  project  on  AIDS  education  in  Morocco,  talking  with  people 
from  NGOs  and  with  Peace  Corps  volunteers  working  in  rural  areas.  She 
even  managed  to  score  a  telephone  interview  with  the  country's  minister 
of  health. 

Unlike  many  African  lands,  but  in  kinship  with  most  Muslim  coun- 
tries, Morocco  has  a  low  incidence  of  acquired  immune  deficiency  syn- 
drome, Levin  says,  explaining,  "They  are  extremely  serious  about 
addressing  AIDS  before  it  becomes  an  issue.  Their  stress  is  on  education 
and  prevention.  It's  really  hard  because  it  requires  talking  about  sex,  and 

"I  was  angry  about  war,  about  racial 
injustice,  about  women's  issues.  I  knew  tbe 
fact  that  I  thought  abortion  was  OK  drove 
the  people  around  me  crazy." 

people  in  Muslim  communities  don't  want  to  talk  about  sex,  especially 
in  a  mixed-gender  setting.  Still,  the  message  is  everywhere — you  even 
see  billboards  on  the  street." 

Levin,  who  hopes  to  pursue  a  career  in  international  sustainable  devel- 
opment, will  leave  for  an  unknown  destination  in  September,  when  she 
begins  a  rwenty-seven-month  stint  with  the  U.S.  Peace  Corps. 

"All  I  know  as  of  now  is  that  I  will  be  somewhere  in  sub-Saharan  Africa 
doing  public  health  work,  including  AIDS-focused  intervention  and  edu- 
cation," says  Levin,  who  calls  the  anticipation  "scary  and  exciting." 

"I  don't  know  what  to  do  if  I'm  not  helping  people,"  she  adds.  "I  feel 
like  everyrhing  else  is  a  wasre  of  my  time." 


Pesha  Black 

A  Circular  Journey  oi  Discoverij 

Pesha  Black's  mother,  a  first-generation  college  graduate,  supported  her 
family  alone  as  an  early-childhood  educator.  So,  not  surprisingly, 
working  with  children  was  on  Black's  short  list  of  things  she  didn't  want  to 
do.  But  after  a  journey  that  took  her  from  Northampton,  Massachusetts, 
to  Brandeis,  back  and  forth  across  the  equator,  into  mixed-ethnic  Waltham 


neighborhoods  and  even  into  Pentecostal  communities  in  the  Southern 
Hemisphere,  the  May  graduate  envisions  herself  becoming  an  elementary 
school  teacher.  Because  now,  she  says,  she  understands  the  connections. 

Originally  a  fine  arrs  major.  Black  found  her  life  changed  by  a  few 
serendipitous  course  selections  and  her  random  assignment  to  a  freshman 


42 


liramlriM  L  riivftsiiv  Mat; 


I  Sununer  07 


COMMENCEMENT 


adviser  who  chaired  Latin  American  studies.  Unconsciously,  she  lined  up 
an  array  of  courses  that  would  count  toward  a  major  in  that  department, 
including  Latin  American  history,  an  anthropology  class  that  introduced 
development  theory,  and  Spanish.  In  her  freshman  February,  she  joined  a 
dozen  or  so  other  Brandeisians  for  a  ten-day  American  Jewish  World  Ser- 
vice trip  to  Nicaragua  and  realized  shed  found  a  new  calling — not  to 
mention  a  new  feeling  of  being  at  home  away  from  home. 

"We  were  working  at  a  women's  cooperative  that  included  a  clinic 
and  shelter.  We  mixed  cement,  fixed  chairs,  and  rebuilt  homes  that  had 
been  damaged  in  a  hurricane.  We  spent  time  with  kids,  and  we  con- 
structed a  basketball  court.  It  was  the  first  time  I'd  ever  tested  my 

"It's  about  liberation  here  and  now,  liberation 
on  this  earth.  Sometimes  it's  referred  to  as  a 
Christian-Marxist  revolution  because  the  faith 
and  the  social  movement  are  really  linked." 

Spanish  in  a  real-world  situation,  and  it  was  good.  I  also  was  fascinated 
by  the  history  of  the  area  and  the  cooperative,"  Black  says. 

After  declaring  a  Latin  American  history  major,  she  decided  to  return 
to  Nicaragua  for  her  junior  year.  The  lone  overseas-study  program  in 
her  chosen  country,  though,  was  a  single-semester  experience  offered  by 
the  School  for  International  Training.  She  enrolled  in  it,  and  then 
arranged  to  spend  her  second  term  studying  in  Chile  in  order  to  have  a 
full  year's  language  immersion  experience. 

In  Nicaragua,  Black  was  quartered  at  Universidad  Centroamericana. 
She  studied  the  history,  social  movements,  politics,  and  economics  of 
the  decade  that  began  in  1979  with  the  overthrow  of  the  forty-year 
Somoza  dictatorship  by  the  Sandinistas.  Living  with  a  local  family  in 
the  capital  city  of  Managua,  she  found  her  understanding  of  both  the 
language  and  the  subject  matter  blossom. 

"You  could  study  those  things  right  here  in  Waltham,"  she  says,  "but 
when  you  study  abroad,  everything  feels  absolutely  connected — there  is 
no  longer  a  barrier  between  inside  and  outside  the  school;  the  learning 
is  absolutely  seamless,  and  what  you  are  doing  in  the  classroom  sup- 
ports what  you  experience  outside. " 

The  program  also  included  a  weeklong  foray  into  rural  Nicaragua,  as 
well  as  independent  fieldwork  experience.  Black's  research  on  the  growth 
oi  Pentecostalism,  an  evangelical  Protestant  sect,  in  what  was  once  a 
solidly  Catholic  country  provided  the  fodder  for  her  senior  thesis. 

Jewish  by  heritage,  Black  surprised  even  herself  with  her  choice 
of  subject.  "1  thought  I  was  going  to  study  something  like  women  and 
labor  unions,"  she  says,  "but  when  I  got  to  Nicaragua,  I  became 
intrigued  to  learn  that  the  kids  I  made  friends  with — people  my  age — 
were  all  Pentecostalists." 

Although  evangelical  Christianity  had  been  present  in  Nicaragua 
since  the  early  twentieth  century.  Black  says  the  rapid  growth  of  Pente- 
costalism began  around  1979  with  the  rise  of  what  is  called  liberation 
theology,  which  Black  defines  as  involving  "Christ,  with  a  preferential 
option  for  the  poor." 

"It's  about  liberation  here  and  now,  liberation  on  this  earth.  Some- 
times it's  referred  to  as  a  Christian-Marxist  revolution  becau.se  the  faith 
and  the  social  movement  are  really  linked,"  she  says. 


People  are  often  drawn  to  Pentecostalism,  Black  found,  in  moments 
of  ill  health  or  economic  crisis,  finding  solace  in  the  neighborhood- 
based  congregations  and  more  intimate  groups  known  as  "circles  of 
friendship."  She  sees  practitioners  as  "joyful,  intense  people  who  really 
share  of  themselves  and  who  proclaim  an  absolutely  personal  relation- 
ship with  Jesus." 

Working  in  four  churches.  Black  focused  much  of  her  attention  on 
youth  activities  and  on  how  people  mesh  their  religion  with  their  his- 
torical and  social  context.  Though  she  went  there  to  experience  some- 
thing totally  different  from  her  previous  experience,  she  says,  it 
reminded  her  of  her  experiences  growing  up  Jewish.  "As  we  explored  the 
basic  underpinnings  of  our  understanding  about  how  to  be  in  the 
world,  1  realized  we  were  not  that  different,"  she  reports. 

In  Chile  during  the  second  term  of  her  junior  year,  Black  continued 
to  study  Latin  American  politics  and  to  polish  her  Spanish  while  also 
getting  a  grounding  in  Quechua,  the  indigenous  language  of  the  area. 

Since  returning,  she  has  immersed  herself  in  the  multicultural 
Waltham  communitv,  working  with  an  affordable  housing  alliance. 

"You  don't  have  to  go  very  far,"  she  notes,  "to  build  upon  what  you 
learn  in  those  anthropology  classes." 

In  January,  Black  returned  to  continue  her  research  in  Nicaragua 
with  the  help  of  a  Jane's  Grant,  a  travel  stipend  awarded  by  the  Latin 


American  studies  department.  She  also  won  the  department's  Jane's 
Essay  Prize  this  spring  for  her  research  in  Nicaragua.  This  summer, 
she  planned  to  live  in  Argentina  teaching  English  and  spending  time 
with  her  boyfriend,  a  Chilean  musician.  Eventually,  she  hopes  to  earn 
an  advanced  degree  in  education. 

"Right  now,"  she  says,  "I  have  this  odd  feeling  that  I  am  between 
places.  Living  abroad  doesn't  mean  I  don't  fit  back  in  the  United  States 
anymore.  It  means  I  have  to  discover  the  new  way  I  fit  in." 

Theresa  Pease  is  editor  o/'Brandeis  University  Magazine. 


Sliniiiici- '07  I  Uiamiris  I  iii\ 


\la; 


43 


LET  THE  CELEBRATION  COMMENCE 


lieldwork 


God  in  the  ICU 


Health-care  workers  are  all  about  science.  Or  are  they? 


A  critically  ill  hospital  patient  strug- 
gles to  breathe.  The  respiratory 
therapist  expertly  changes  settings 
on  life-support  equipment.  To  the  observer, 
the  health  worker  is  all  business  efficiency. 
But  go  beneath  the  surface  and  you  will 
hear  her  silently  praying. 

It  is  this  seldom-observed,  emotionally 
charged  realm  that  Wendy  Cadge,  assistant 
professor  of  sociology,  explores  in  her  cur- 
rent research. 

Cadge  focuses  on  spirituality  in  hospitals, 
interviewing  technicians,  nurses,  physicians, 
chaplains,  and  other  personnel.  What  part 
do  their  religious  beliefs  and  practices  play 
in  their  daily  work  experiences?  she  asks. 
One  survey  showed  that  80  percent  of 
nurses  say  there  is  something  spiritual  about 
the  care  they  provide.  This  part  of  their  job 
is  not  readily  seen,  and  that's  what  intrigues 
Cadge.  She  looks  at  the  visible  and  the  invis- 
ible, working  on  a  new  book  to  be  called 
Paging  God:  Religion  in  the  Halls  of  Medicine. 

To  capture  an  understanding  of  exactly 
what  hospital  chaplains  do  on  a  daily  basis, 
Cadge  interviewed  more  than  seventy.  She 
shadowed  them,  going  to  meetings  and 
sometimes  even  joining  them  as  they 
accompanied  families  to  the  morgue. 

"I  was  interested  in  how  hospitals,  as  sec- 
ular organizations,  respond  to  religion  and 
spirituality, "  she  says. 

Cadge  also  delved  into  intensive-care 
facilities,  striving  to  learn  more  about  the 
thoughts  and  motivations  of  those  who 
work  with  the  most  critically  ill.  A  survey  of 
a  neonatal  intensive-care  unit,  she  notes. 


By  Marjorie  Lyon 


revealed  that  more  than  80  percent  of  the 
staff  privately  prayed  for  the  babies. 

"You  can't  see  that — you  would  never 
know,"  says  Cadge.  One  nurse  confided 
that  when  she  has  a  very  ill  baby  she  calls 
her  Catholic  grandmother,  who  lights  a 
candle  on  her  kitchen  table.  Another  told  o( 
working  with  a  Muslim  family  who  put  a 
copy  of  the  Koran  in  a  baby's  crib.  It  was 
placed   in  a  plastic  bag  labeled  with   the 


baby's  name,  just  like  a  piece  of  medical 
equipment.  And  there  are  statues  and  icons 
watching  over  the  neonates'  tiny  enclosures. 

After  growing  up  in  suburban  Philadel- 
phia, Cadge  attended  Swarthmore  College, 
where  she  made  a  spontaneous  decision  that 
proved  pivotal. 

'I  wanted  to  take  a  philosophy  course  to 
learn  to  think  big  ideas,"  she  explains,  "but 
those  classes  were  full.  Since  the  disciplines 


SiinniHT   or*  I  lir;iiiilri^  I  iii\iTsil\   Ma^la/illr 


45 


field  work 


were  arranged  alphabetically,  registration 
for  religion  classes  was  at  the  next  table  and 
I  thought  'religion,  philosophy — probably 
pretty  similar.'"  She  stuck  with  it,  receiving 
a  PhD  in  sociology  with  a  focus  on  religion 
from  Princeton  University  in  2002. 

What  grabbed  her.'' 

"In  studying  religion,  I  found  a  way  of 
connecting  what  I  read  in  books  with  what 
I  see  in  everyday  life.  It  gives  me  a  window 
into  what  makes  people  tick,"  she  says. 

Cadge's  groundbreaking  research  blends 
participant  observation,  interviews,  and 
quantitative  analysis.  "Nothing  I  write,"  she 
says,  "will  be  any  better  than  the  relation- 
ships I've  developed  with  the  people  I'm 
writing  about." 

In  researching  her  book  Heartwood:  The 
First  Generation  of  Theravada  Buddhistn 
in  America  (University  of  Chicago  Press, 
2005),  Cadge  spent  more  than  a  year  in  two 
communities  of  Theravada  Buddhists.  "I 
was  interested  in  how  these  organizations 


were  founded  and  how  the  individuals 
involved  understood  themselves,  their  com- 
munities, and  their  lives,"  she  explains. 

Cadge  has  also  published  research  on 
Buddhist  and  Catholic  nuns,  religious  iden- 
tity, homosexuality  in  mainline  Protestant 
churches,  and  gay  marriage,  and  she  is 
collaborating    on    work    exploring    how 


stand  the  role  ot  religion  in  different  kinds 
peoples  lives." 

Fundamentally,  Cadge  says,  she  wants  to 
know  how  the  world  looks  through  differ- 
ent people's  eyes.  She  suggests  that  most 
investigators  studying  health  and  medicine 
are  concerned  with  the  bottom  line — more 
efficient,   less   expensive   services.    But  she 


"In  studying  religion,  I  found  a  way  of  connecting  what 
I  read  in  books  with  what  I  see  in  everyday  life.  It 
gives  me  a  window  into  what  makes  people  tick." 


religion    influences    the    experiences    of 
immigrants  in  small  cities. 

"It  seems,"  Cadge  says,  "that  religion 
intersects  with  almost  everything.  So  all  my 
projects  are  about  religion  and  something 
else — religion  and  immigration,  religion 
and  sexuality,  religion  and  medicine.  The 
common   thread  is  an  attempt  to  under- 


proposes  that  we  need  to  think  about  a 
third  factor — our  humanity.  Her  research 
will  likely  not  impact  costs,  but  her  hope  is 
that  it  can  lead  all  of  us  to  be  more  humane 
and  more  present  and  to  see  each  other  as 
fuller  human  beings. 

Marjorie  Lyon  is  a  staff  writer 


46 


Branileis  riiiversity  Magazinr  |  Sumiiii-r  '07 


dels  arts 


exhibition 


rhe  Art  of  Science 

Miller  finds  just  the  right  chemistry  in  Protein  Series. 


By  Deborah  Halber 


Proteins  might  be  considered  beautiful  for  their  usefulness. 
Present  within  every  living  cell,  proteins  regulate  body 
chemistry  and  transport  oxygen.  They  hold  together,  pro- 
tect, and  provide  structure  to  our  bodies. 

Magnified  ten  million  times,  proteins'  inner  beauty  became 
apparent  to  New  York  City  abstract  artist  Steve  Miller.  One  of  a 
growing  number  of  artists  who  embrace  and  explore  the  visual  and 
aesthetic  possibilities  of  images  derived  through  scientific  research. 
Miller  is  currently  engaged  in  interpreting  proteins'  quirky 
shapes — corkscrews,  ribbons,  zigzags,  and  bubbles — that  become 
visible  only  with  the  help  of  sophisticated  machines. 

The  Rose  Art  Museum  will  exhibit  a  selection  from  the  forty-two 
works  on  paper  and  sixteen  paintings  in  Miller's  Protein  Series  from 
September  19  to  December  16.  Michael  Rush,  the  Henry  and  Lois 
Foster  Director  of  the  Rose,  is  the  curator  of  the  show. 

"At  the  Rose,  we  are  interested  in  exploring  the  full  range  of  the 
artistic  imagination,  which,  at  least  since  Da  Vinci,  has  included 
the  confluence  of  science  and  art,"  Rush  says.  "We  also  are  inter- 
ested in  having  as  much  of  the  university  as  possible  involved  in 
the  museum  and  its  programs.  Reaching  out  to  the  sciences  sends 
a  signal  that  we  really  want  full  inclusion  of  all  disciplines  in  the 
life  of  the  museum." 

"All  my  work  for  the  last  thirty  years  has  been  using  technology 
as  a  type  of  lens  to  look  at  the  world,"  Miller  says.  "This  new 
visual  vocabulary,  produced  by  scientific  imaging  breakthroughs, 
seemed  like  a  new  international  language  that  everyone  might  not 
understand  the  same  way  they  understand  the  pop  culture  language 
of  Britney  Spears." 

Miller,  who  describes  himself  as  a  complete  failure  at  science, 
finds  what  he  calls  "scientific  toys"  fascinating.  He  was  one  of  sev- 
eral artists  invited  several  years  ago  to  Brookhaven  National  Labo- 
ratory on  Long  Island,  New  York,  where  he  encountered  1978 
Brandeis  graduate  Roderick  MacKinnon  and  his  protein  research. 

MacKinnon,  the  John  D.  Rockefeller  Jr.  Professor  at 
Rockefeller  University  in  New  York,  was  working  with  a  large 
scientific  apparatus  called  the  National  Synchrotron  Light 
Source   (NSLS).  The  NSLS   is   housed   at   Brookhaven,   where 


scientists  from  all  over  the  world  come  to  use  it.  The  NSLS 
exploits  shorter  wavelength,  higher  frequency  light  at  the  far  end 
of  the  spectrum  that  cannot  be  seen  by  the  human  eye.  When 
used  in  certain  ways  and  viewed  by  appropriate  detectors,  this 
light  can  reveal  structures  and  features  of  individual  atoms, 
molecules,  crystals,  cells,  and  more.  This  technique,  called  x-ray 
crystallography,  involves  a  synchrotron  sending  a  focused  beam 


.Suriinirr- '07  |  liiiiiiilt'is  I   iiiMTsily  Magazine 


47 


(h^isarts 


of  gold  protons  zipping  through  frozen 
forms  of  human  proteins  at  mind-bending 
speeds  to  study  the  proteins'  structure. 
MacKinnon,  a  Howard  Hughes  Medical 
Institute  investigator,  used  x-ray  crystal- 
lography to  creare  an  exquisitely  detailed 
portrait  of  a  type  of  protein  crucial  for  the 
generation  of  nerve  impulses. 

For  his  teams  simple  and  elegant  model 
of  the  proteins  voltage-gated  ion  channel,  a 
kind  of  molecular  gatekeeper  rhat  deter- 
mines when  ions  are  allowed  to  pass  across 
a  cell  membrane,  MacKinnon  shared  the 
2003  Nobel  prize  in  chemistry. 

It  struck  Miller  that  while  images  such 
as  those  produced  by  the  synchrotron  are 
part  of  the  visual  lexicon  of  a  handful  of 
scientists,  they  are  not  familiar  to  nonsci- 
entists.  Miller  wanted  to  make  those 
images  accessible  to  people  whose  last 
brush  with  science  was  dissecting  a  frog  in 
high  school. 

To  make  the  visual  language  more  under- 
standable. Miller  interspersed  the  proteins' 
structural  elements  with  diagrams  of  dance 
steps  Andy  Warhol  used  in  his  early  work, 
references  to  Picasso  sculptures,  and  repro- 
ductions of  MacKinnon's  own  scribbled  lab 
notes.  He  wanted  people  to  understand,  he 
says,  that  the  images  of  x-ray  crystallogra- 
phy help  scientists  interpret  the  physical 
world  the  way  a  Betty  Crocker  recipe  helps 
a  cook  prepare  a  dish. 

Adding  these  familiar  components  cre- 
ates an  "entryway  into  this  world  that 
would  otherwise  be  obscure, "  Miller  says. 
"It  started  to  make  sense  to  bring  the  beau- 
tiful visual  systems  and  notations  in  Rod's 
world  into  a  world  people  can  relate  to." 

MacKinnon,  who  was  happy  to  collabo- 
rate on  the  project,  now  owns  a  couple  of 
originals,  one  of  them  a  gift  from  the  artist. 


Protein  Series  is  not  Miller's  first  foray 
with  technological  imaging  devices.  In  the 
early    1990s,    Miller   was    using    medical 


Miller  hopes  Protein  Series  will  bring  MacKinnon 
some  well-deserved  exposure  outside  the  laboratory. 
"Rod's  a  genius,"  he  says. 


Miller  hopes  Protein  Series  will  bring 
MacKinnon  some  well-deserved  exposure 
outside  the  laboratory.  "Rod's  a  genius,  and 
everyone  knows  Picasso  and  Warhol,  but 
Nobel  prizewinners  are  not  as  well  known," 
Miller  says. 


x-rays,  sonograms,  and  electrocardiograms 
in  his  portraiture.  He  convinced  art  collec- 
tor Isabel  Goldsmith  to  let  him  do  a  por- 
trait ol  her  DNA  instead  of  her  face. 

After  receiving  a  sample  of  her  blood,  a 
geneticist  used  an  electron  microscope  to 


photograph  and  identify  Goldsmiths  chro- 
mosomes. Miller  then  created  a  colorlul, 
four-panel  portrait  of  her  DNA  strands. 
The  image  has  since  appeared  on  the  Web 
sites  of  biological  research  organizations  as 
well  as  in  art  magazines. 

"Miller's  work  is  important  at  this  particu- 
lar moment  of  techno-exhilaration,"  Rush 
wrote  in  Art  in  America  in  2000.  "He  uses 
the  machines  of  medical  technology  to  warn 
us  of  the  vanity  in  thinking  that  our  newfan- 
gled gadgets  and  super-speedy  processors 
mighr  somehow  spare  us  the  inevitable." 

Deborah  Halber  '80  is  a  freelance  science 
writer  in  Lexington,  Massachusetts. 


Br;unlcis  rniviTsitv  Majjci/inc  |  Siimtner  '07 


deissports 


coinnuinitv  outreach 


That's  the  Spirit 


student-athletes  give  back  to  the  community. 


By  Adam  Levin 


While  the  2006-07  athletic  season  was  a  notable  success 
on  the  fields  of  competition,  some  of  the  most  gratify- 
ing performances  came  behind  the  scenes  as  the 
Student-Athlete  Advisory  Committee  (SAAC)  flourished  under 
new  leadership. 

In  compliance  with  an  NCAA  mandate  that  every  college  and 
university  have  an  organization  providing  student-athletes  with  a 
collective  voice  on  campus,  Brandeis  got  the  ball  rolling,  so  to 
speak,  in  October  200 1 .  For  the  past  five  years,  the  organization  has 
afforded  a  way  for  this  considerable  portion  of  Brandeis  undergrad- 
uates to  work  together  to  effect  change. 

Since  its  inception,  the  SAAC  has  forged  a  closer  relationship 
among   the   facult)',    the   department   ot   athletics,    and   student- 


Soccer's  Jordan  Skolmck  '07  dispenses  some  baseball  advice  during  Kids 
In  Sports  Day  in  May. 


athletes,  helping  to  meet  the  needs  and  expectations  of  sports  par- 
ticipants both  in  the  classroom  and  on  the  fields.  The  organization 
also  established  the  popular  Kids  In  Sports  Day,  strengthening  rela- 
tions between  the  Waltham  community  and  the  department. 

This  year,  under  the  guidance  of  copresidents  Jordan  Skolnick 
07,  from  the  men's  soccer  team,  and  Cassidy  Dadaos  09,  from  the 
women's  basketball  team,  the  SAAC  worked  diligently  to  increase 
its  visibility  both  on  and  off  campus.  With  the  benefit  of  a  four- 
year,  $8,000  grant  from  the  NCAA  via  the  University  Athletic 
Association,  the  group  was  able  to  fund  more  programming  and  be 
more  aggressive  in  getting  the  word  out  about  the  community- 
building  activities  taking  place  in  the  Gosman  Athletic  Center.  The 
grant  was  allocated  to  highlight  four  priorities  the  NCAA  wants  to 
focus  on:  sportsmanship,  diversit}'  and  gender  equit)',  community 
setvice  and  training,  and  medicine  and  nutrition. 

"The  grant  really  helped  shape  our  ideas,"  Dadaos  says,  while 
Skolnick  adds,  "It  made  us  think  creatively,  out  of  the  box." 

Among  the  uses  the  committee  came  up  with  for  its  first-year 
funds  were  a  Brandeis  Beach  Night  at  the  Judges'  basketball 
doubleheader  with  Carnegie  Mellon,  subtided  "Surfing  For  Sports- 
manship," and  a  barbecue  during  a  baseball/softball  afternoon  that 
hosted  women  and  children  from  Sandra's  Lodge,  a  local  shelter 
where  Jaime  Carpra,  a  teammate  of  Dadaos,  worked. 

"It  was  wonderful  having  the  kids  there,  seeing  them  have  fun," 
Dadaos  comments,  while  Skolnick  notes,  "We  were  able  to  show 
these  kids  a  college  atmosphere  and  talk  to  them  about  how  impor- 
tant school  is,"  adding  that  the  SAAC  hopes  both  these  new  initia- 
tives will  continue  into  the  future. 

The  Kids  In  Sports  Day  hosted  some  fifty  grade  schoolers  from 
Waltham  in  the  spring,  while  the  winter  session  attracted  well  over 
one  hundred  youngsters.  Children  participated  in  soccer,  track  and 
field,  tennis,  and  baseball  as  fifteen  or  so  student-athletes  showed 
them  the  ropes.  "We  get  so  much  positive  feedback  from  parents, 
telling  us  how  great  it  is  for  their  kids  to  have  time  with  college 
students,"  Skolnick  says. 

AcLdh  Levin  '94  is  director  of  sports  informntioii. 


^iiiiiiiiiT  OT  I  jirjiMilri-.  I  uiMTNiu    \laii;i/ii 


49 


ADVERTISEMENT 


:  ^  ^"^'^'mtrnxz 


NIVERSITY  PRESS 


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Eternally  Eve:  Images  of  Eve  In  the  Hebrew  Bible, 
Midrash,  and  Modern  Jewish  Poetry 

By  Anne  Lapidus  Lerner 

A  fascinating  analysis  of  the  story  of  Eve,  using  modern  poetry  in  conversation 
with  biblical  texts  and  rabbinic  rewritings  to  reveal  new  layers  of  meaning 

"Throughout  time.  Eve,  as  an  icon  of  female  sexuality,  has  served  as  a  touchstone 
for  the  erotic  in  women's  lives.  Readers  of  Eternally  Eve  will  find  their  conception 
of  male-female  relationships  transformed."  — Dr.  Ruth  Westheimer 

"Deeply  rooted  in  biblical,  rabbinic,  and  literary  scholarship,  Lerner's  accessible 
and  engrossing  study  explores  representations  of  Eve's  enduring  creativity  and 
power  across  the  millennia  of  Jewish  tradition  and  imagination." 
— Judith  R.  Baskin,  Knight  Professor  of  Humanities,  University  of  Oregon 


HBI  Series  on  Jeivish  Women 
Paperback,  978-1-58465-573-2,  256  pp. 


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Lone  Stars  of  David:  The  Jews  of  Texas 

Compiled  and  edited  by  Hollace  Ava  Weiner  and  Kenneth  D.  Roseman 
Foreword  by  Robert  S.  Strauss 

An  essay  collection  of  engagingly  written,  richly  illustrated,  and  well-documented 
narratives  on  the  history  and  culture  of  Texas  Jews 

Written  by  historians,  journalists,  and  rabbis  who  have  experienced  Texas  first- 
hand, this  collection  of  essays  challenges  stereotypes  and  explores  the  resiliency, 
diversity,  and  adaptability  of  Jews  in  the  Lone  Star  State — a  place  with  its  own 
powerful  sense  of  identity. 

Brandeis  Series  in  American  feivish  History.  Culture,  and  Life 
Hardcover,  978-1-58465-622-7,  3i2  pp.  ''List  Price  $34.95 


The  Songs  That  Fought  the  War:  Popular  Music 
and  the  Home  Front,  1939-1945 

By  John  Bush  Jones 

A  lively  social  history  of  popular  wartime  songs  and  how  they  helped  America's 
home-front  morale 

War-related  and  war-inspired  songs  were  a  central  part  of  home-front  popular 
culture  during  World  War  II,  but  surprisingly  they  have  never  been  systematically 
analyzed  or  interpreted.  Now,  John  Bush  Jones,  retired  professor  of  theater  arts  at 
Brandeis  University,  examines  hundreds  of  these  tunes  in  the  context  of  the  times. 

Hardcover,  978-1-58465-443-8,  364  pp.  •  List  Price  $29.95 


deisbooks 


Faculty 

Dismantling  Discontent: 
Buddha's  Way  Tlirougii 
Darwin's  World 

By  Charles  Fisher 

440  pages,  $26.95,  Elite  Books 

In  his  latest  book,  Fisher,  associate 
professor  emeritus  of  sociology,  weds 
the  Buddha's  explorations  into  the 

character  of  discon- 
tent to  Darwin's 
understanding  of 
the  operations  of 
nature.  Beginning 
with  disease,  old 
age,  and  death  in 
the  wild.  Disman- 
tling Discontent  fol- 
lows discontent 
from  its  animal  ori- 
gins to  its  expression 
in  hunter-gatherer, 
agricultural,  and,  finally,  modern 
societies.  By  looking  at  the  bodies 
and  minds  nature  has  bestowed  upon 
us  and  how  we  have  altered  the  cir- 
cumstances of  our  lives,  Fisher  argues, 
we  can  come  to  understand  much 
more  about  our  suffering  and  some 
means  we  have  to  alleviate  it. 


The  Medicalization 
of  Society:  On  the 
Transformation  of 
Human  Conditions  into 
Treatable  Disorders 

By  Peter  Conrad 

224  pages,  S40, 

Johns  Hopkins  University  Press 

Over  the  past  half-century,  the  social 
terrain  of  health  and  illness  has  been 
transformed.  What  were  once  con- 
sidered normal  human  events  and 
common  human  problems — birth, 
aging,  menopause,  alcoholism,  and 
obesity — are  now  viewed  as  medical 
conditions.  For  better  or  worse, 
medicine  increasingly  permeates 
aspects  ot  daily  life.  Building  on 


OnlheTranrfomMIion 
ol  Human  Condition?  into 

itabieDiWidPii 


THE 

MED'CAL- 
IZATION°' 
SOCIETY 

Peter  Conrad 


more  than  three 
decades  of  research, 
Conrad,  the  Harry 
Coplan  Professor 
of  Social  Sciences, 
explores  the 
changing  forces 
behind  this  trend 
with  case  studies  of 
short  stature,  social 
anxiety,  "male 
menopause,"  erec- 
tile dysfunction,  adult  ADHD,  and 
sexual  orientation. 


Victory 

By  John  Burt 

96  pages,  $17, 

WordTech  Communications 

Victory  is  a  suite  of  narrative  poems 
exploring  the  nuances  of  conflict,  of 
wins  and  losses, 
and  of  survival. 
Transcending  the 
merely  lyric,  the 
poems  of  Burt, 
professor  of  English 
and  American  liter- 
ature, have  the 
narrative  depth 
and  richness  of  a 
novella.  In  an  age 
of  lyrics  and  auto- 
biography. Victory 
is  unusual  in  the  way  it  hews  to  the 
older  traditions  of  narrative  and 
storytelling. 


Alumni 

Alternative  Dispute 
Resolution:  Law  Procedure, 
and  Commentary  for  the 
Pennsylvania  Practitioner 
By  Robert  A.  Creo  '74 
1,600  pages,  $249, 
George  T.  Bisel  Co. 

For  more  than  twenty-five  years, 
Creo  has  gained  practical  experience 


in  the  dispute  resolution  field  as  an 
attorney,  author,  arbitrator,  mediator, 
special  master,  and  educator.  In  this 
comprehensive  two-volume  treatise, 
he  covers  alternative 
dispute-resolution 
processes  in  both 
Pennsylvania  and 
federal  courts, 
making  the  case  for 
their  use  as  well  as 
supplying  a  step-by- 
step  guide  for  prac- 
titioners. More  than 
1 ,200  pages  of  text 
provide  both  a  history  and  overview 
of  negotiation  practice  and  advanced 
analysis  focused  on  practical  infor- 
mation on  matters  like  how  to  break 
an  impasse. 


Brazen  Careerist:  The  New 
Rules  for  Success 

By  Penelope  Trunk 

224  pages,  $22.99,  Business  Plus 

It's  OK  to  move  back  in  with  your 
parents  after  college.  And  it's  OK  to 
work  at  a  string  of  menial  jobs  or  even 
take  off  to  Asia  for  a  few  months. 
Why?  Because  eventually  these 
apparent  detours  will  lead  not  only  to 
a  great  career  but  to  a  great  life  as  well. 
That's  the  reassuring  advice  offered  by 
career  columnist 
Trunk,  AKA 
Adrienne 
Greenheart  "90, 
in  her  latest  book. 
Brazen  Careerist.  A 
bold  new  guide  to 
the  workplace  for 
members  of  Genera- 
tions X  and  Y,  the 
book  includes  forty- 
five  short  and  easy- 
to-read  chapters. 
Titles  include  "When  Writing  Your 
Resume,  Don't  Be  Too  Honest, " 
"Assume  the  Job  Description  Was 
Wrong,"  and  "A  Long  List  of  Ways  to 
Dodge  Long  Hours. " 


clei.^ 


books 


52 


The  Cigarette  Century: 
The  Rise,  Fall,  and  Deadly 
Persistence  of  the  Product 
that  Defined  America 

By  Allan  M.  Brandt  74 
672  pages,  $36,  Basic  Books 

Most  of  us  deplore  the  cigarette 
industry  even  as  we  wax  nostalgic 
about  Joe  Camel,  LSMFT,  and  the 
dancing  Old  Gold 
packs  on  early 
television.  In  this 
fascinating  book, 
Brandt,  professor  of 
the  history  of  medi- 
cine at  Harvard 
Medical  School, 
talks  about  how 
insidiously  the  ciga- 
rette industry  man- 
aged to  entwine 
itself  within  our 
culture  even  as  it  killed  100  million 
people  in  the  twentieth  century 
alone.  More  than  twenty-five  years' 
research  went  into  this  expose,  which 
drew  upon  millions  of  pages  of  previ- 
ously secret  corporate  documents. 
Covered  are  Big  Tobacco's  strategies 
for  luring  the  youngest  potential 
smokers;  cases  in  which  the  industry 
has  been  found  guilty  of  fraud  and 
racketeering;  ettorts  by  manu- 
facturers to  exploit  the  populations 
of  developing  countries;  and  why  no 
new  laws  restricting  tobacco  have 
been  enacted  since  1984. 


Claude  Lanzmann's  Shoah: 
Key  Essays 

Edited  by  Stuart  Liebman  '70 
252  pages,  $24.95, 
Oxford  University  Press 

In  1974,  the  French  editor  and 
director  Claude  Lanzmann  set  out  to 
capture  on  film  the  story  of  the 
Nazis'  mass  murder  of  European 
Jews.  Over  the  next  eleven  years  he 
would  record  more  than  350  hours 
of  heart-wrenching  testimony,  dis- 


lil  ;iiiilfl-.   I   tii\fi^il\    \Iai;;i/.iiM'  |  SuillliliT  '07 


tilling  his  collection 
into  a  nine-plus- 
hour  documentary 
titled  Shoah.  In  this 
volume,  Liebman, 
a  professor  of  film 
studies  at  Queens 
College,  shares 
thought-provoking 
writings  on  the 
film,  with  contribu- 
tions by  essayists 
ranging  from  feminist  writer  Simone 
de  Beauvoir  to  Holocaust  survivor 
Elie  Wiesel  and  from  historian 
Timothy  Garston  Ash  to  psychoana- 
lyst and  former  Auschwitz  prisoner 
Anne-Lise  Stern. 


Coercive  Control: 

How  Men  Entrap  Women 

in  Personal  Life 

By  Evan  Stark  '65 
452  pages,  $28, 
Oxford  University  Press 

An  award-winning  expert  on  inter- 
personal violence,  professor  and 
social  worker  Stark  gained  renown  by 
founding  one  of  the 
first  shelters  for 
abused  women  in 
the  United  States 
and  appearing  as  an 
expert  witness  in 
high-profile  cases 
involving  spousal 
and  partner  abuse. 
In  this  new  work, 
he  goes  beyond 
physical  assault  to 
conceptualize  a 
more  subtle  form  of  maltreatment 
that  he  names  "coercive  control. " 
After  presenting  dozens  of  real-life 
anecdotes  defining  the  problem. 
Stark  proposes  developing  a  new 
body  ot  criminal  laws  to  hold 
accoimtable  men  who  subjugate 
women  through  such  practices  as 
social  isolation,  threats,  humiliation, 
shaming,  and  surveillance. 


Dude,  You're  a  Fag: 
Masculinity  and  Sexuality 
in  High  School 
By  C.  J.  Pascoe  '96 
174  pages,  $19.95, 
University  of  California  Press 

To  get  a  closer  view  of  adolescent 
masculinity,  Pascoe,  an  assistant  pro- 
fessor of  sociology  at  the  University 
ot  Puget  Sound, 
went  back  to  high 
school  for  over  a 
year.  At  the  racially 
diverse  working- 
class  River  High, 
she  sat  in  on  classes, 
hung  around  the 
weight  room, 
attended  dances, 
frequented  area 
snack  bars,  and  sat 
in  the  stands  for 
athletic  competitions.  As  the  stu- 
dents let  her  into  their  rituals  and 
shared  their  jokes  and  secrets,  she 
gained  a  deeper  understanding  of 
how  kids  use  humor,  intimidation, 
and  rites  of  passage  to  navigate  the 
uncomfortable  waters  of  developing 
gender-role  identity. 


The  Eight  Pillars  of  Greek 
Wisdom:  What  You  Can 
Learn  from  Classical  Myth 
and  History 

By  Stephen  Bertman,  MA'60 
249  pages,  $6.98,  Barnes  &  Noble 

Originally  published  in  paperback 
under  the  title  Climbitig  Olympus,  this 
quick-reading  hard- 
cover book  provides 
a  time-tested  guide 
to  successfiil  living 
through  the  basic 
iramework  support- 
ed by  the  ancient 
Greeks'  eight  "pil- 
lars," including 
rationalism,  self- 
knowledge,  restless 


curiosity,  and  the  pursuit  ot  excel- 
lence. To  add  to  the  book's  charm, 
classicist  Bertman  illustrates  each 
principle  with  several  tales  from 
mythology — so,  if  you  don't  want  to 
take  his  word  on  the  benefit  ot  mod- 
eration, just  look  at  what  happened 
to  Hippolytus! 


Ending  the  Gauntlet: 
Removing  Barriers  to 
Women's  Success  in  the  Law 

By  Lauren  Stiller  Rikleen  '75 
408  pages,  $25, 
Thomson  West  Legalworks 

About  halt  the  young  people 
entering  law  school  today  are 
women,  but  remarkably  few  of  them 
are  making  it  to  the 
top  levels  ot  the 
profession,  and 
many  more  women 
than  men  abandon 
careers  in  the  law. 
Beyond  merely 
pointing  out  the 
glass  ceiling, 
Rikleen  talks  about 
how  law  firms  are 
missing  the  boat  by 
failing  to  maximize 
women's  talents  and  personal 
strengths  and  adapt  to  their  lifestyle 
needs.  Rikleen,  a  senior  partner  at 
Bowditch  &  Dewey  in  Boston,  has 
been  recognized  in  Chambers  USA 
Americas  Leading  Business  Lawyers 
and  The  Best  Lawyers  in  America, 
while  Women's  Business  Boston  named 
her  to  its  Top  Ten  Lawyers  list. 


Removing  Barriers 
to  Women's  Success 
in  the  Law 


Lauren  Stiller  Rikleen 


The  Flagrant  Dead:  Poems 
By  Stephen  Bluestone  '61 
82  pages,  S28, 
Macon  University  Press 

In  this  new  work,  Bluestone,  who 
teaches  English  and  film  at  Macon 
University,  shares  some  four  dozen 
poems  that  examine  the  spiritual 


connections 
between  past  and 
present.  In  the 
publisher's  words, 
"The  lived 
moment  endures. 
The  agony  of 
Jesus  in  the  gar- 
den, the  fantastic 
stage  perform- 
ance of  Harry 
Houdini,  the 
surreal  comedy  of  Harpo  Marx,  and 
the  loving  artistry  of  the  last  of  the 
traditional  village  rug  makers  all 
continue  to  happen.  As  late- 
summer  shadows  fall,  Jackie 
Robinson  still  dances  off  first  base, 
changing  us  forever." 


Getting  Back  to  Life  When 
Grief  Won't  Heal 

By  Phyllis  Kosminsky  '75,  PhD'83 
227  pages,  $15.95,  McGraw-Hill 

Both  in  her  private  practice  as  a 
clinical  social  worker  and  as  a  staff 
member  at  the  Center  for  Hope  in 
Connnecticut, 
Kosminsky 
specializes  in 
helping  people 
work  through 
personal  loss. 
While  evetyone 
responds  differ- 
ently to  the  death 
of  a  loved  one, 
most  people  even- 
tually do  recover, 
set  aside  their 
overwhelming  grief,  and  begin  form- 
ing new  arrachments.  In  this  book, 
Kosminsky  otters  dozens  of  anec- 
dotes and  case  studies  to  help  move 
those  who  are  "stuck"  in  the  bereave- 
ment process.  By  challenging  readers 
to  address  the  often  complicated  rea- 
sons for  their  slow  recovery,  Kosmin- 
sky attempts  to  help  them  resolve 
unsettled  issues  and  begin  embracing 
lite  again. 


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The  History  of  My  Shoes 
and  the  Evolution  of 
Darwin's  Theory 

By  Kenny  Fries  '81 

224  pages,  $14.95,  Carroll  &  Graf 

An  unusual  historian.  Fries  wears  the 
stoty  of  his  life  on  his  feet  in  specially 
constructed  orthopedic  shoes.  And 
because  many  have 
simplified  evolu- 
tionary theory  into 
the  slogan  "survival 
of  the  fittest,"  Fries 
measures  his  own 
conflicted  identity 
against  the  terms  of 
that  theoty — and 
against  the  psycho- 
logical complexities 
of  its  discoverers. 
For  in  Charles 
Darwin  and  Alfred  Wallace,  Fries 
recognizes  a  pair  of  intellectual 
adventurers  whose  research  illumi- 
nates his  own  quest  to  adapt  to  an 
ever-shifting  environment.  Indeed, 
Fries  never  appreciates  his  unnaturally 
shaped  shoes  more  than  when  they 
enable  his  otherwise-crippled  feet  to 
transport  him  up  the  trails  of  the 
Galapagos  Islands. 


How  to  Become  a 
Trillionaire  .  .  .  and  Lose 
Twenty  Pounds! 

By  Dr.  Murray  Trillionaire 
187  pages,  $13.95, 
Murray  Trillionaire  Press 

With  tongue  planted  firmly  in  cheek. 
Dr.  Murray  Trillionaire,  AKA  Robert 
Mogel  '88,  offers  up  hundreds  of 
sure-fire  business  srrategies  for 
making  money  and  losing  weight — 
guaranteed  to  work  "if  you  persevere 
over  the  next  120  years  wirhout  stop- 
ping (even  to  go  to  the  bathroom)." 
His  money-making  ideas  include 
starting  an  online  dating  service  for 
the  truly  ugly  ("I'd  start  by  posting  an 
ad  on  all  the  Star  Trek  fan  club  sites") 


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HOW  TO    H 
BECOME  A 
LLIONAIRE 
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54 


and  inventing  a 
thest  toupee  for 
men  (versions 
would  range  from 
"postpubescent 
teen  to  the  Sean 
Connery").  Among 
his  weight-loss 
suggestions:  "Buy  a 
cookbook  on 
English  food.  Turn 
to  any  page.  Make 

that  meal  for  dinner  Consider 

skipping  dinner  " 


/  Want  Much  More  than  a 
Dinosaur 

By  Charles  Berliner 

52  pages,  $19.99,  Xlibris 

In  this  children's  picture  book, 
award-winning  Hollywood,  Broad- 
way, and  TV  scenery  and  costume 
designer  Berliner  redirects  his  sense 
of  style,  color,  and  pizzazz  to  create 
a  fanciful  new  bestiary.  In  sprightly 
rhyme  and  playful  illustration,  he 
combines  a  monkey  and  an  octopus 
to  yield  "an  eight-legged  beastie  in  a 
tree  by  the  sea."  He  also  melds  a 

bear  and  a  snail  to 
create  "a  honey- 
lover  with  a  shell  in 
which  to  hiber- 
nate." In  his  final 
pages,  he  posits 
what  sounds  like  it 
might  be  the  most 
unlikely  blend  of 
all,  only  to  reveal — surprise! — that 
the  amalgam  he  supposes  is 
absolutely  real. 


I  WANT 
MfCH  MORE 
THAN  A 


Living  in  the  Shadow  of  the 
Freud  Family 

By  Sophie  Freud,  PhD70 
472  pages,  $34.95, 
Praeger  Publishers 

In  a  memoir  written  at  age  seventy- 
nine,  Esti  Freud,  daughter-in-law  of 


l!niiiilri>  I 


ilv  Maii^i 


I  Siiii 


Sigmund  Freud,  looked  back  on  her 
life  that  began  before  the  twentieth 
century,  was  lived  on  three  conti- 
nents, and  stretched  through  two 
world  wars  and  the  Holocaust. 

Twenty  years  after 
her  mother's  death, 
daughter  Sophie 
turned  to  Esti's 
memoir  as  a  scat- 
fold  for  this  book, 
expanding  it 
through  family 
letters  and  archival 
material.  Out  of 
these  documents 
the  author  has 
created  a  fasci- 
nating, many-voiced  mosaic — the 
story  of  a  famous  family  and  of  a 
century  seen  through  the  eyes  of 
many  characters. 


Loyalty.  New  and 
Selected  Poems 

By  Henry  Braun  '55,  MA'57 

123  pages,  $16,  Off  the  Grid  Press 

Braun  spent  much  of  his  career  as  a 
teacher  ot  literature  and  creative 
writing  at  Temple  University  in 
Philadelphia,  where  he  also  served 
as  coordinator  and  host  of  the 
Poetry  Center  of  the  YM/YWHA. 
His  first  book  of 
poems.  The  Vergil 
Woods,  was  pub- 
lished by  Atheneum 
in  1968.  Now  a 
resident  ot  rural 
Maine,  he  brings 
together  in  this 
book  some  eighty 
poems  written 
across  the  years. 
Some  of  them  have 
previously  appeared 
in  publications  that  include 
American  Poetry  Review,  The  Body 
Electric,  The  Maine  Poets,  the 
Massachusetts  Review,  the  Lewiston 
Sun,  and  the  Blue  Sofa  Review. 


.JVlendel's 
Accordion 


Mendel's  Accordian 

By  Heidi  Smith  Hyde  '84 
30  pages,  $7.95, 
Kar-Ben  Publishing 

With  charmingly  Old  World-style 
illustrations  by  Johanna  Ven  Der 
Sterre  and  in  the  simple  vernacular  of 
a  peasant  tale,  the 
author  introduces 
children  ages  five  to 
nine  to  the  early 
klezmer  musicians. 
These  Jewish  folk 
performers  wan- 
dered from  village  to 
village  in  Eastern 
Europe  starting  in 
the  sixteenth  century- 
playing  at  weddings 
and  other  fonctions,  and  in  many 
cases  they  carried  their  quaint  instru- 
ments with  them  as  they  shipped  out 
across  the  Atlantic  to  settle  in  the 
New  World.  Hyde's  enchanting 
account  demonstrates  the  ability 
ot  the  timeless  genre  not  merely 
to  capture  the  joys  and  sorrows  ot 
a  people,  but  also  to  create  a 
comforting  link  across  cultures  and 
even  across  generations. 


Muses,  Madmen,  and 
Prophets:  Rethinking  the 
History.  Science,  and 
Meaning  of  Auditory 
Hallucination 
By  Daniel  B.  Smith  '99 
254  pages,  $24.95, 
The  Penguin  Press 


MUSES, 

MADMEN,  and 

PROPHETS 


DANrEL    B      SMITH 


Do  vou  hear  voices? 
Not  to  worry.  So 
did  loan  ot  Arc  and 
Socrates,  not  to 
mention  Moses, 
Muhammad,  Teresa 
of  Avila,  William 
Blake,  and  the 
father  ot  journalist 
and  author  Smith. 
Eager  to  under- 


stand  more  about  his  dad's  often 
unsettling  experience.  Smith  set  out 
to  survey  voice-hearing  reports  from 
a  variet}'  of  viewpoints,  from  psychi- 
atric to  religious  with  bits  of  neuro- 
science  and  criminology  thrown  in. 
In  spite  of  using  the  term  "auditory 
hallucination"  to  describe  this 
unusual  sensory  experience,  Smith 
ultimately  declines  to  weigh  in  on 
whether  our  inner  voices  are  patho- 
logical or  simply  beyond  the  grasp 
of  our  understanding. 


Nation  of  Secrets:  The 
Ttireat  to  Democracy  and  the 
American  Way  of  Life 

By  Ted  Gup  '72 

336  pages,  $24.95,  Doubleday 

In  this  probing  expose,  former 
Washington  Post  and  Time  magazine 
investigative  reporter  Gup  surveys  the 
post-9/1  1  mania  tor  secrecy,  focusing 
on  the  ubiquitous 
^^^^^^^^^^^     classification  of  rou- 
IMSIMsUIj^^I      tine  information,  the 
gutting  of  the  Free- 
BklJiM IM yM^l^M     dom  of  Information 
Act,  and  the  perse- 
cution of  whistle- 
blowers.  The 
government,  he 
notes,  is  busy  reclas- 
sifying information 
that  has  been  in  the 
public  domain  tor 
decades,  and  a  Pentagon  report  criti- 
cizing excessive  secrecy  was  stamped 
Top  Secret.  It's  all  part  of  a  national 
obsession  with  confidentiality.  Gup 
argues,  that  afflicts  corporations,  uni- 
versities, and  the  press  itself 


Not  a  Happy  Camper: 
A  Memoir 

By  Mindy  Schneider  '82 
256  pages,  $24,  Grove  Press 

Perhaps  Camp  Kin-a-Hurra's  name 
should  have  sounded  warning  bells 


for  thirteen-year-old  Mindy 
Schneider:  Imagine  a  sun-filled, 
water-splashed  summer  in  a  camp 
whose  name  is  the 
Yiddish  word  to 
ward  off  the  evil 
eye.  Though  the 
camp  was  nothing 
like  what  the  owner 
had  promised — a 
kosher  "wooded 
paradise"  with 
heated  bunks,  a 
varied  array  of 
activities,  and  a 
photo  lab — 
Schneider  conveys  humorously 
nostalgic  memories  of  her  eight 
weeks  in  backwoods  Maine  in  the 
summer  of  1974.  Through  almost- 
constant  rain,  Schneider  and  her 
friends  occupy  themselves  with  color 
wars,  clique  hierarchies,  and  the 
timeless  quest  for  a  boyfriend,  all  the 
while  surviving  vintage  breakfast 
cereal,  undependable  bathroom 
facilities,  and  cultural  fallout  from 
Nixon's  resignation. 


Portrait  of  the  Artist  as  a 
White  Pig:  Poems 

By  Jane  Gentry,  MA' 66 

81  pages,  $45, 

Louisiana  State  University  Press 

These  rich,  lyrical  poems,  written  by 
Gentry  over  ten  years,  register  the 
resonance  between 
the  poet's  inner 
being  and  the  outer 
world's  everyday 
events.  Moments 
of  insight — gained 
while  watching  a 
roofer  at  work  next 
door,  napping  with 
the  cat,  reading  on 
the  porch,  carrying 
the  laundry,  or 
strolling  the  aisles 
of  Sam's  Club — expose  the  bright 
bones  of  the  swiftness  of  time's 


passage,  reminding  us  to  stay 
attentive.  Gentry's  poems  are 
deeply  grounded  in  the  continuity 
of  family  and  home  place  yet  also 
embrace  new  experiences. 


Puerto  Rican  Poetry:  An 
Anthology  from  Aboriginal  to 
Contemporary  Times 

Edited  by  Roberto  Marquez  '66 

490  pages,  $28.95, 

University  of  Massachusetts  Press 

Hailed  as  the  most  wide-reaching 
and  comprehensive  collection  of 
Puerto  Rican  verses  available  in 
English,  this  book  includes  the 

words  of  sixty-four 
poets  and  show- 
cases many  previ- 
ously inaccessible 
traditional  compo- 
sitions from  Puerto 
Rico's  anonymous 
bards.  Marquez, 
the  William  R. 
Kenan  Jr.  Professor 
of  Latin  American 
and  Caribbean 
Studies  at  Mount 
Holyoke  College,  gathered  works 
that  span  the  years  from  1400  to 
2000,  tying  the  volume  together 
with  scholarly  essays  and  biographi- 
cal sketches  of  the  poets. 


The  Rebel  Job 

By  Loren  Fisher,  PhD'59 
92  pages,  $10,  XLibris 

The  Biblical  character  of  Job  was 
the  epitome  of  patience  or  God's 
ultimate  fall  guy,  depending  on 
how  you  look  at  things.  We  learned 
as  children  that  the  creator  of  the 
universe  took  it  on  himself  to  heap 
calamity  after  calamity  on  this 
devout  soul  to  test  his  faith  to  the 
breaking  point.  In  this  book,  Fisher, 
a  Biblical  scholar  and  Mediter- 
ranean-area historian,  confronts  a 


deisbooks 


The 
Rebel  Job 


LOREN  FISHER 


56 


^less  familiar,  more 
resistant  Job.  By 
teasing  out  from 
between  the  lines 
of  the  Bible  story 
(which  he  calls 
■Job  I")  an  inter- 
twined poem  ("Job 
11  "),  he  reveals  a 
more  realistic  and 
human  Job  who 
confronts  the  same 
question  that  still  torments  those 
who  think  deeply  about  religion:  It 
God  is  good  and  all-powerful,  why 
is  life  so  hard? 


Six  Blind  Elephants: 
Understanding  Ourselves  and 
Each  Other:  Volumes  I  and  II 

By  Steve  Andreas  '6 1 

296  and  294  pages,  $16.50  each, 

Real  People  Press 

In  these  two  volumes,  Andreas,  a 
psychologist  and  educator  with  a 
strong  interest  in  neurolinguistic 
programming,  attempts  to  set  forth 
why  it  is  we  so  often  misunderstand 
each  other.  He  argues  that  all  of  us, 
all  the  time,  view  an  experience 
from  a  very  limited  scope  ("my  hus- 
band overcooked  the  eggs")  and 
expand  upon,  or  categorize,  the 
experience  to  mean  much  more 
than  it  does  ("my  husband  doesn't 
care  how  I  like  my 
eggs;  I  have  to  get  a 
divorce").  A  simple 
grasp  of  these  two 
fundamental 
processes,  the 
author  argues,  pro- 
vides "a  way  to 
unify,  organize,  and 
reexamine  all  the 
useful  methods  and 
understandings 
that  have  been 
developed  in  the  field  of  psy- 
chotherapy and  personal  develop- 
ment over  the  years." 


Bran<lci>  I  nt\cr^ity  Maiiazine  |  SiniiiinT  O"^ 


Soul  Covers:  Rhythm  and 
Blues  Remakes  and  the 
Struggle  for  Artistic  Identity 
By  Michael  Awkward  '80 
246  pages,  $21.95, 
Duke  University  Press 

In  the  recording  industry,  the  term 
"cover  song"  refers  to  a  remake  of  a 
song  previously  recorded  by  another 
artist.  In  Soul 
Covers,  Awkward,  a 
professor  of  Afro- 
American  literature 
and  culture  at  the 

#  University  of 

Michigan,  looks  at 
how  three  rhythm 
and  blues  perform- 
ers— Aretha 
Franklin,  Al  Green, 
and  Phoebe 
Snow — crafted 
their  own  musical  identities  partly 
by  taking  up  songs  associated  with 
artists  including  Dinah  Washington, 
Hank  "Williams,  Willie  Nelson, 
George  Gershwin,  BiUie  Holiday, 
and  the  Supremes. 


The  Spinster  Sisters 

By  Stacey  Ballis  '92 

293  pages,  $14,  Berkley  Books 


THE 

spinster 

"sisters  ' 


STACEY 


Ballis,  an  arts  edu- 
cator and  poet, 
gives  us  a  light- 
hearted  "chick  lit " 
novel  about  two 
thirty-something 
siblings  who  build 
a  media  enterprise 
empowering  and 
encouraging  other 
single  women. 
The  fun — or 
fracas — starts  when  one  announces 
her  engagement,  leaving  the  other 
in  danger  of  holding  the  proverbial 
Old  Maid  card  as  their  joint  spin- 
sterhood  empire  begins  to  crumble. 


J'  L 


Til ci-c "Will  Re 


There  Will  Be 
Wonderful  Surprises 

By  Avrom  Karl  Surath  '67,  MA'74 
228  pages,  $37.50 

In  this  self-published 
book,  Surath,  an 
original  member  of 
the  stage  magic 
show  Le  Grand 
Ddi'id  and  His  Own 
Spectacular  Magic 
Company,  tells  the 
life  story  of  director 
and  producer 
Cesareo  Pelaez — 
AKA  Marco  the  Magi — whom  Surath 
first  met  as  a  student  at  Brandeis  in 
the  1 960s.  The  book  recounts  Pelaez's 
forced  exile  from  his  native  Cuba,  his 
friendship  with  professor  Abraham 
Maslow  at  Brandeis,  and  his  affiliation 
with  the  Le  Grand  David  ensemble. 
Surath  demonstrates  how  this  genial 
magician  has  incorporated  Maslow's 
principles  in  the  colorful  and  often 
surprising  life  of  the  magic  company 
over  its  more  than  thirty-year  history. 


Toward  the  Winter  Solstice: 
New  Poems 

By  Timothy  Steele,  MA'72,  PhD'77 
72  pages,  $14.95,  Swallow  Press 

Steele's  first  collection  of  new  poems 
in  twelve  years,  Toward  the  Winter 
Solstice  features  his  characteristic 
grace,  wit,  and  power,  while 
extending  his  range.  In  addition  to 
the  relatively  short  lyrical,  descrip- 
tive, and  contem- 
plative poems  that 
have  won  him 
recognition  in  the 
past,  this  collection 
offers  several  mid- 
dle-length pieces 
that  read  almost 
like  compressed 
novels.  Addressing  a 
variety  of  topics 
and  themes. 


Toward  the  Winter  Solstice  explores 
the  relationship  between  the  world 
of  nature  and  the  world  of  ideas. 


Transborder  Lives: 
Indigenous  Oaxacans 
in  Mexico,  California, 
and  Oregon 
By  Lynn  Stephen,  PhD'87 
384  pages,  $23.95, 
Duke  University  Press 

Stephen's  innovative  ethnography 
follows  indigenous  Mexicans  from 
two  towns  in  the  state  of  Oaxaca — 
the  Mixtec  community  of  San 

Agusti'n  Atenango 
and  the  Zapotec 
community  of 
Teotitlan  del 
Valle — who  period- 
ically leave  their 
homes  in  Mexico 
for  extended  peri- 
ods of  work  in  Cali- 
fornia and  Oregon. 
Demonstrating  that 
the  line  separating 
Mexico  and  the 
United  States  is  only  one  among  the 
many  borders  that  these  migrants 
repeatedly  cross  (including  national, 
regional,  cultural,  ethnic,  and  class 
borders  and  divisions),  Stephen 
advocates  an  ethnographic  frame- 
work focused  on  transborder,  rather 
than  transnational,  lives.  Yet  she 
does  not  disregard  the  state:  She 
assesses  the  impact  migration  has 
had  on  local  systems  of  government 
in  both  Mexico  and  the  United 
States,  as  well  as  the  abilities  of 
states  to  police  and  affect  transbor- 
der communities. 


The  Trouble  with  Cauliflower 
By  Jane  Sutton  '72 
32pages,  $16.99,  Dial 

Mortimer  is  one  carefiil  koala.  He  will 
not  eat  cauliflower  because  he  always 


has  bad  luck  the  following  day.  When 
he  is  invited  to  supper  at  his  friend 
Sadie's  house,  he  says  no  to  her  deli- 
cious stew 
because  the 
vegetable  is 
one  of  the 
ingredients. 
Then,  after 
she  coaxes 
him  into 
trying  it,  the 
inevitable 
happens.  The  next  morning  he  stubs 
his  toe,  spills  juice  on  himself  and 
fails  his  driving  test.  Wlien  he  meets 
Sadie  at  the  grocery  stote,  he  tells  her 
his  sad  story.  At  dinner,  he  enjoys  her 
vegetable  surprise  casserole  and  spends 
the  next  day  having  a  terrific  time  at 
the  fair.  As  he  and  his  friend  prepare 
for  an  evening  out,  she  reveals  the 
name  of  the  surprise  ingredient. 


Watch  It  Made  in  the  U.S.A.: 
A  Visitor's  Guide  to  the  Best 
Factory  Tours  and  Company 
Museums 

By  Karen  Axelrod  '82  and 

Bruce  Brumberg 
400  pages,  $21.95, 
Avalon  Travel  Publishing 

Have  you  ever  wondered  how  tooth- 
paste gets  into  the  tube?  How  stripes 
get  on  a  candy  cane?  More  than  just 
a  travel  guide. 
Watch  It  Made  in 
the  U.S.A.  helps  you 
experience  firsthand 
the  products,  com- 
panies, technology, 
and  workers  that 
fuel  our  economy, 
from  Ben  and  Jerry's 
to  Harley-Davidson. 
Whether  you're 
curious  about 
potato  chips  or 
computer  chips,  cars  or  crayons,  you 
can  count  on  authors  and  factory- 
tour  experts  Axelrod  and  Brumberg 


ATTENTION^ 
ALUMNI  AUTHORS 


Be  a  part  of  the 
Alumni  Author  Archives. 


Send  two  copies 

of  your  book(s)  to: 

Alumni  Authors  Program 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

415  South  Street 
Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

Books  will  be  included  in  the 

Alumni  Author  Archives  in  the 

Robert  D.  Farber  University  Archives 

in  the  Goldfarb  Library  on  campus, 

as  well  as  at  Brandeis  House  in 

New  York  City. 

Recent  publications  (less  than  a 

year  old)  will  also  be  considered 

for  inclusion  in  an  upcoming  issue 

of  Brandeis  University  Magazine. 

For  more  information: 
authors  @  alumni.farandeis.edu 


deii 


bookj 


58 


to  help  you  and  your  family  discover 
information  about  more  than  three 
hundred  ordinary  and  extraordinary 
products  most  of  us  take  for  granted. 


The  World  We  Want:  New 
Dimensions  in  Piiilanthropy 
and  Social  Change 
By  Peter  Karoff '59  with 

Jane  Maddox 
261  pages,  $27.95,  Alta  Mira  Press 

Early  in  his  book,  Karoft  talks  about 
his  descent  from  a  line  of  Russian 
peddlers  and  describes  himself  as  a 
peddler  ol  philanthropy.  As  the 

founder  of  the  Phil- 
anthropic Founda- 
tion, he  devotes  his 
life  to  such  sales. 
Karoff,  though,  is 
also  a  peddler  of 
many  peripherals 
that  accompany 
philanthropy, 
including  idealism, 
optimism,  inspira- 
tion, and  aspiration. 
To  make  strategic 
use  of  philanthropy,  individuals  or 
society  must  first  want  something — 
and  they  must  know  what  to  want. 
In  The  World  We  Want.  Karoff,  a  sen- 
ior fellow  at  the  Tisch  College  of 
Citizenship  and  Public  Service  at 
Tufts  University,  lets  readers  in  on 
his  conversations  with  more  than 
forty  individuals  whose  visions  of  a 
better  world  led  them  to  contribute 
time,  energy,  and  worldly  wealth  to 
the  public  good. 


THE 
WORLD 

WE 

WANT 


iivvt 


f-^"" 


,»    >r     >.     -      - 


M«*h  BlufnaftfhU 


Vbu're  Addicted  to  You:  Why 
It's  So  Hard  to  Change— and 
What  You  Can  Do  About  It 
By  Noah  Blumenthal  '94 
163  pages,  $15.95, 
Berrett-Koehler  Publishers 

Want  to  be  more  focused,  thinner, 
more  organized,  or  more  assertive? 


IJi  iiiiiici-.  I  iii\  tMsily  -Ma^azijic  |  SiiiniiuT  'U7 


Your  first  step  is  to 
just  say  no — to 
yourself!  Blumen- 
thal, president  of 
the  consulting  firm 
Leading  Principles, 
posits  that  inability 
to  change  is  the 
product  of  self- 
addiction.  As  long 
as  you're  a  you- 
junkie,  you're  sunk. 
So  in  nine  helpful  steps,  illustrated 
with  tables,  charts,  and  cautionary 
tales,  the  author  sets  out  to  help  you 
stop  repeating  counterproductive 
patterns  and  make  new  choices  that 
will  lead  to  sustainable  change. 


Brandeis  University  Press 

Family  Matters: 
Jewish  Education  in  an 
Age  of  Choice 

Edited  by  Jack  Wertheimer 
292  pages,  $26 

Responding  to  recent  changes  in 
social  attitudes  toward  lewishness, 
Wertheimer, 
provost  at  the 
Jewish  Theological 
Seminary  in  New 
York,  assembled 
this  compilation 
of  essays  about 
the  transformed 
role  of  Jewish 
education  in  these 
challenging  times. 
Contributors  come 
from  history, 
sociology,  anthropology,  and 
other  disciplines.  Among  the  essay- 
ists is  Sylvia  Barack  Fishman,  pro- 
fessor of  contemporary  Jewish  life 
in  Brandeis's  Department  of  Near 
Eastern  and  Judaic  Studies,  who 
writes  on  "Generating  Jewish  Con- 
nections: Conversations  with  Jew- 
ish Teenagers,  Their  Parents,  and 
Jewish  Educators  and  Thinkers. " 


LET  US 

PROVE 

STRONG 


Let  Us  Prove  Strong:  The 
American  Jewish  Committee, 
1945-2006 

By  Marianne  R.  Sanua 
516  pages,  $60 

The  American  Jewish  Committee 
(AJC),  founded  in  1906,  has  a  long- 
term  mission  to 
protect  the  civil 
and  religious  rights 
of  Jews  in  the 
United  States  and 
aroimd  the  globe. 
It  is  distinguished 
for  its  outstanding 
staff  and  superb 
library,  its  impor- 
tance as  a  research 
center,  and  its 
efforts  to  effect 
social  change  through  public  educa- 
tion. Sanua,  associate  professor  of 
history  and  Jewish  studies  at  Florida 
Atlantic  University,  compiled  a 
detailed  history  of  this  important 
organization,  which  celebrated  its 
centennial  in  2006. 


Recordings 

Leo  Ornstein:  Complete 
Works  For  Cello  And  Piano 

Leo  Ornstein,  Joshua  Gordon,  and 

Randall  Hodgkinson 
$17.99,  New  World  Records 

Composer  Ornstein  (1893-2002) 
wrote  in  diverse  and  exotic  styles 
blending  lyricism, 
innovative  tone 
clusters,  and  dra- 
matic rhythmic 
drive  influenced  by 
Debussy,  Scriabin, 
and  Eastern  Euro- 
pean Jewish  chant, 
rhis  collection  of 
his  little-recorded 
works  features  Gordon,  of  Brandeis 
University's  Lydian  String  Quartet, 
on  cello  and  Hodgkinson  on  piano. 


ers 


Israel  Studies  Center  Created 

Schusterman  Family  Foundation  endows  program  with  $15  million  gift 


In  an  effort  to  expand  the  field  ot  Israel  stud- 
ies on  U.S.  campuses,  the  Charles  and  Lynn 
Schusterman  Family  Foundation  has  made  a 
commitment  to  give  $15  million  to  Brandeis 
to  establish  a  center  that  will  stimulate  out- 
standing scholarship  and  teaching  on  Israel's 
history,  language,  culture,  and  society. 

The  new  Schusterman  Center  for  Israel 
Studies  was  conceived  jointly  by  Brandeis 
friend  Lynn  Schusterman  and  Brandeis  pres- 
ident Jehuda  Reinharz,  PhD'72,  to  meet  the 
critical  need  tor  qualified  academics  to  teach 
about  Israel.  In  addition  to  educating  gradu- 
ate-level students  at  Brandeis,  the  center  will 
off^er  training,  resources,  and  scholarship 
opportunities  for  faculty  at  other  universities. 

The  gift,  the  largest  single  commitment 
ever  made  by  the  twenry-year-old  founda- 
tion, will  be  matched  by  other  donors 
recruited  by  the  university  in  coming  years, 
as  part  of  a  plan  to  create  a  $30  million 
endowment  for  the  center  by  2015. 

"We  thank  Lynn  Schusterman  and  the 
Schusterman  Family  Foundation  for  acceler- 
ating our  work  in  Israel  studies  and  for 
promoting  rigorous  scholarship  and  excellent 


economy,  education  system,  language, 
culture  and  arts,  sociology,  demography, 
and  politics.  Slightly  more  than  half  ot  all 
U.S.  campuses  offer  no  courses  on  Israel; 
another  quarter  offer  only  one  course,  often 
focused  on  the  Israeli-Palestinian  conflict, 
according  to  a  2006  study  by  the  Israel  on 
Campus  Coalition. 

"Israel  is  such  an  important  nation,  and 
yet  on  many  U.S.  campuses  it  is  rarely  stud- 
ied with  any  seriousness.  It's  time  to  greatly 
enhance  and  expand  academic  scholarship 
about  Israel  and  its  people,"  said  Lynn 
Schusterman,  chair  ot  the  Charles  and  Lynn 
Schusterman  Family  Foundation. 

Already  the  foundation,  through  its 
Schusterman  Visiting  Israel  Professors  Pro- 
gram, is  bringing  twenty  academics  a  year 
from  Israel  to  teach  at  American  universi- 
ties; in  addition,  the  Schusterman  Israel 
Scholar  Awards  provide  funding  for  gradu- 
ate students  to  encourage  them  to  pursue 
Israel-related  scholarship. 

The  Schusterman  Center  will  fulfill  the 
immediate  need  for  professors  knowledge- 
able about  Israel  by  permanently  funding 


"This  center  is  the  perfect  marriage  of  a  university 
committed  to  creating  knowledge  and  a  philanthropist 
interested  in  making  that  knowledge  available  to  the  public." 


teaching,"  Reinharz  said.  "This  center  is  the 
perfect  marriage  of  a  university  committed  to 
creating  and  disseminating  knowledge  and  a 
philanthropist  interested  in  making  that 
knowledge  available  to  the  wider  public." 

The  new  center  will  promote  an  interdis- 
ciplinary approach  to  the  study  ot  Israel, 
integrating  the  study  of  the  nation's  history, 


the  pioneering  Brandeis  Summer  Institute 
for  Israel  Studies,  which  has  trained  faculty 
from  nearly  sixty  colleges  and  universities 
worldwide  since  its  founding  in  200.3.  At 
the  same  time,  the  center  will  address  the 
problem  in  the  future  by  training  and  edu- 
cating graduate  students  to  become  the  next 
generation  of  Israel-studies  scholars. 


Lynn  Schusterman 

"When  we  decided  to  expand  our 
involvement  in  supporting  outstanding 
scholarship  in  the  field  of  Israel  studies, 
Brandeis  was  the  obvious  place  for  us  to 
turn,"  Lynn  Schusterman  said. 

Brandeis  has  been  a  longtime  center  of 
Israel-related  and  Middle  East  studies  by 
virtue  of  its  Crown  Center  for  Middle 
East  Studies,  endowed  professorships  in 
Israel  studies  (the  country's  first)  and 
modern  Hebrew  literature,  and  faculty 
renowned  in  their  fields  of  teaching 
related  to  Israel.  Additionally,  Ilan  Troen, 
the  Karl,  Harry,  and  Helen  Stoll  Professor 
of  Israel  Studies  at  Brandeis,  is  the 
founder  and  editor  of  the  widely  distrib- 
uted Israel  Studies  journal,  which  is  pub- 
lished three  times  a  year  and  sponsored  by 
Brandeis  and  Ben-Gurion  University. 


■>iilciiiiir '()~  I  liraiiili'i^  I  Mi\ri>il\   \lugazinr 


59 


BbMMWblk^tdiiWnEI 


FROM  THE  SENIOR  VICE   PRESIDENT 


Money  Well  Spent 


Brandeis  continues  to  deliver  a  great  return  on  investment 


1  hear  more  and  more  people  employing  Wall 
Street  terminology  to  characterize  their  sup- 
port of  our  endeavors  here  on  South  Street: 
Brandeis  delivers  a  great  return  on  investment. 
In  other  words,  alumni,  parents,  friends,  and 
members  of"  the  National  Women's  Committee 
understand  that  a  gift  to  Brandeis  will  pay 
tremendous  dividends  in  the  future — for  both 
the  universit)'  and  society  at  large.  A  few  recent  examples: 

•  Trustee  Jonathan  G.  Davis  '75  and  his  wife,  Margot  T.  Davis, 
MA'05,  established  the  Harold  and  Bernice  Davis  Chair  in  Aging 
and  Neurodegenerative  Disease.  The  first  incumbent  is  biochem- 
istry and  chemistry  professor  Dagmar  Ringe,  who  is  conducting 
cutting-edge  research  that  will  provide  important  clues  in  the  fight 
against  diseases  such  as  Alzheimer's  and  Parkinson's. 

•  The  new  Elaine  and  Gerald  Schuster  Institute  for  Investigative 
Journalism  provides  Brandeis  students  with  the  opportunity  to  col- 
laborate with  media  professionals  on  high-quality  public-interest 
journalism  projects  that  bring  to  light  flawed  public  policy,  prob- 


lems in  the  criminal  justice  system,  and  injustices  to  the  most  vul- 
nerable among  us. 

•  Scholarships  have  been  established  for  students  in  the  ground- 
breaking Transitional  Year  Program,  which  supports  talented  stu- 
dents from  disadvantaged  backgrounds,  many  of  whom  are  the  first 
members  of  their  families  to  attend  college.  Following  graduation, 
these  students  often  return  to  their  communities  and  serve  as  local 
leaders  and  role  models. 

Additionally,  our  supporters  know  their  "investment"  money 
will  be  spent  prudently.  Brandeis  ranked  among  the  top  five  uni- 
versities in  the  Boston  area  in  a  recent  survey  of  fundraising  effi- 
ciency. Last  year,  a  leading  charity  rating  service  gave  Brandeis  its 
top  ranking  of  four  stars  for  our  low  expenses  relative  to  the 
amount  of  money  we  raise. 

It  is  heartening  that  so  many  of  our  supporters  believe  that 
Brandeis  provides  such  a  good  return  on  their  investment.  Thank  you 
for  your  continued  support  of  this  institution  that  we  all  cherish. 

—Nnncy  Wiiishlp.  P'lO 
Senior  Vice  President  of  Institutional  Advancement 


Actor  Barry  Newman  Supports  C^lass  of  52  Scholarship  Fund 


In  honor  of  his  55th  Reunion,  actor  Barry 
Newman  '52  made  a  generous  gift  to  the 
Class  of  1952  Endowed  Scholarship  that 
helped  the  class  surpass  its  goal  of  raising 
$600,000. 

In  making  his  gift,  Newman  took  advan- 
tage of  a  special  provision  in  the  new  Pen- 
sion Protection  Act.  The  provision  allows 
donors  who  are  at  least  seventy  and  a  half 
years  old  to  transfer  up  to  $100,000  a  year 
directly  from  an  individual  retirement 
account   to   a   charity   without   having   to 


report  the  transaction  as  income  for  federal 
tax  purposes.  The  provision  is  only  effective 
until  December  31  and  covers  the  tax  years 
2006  and  2007. 

Newman  is  perhaps  best  known  for  his 
portrayal  of  Anthony  Petrocelli,  the  title 
character  in  the  mid-1970s  TV  crime 
drama  Petrocelli.  He  was  nominated  for 
both  an  Emmy  and  Golden  Globe  for  his 
work  on  the  show. 

Newman  has  also  starred  in  more  than  fif- 
teen films,  including  the  cult  hit  Vanishing 


Point  and  Steven  Soder- 
bergh's  The  Limey. 

He  is  producing  a 
biopic  on  Leonard 
Bernstein,  ]ust  Call  Me 
Lenny,  in  which  he  will 
play  the  tide  role.  Bern- 
stein, the  legendary 
American  composer,  was  a  member  of  the 
Brandeis  faculty  during  the  1950s  and  cre- 
ated the  Brandeis  Festival  of  the  Arts,  which 
continties  to  this  day. 


ALUMNI  AND  DEVELOPMENT  CONTACTS 


Senior  Vice  President  of 
Institutional  Advancement 

Nanc)' Winship,  P'lO 

781-736-4002 

winship@brandeis.edu 

Vice  President  of 
Development 

Myles  E.  Wcisenberg  78 

781-736-4005 

weiscn@brandeis.edu 


Associate  Vice  President  of 
The  Campaign  for  Brandeis 

Susan  Krinsky 
781-736-4006 
krinsky^'brandeis.edu 

Assistant  Vice  President  of 
Alumni  and  University 
Relations 

Karen  A.  Engelbourg  '79 

781-736-4107 

kenget@brandeis.edu 


Assistant  Vice  President  of 
Development 

Mark  Ableman 
781-736-4051 
mableman@brandeis.edu 

Senior  Director  of 
Corporation  and 
Foundation  Civing 

Robert  Silk  "90 
781-736-4052 
rsilk@brandeis.edu 


Director  of  Development 
Communications 

David  E.  Nathan 
781-736-4103 
dnathan  1  @brandeis.edu 

All  staff  may  be  reached  at: 
Brandeis  University 
Mailstop  122 
PO  Box  549110 
Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 


FELLOWS  BREAKFAST 


(.(. 


Stamping  Out  Injustice 


•)•) 


Canada's  former  justice  minister  has  devoted  life  to  fighting  for  what's  right 


Leading  human  rights  advocate  Irwin  Coder 
invoked  the  words  of  the  university's  name- 
sake, former  Supreme  Court  Justice  Louis  D. 
Brandeis,  as  he  outlined  what  is  required  to 
repel  the  growing  threats  to  Israels  existence. 

"We  need  to  hearken  back  to  the  teach- 
ings of  Brandeis:  The  pursuit  of  justice 
requires  stamping  out  injustice, "  the  former 
Canadian  minister  of  justice  and  attorney 
general  told  a  crowd  of  about  one  hundred 
people  at  the  annual  pre-Commencement 
Fellows  Breakfast  on  May  20  at  the  Gos- 
man  Sports  and  Convocation  Center. 

"Whatever  2007  will  be,  it  is  not  1937  or 
1938,"  Cotler  said.  "The  Jewish  people  are 
not  in  the  situation  they  were  in  then. 
There  are  non-Jews  joining  with  the  Jewish 
people  in  standing  up  and  being  counted  in 
the  fight  against  injustice." 


IN   OUR   PRAYERS 

Our  prayers   for  comfort   on 

of  Fellows: 

Ruth  Rose,  April  9 

Pearl  Zeltzer,  April  1 1 

Jennie  Kowal,  May  13 

Irene  Schwartz,  May  28 


th 


e  passmg 


Cotler  has  dedicated  his  life  to  that  cause, 
serving  as  counsel  to  Nelson  Mandela  in 
South  Africa,  Natan  Sharansky  in  the  former 
Soviet  Union,  Sa'ad  Eddin  Ibrahim  in  Egypt, 
Jacobo  Timerman  in  Latin  America,  and 
many  other  political  prisoners  and  prisoners 
of  conscience.  Additionally,  he  was  a  leading 
proponent  for  establishingthe  International 
Criminal  Court  and  has  significantly  influ- 
enced the  development  of  international  law. 

Cotler,  now  a  member  of  Canada's  Parlia- 
ment, was  awarded  an  honorary  doctor  of 
laws  during  Brandeis's  56th  Commence- 
ment exercises.  As  is  customary,  the  other 
honorary  degree  recipients  also  attended 
the  Fellows  Breakfast.  They  included  pio- 
neering cancer  researcher  Judah  Folkman 
(doctor  of  science),  architect  Daniel 
Libeskind  (doctor  of  humane  letters),  and 
author  Joyce  Carol  Oates  (doctor  of 
humane  letters). 

During  his  talk  at  the  Fellows  Breakfast, 
Cotler  catalogued  a  series  of  episodes  that 
he  called  frightening  "political  earthquakes" 
whose  impact  is  being  felt  in  Israel  and 
among  the  Jewish  people. 

According  to  Cotler,  the  events  of  great- 
est concern  include  the  rise  to  power  of 


Irwin  Cotler  delivers  the  keynote  address  at  the 
May  20  pre-Commencement  Fellows  Breakfast. 

Mahmoud  Ahmadinejad  in  Iran,  Hamas 
winning  the  Palestinian  Authority's  general 
legislative  elections,  Hezbollah's  emergence 
in  Lebanon,  the  globalizing  of  totalitarian 
Islam,  and  the  betrayal  of  Israel  by  intellec- 
tuals from  around  the  world. 

The  breakfast  was  hosted  by  Rosalind 
(Fuchsberg)  '59  and  Richard  Kaufman  '57, 
P'83,  the  cochairs  of  the  Board  of  Fellows 
whose  six-year  tenure  ended  at  Commence- 
ment. Trustee  Paul  M.  Zlotoff  '72,  the  for- 
mer two-term  national  president  of  the 
Alumni  Association,  is  the  new  chair. 


Sculpture  Fellowship  Memorializes  Late  Artist 


A  fellowship  recently  established  in  Kira 
Fournier's  honor  at  Brandeis  provides 
promising  artists 
with  the  type  of 
opportunity  she 
never  had. 

Created  by  Ben- 
jamin Schore  '56  in 
memory  of  his  late 
wife,  an  innovative 
artist  who  died  ot 
cancer  in  2002,  the 
Kira  Fournier  Fel- 
lowship provides  a  generous  subsidy  for  a 
gifted  sculpture  student  enrolled  in  Brandeis's 


Kira  Fournier 


postbaccalaureate  program  who  is  interested 
in  pursuing  an  MFA  in  studio  art. 

"It's  almost  a  requirement  now  that  serious 
artists  have  an  MFA,  but  MFA  programs 
want  dedicated,  passionate  artists  coming  in, " 
Schore  said.  "Students  need  to  be  able  to 
show  what  they  can  do — and  Brandeis's  post- 
bac  program  gives  them  that  opportunit)-. " 

Fournier  first  came  to  prominence  as  an 
artist  in  the  late  1970s,  when  she  started 
making  ceramic  steam  pots  ba.sed  on  an 
ancient  Chinese  prototype  she  had  learned 
about  while  a  student  at  Goddard  College  in 
Vermont.  Her  pots,  first  used  at  a  well-known 
restaurant,  were  later  marketed  nationally.  In 


the  early  1 990s,  seeking  further  artistic  chal- 
lenge, Fournier  enrolled  at  the  School  of  the 
Museum  of  Fine  Arts  in  Boston  and  at  Alfred 
University,  but  it  was  not  until  she  became  an 
master's  student  at  the  University  of  Arizona 
in  1997  that  she  blossomed  as  an  artist. 

"She  felt  the  world  really  changed  for  her 
when  she  went  to  the  University  of  Arizona 
and  became  a  true  artist,"  Schore  said.  "We 
often  thought  about  ways  to  help  others  get 
into  MFA  programs,  which  can  be  such  a 
life-changing  event  for  an  artist." 

For  more  information  about  the  Fournier 
Fellowship,  contact  Amy  Silberstein  at 
78 1  -736-4049  or  silberst@brandeis.edu. 


Suiimiri-   (1^  I  Uraiiclii^  I  rii\ir^il\    \l:ii.'jizrni' 


61 


BRANDEIS   BUILDING   BOOM:  TRANSFORMING   THE  CAMPUS 


From  The  Village  residential  complex  at  one  end  of  campus  to  the 
Irving  Schneider  and  Family  Building  on  the  other,  Brandeis's  recent 
building  boom  has  transformed  the  campus  and  helped  move  the 
university'  into  the  upper  echelon  of  American  higher  education. 

The  buildings  constructed  in  the  last  several  years  have  played  a  crucial 
role  in  enhancing  teaching,  scholarship,  research,  the  arts,  and  student  life 
on  the  235-acre  campus. 

"Thanks  to  the  continued  generosity  of  our  alumni  and  friends,  we  are 
building — both  literally  and  figuratively — a  rwenty-first-centur)'  universit)'," 
said  President  Jehuda  Reinharz,  PhD'72.  "We  are  positioned  to  attract  the 
world's  top  students  and  scholars  to  Brandeis." 


LOIS  FOSTER  WING  AT  THE  ROSE  ART  MUSEUM 
Completed:  September  2001 


Expected  construction  start:  January  2008 
Expected  completion:  July  2009 


BraiuJfis  Lnivrrsily  Magazine  |  SiiTnincr   0' 


MANDEL  CENTER 
FOR  STUDIES  IN 
JEWISH  EDUCATION 
Completed: 
September  2004 


CARL  AND  RUTH  SHAPIRO  CAMPUS  CENTER 
Completed:  September  2002 


w^m 


ABRAHAM  SHAPIRO  ACADEMIC  COMPLEX 
Completed:  September  2004 


RHONDA  S. 

AND  MICHAEL 

J.  ZINNER 

FORUM  AT 

THE  IRVING 

SCHNEIDER  AND 

FAMILY  BUILDING 

Completed: 

October  2006 


NEW  RESIDENTIAL 
COMPLEX 

Expected  construction 
start:  August  2007 
Expected  completion: 
December  2008 


„.;:ja^ 


CARL  J.  SHAPIRO  SCIENCE  CENTER 

Contraction  start:  June  2006 

Expected  Ptiase  I  completion:  August  2009 


Sutnnirr  '()''  |  Br'nridris  I  ni\('rsitv  Magaziii 


63 


BtAMdtriWiiirgiYiiiminna 


RECENT  GIFTS 


Classmates  Seek  to  Establish  Segal  Fellowship 


Fund  a  tribute  to  late  political  strategist,  public  servant 


Classmates,  friends,  and  family  of  Eli  J. 
Segal  '64  are  working  to  establish  a  fellow- 
ship program  and  lecture  series  at  Brandeis 
that  will  honor  the  passionate  citizen  leader 
while  also  inspiring  others  to  follow  his  lead 
and  make  service  central  to  their  lives. 

Segal,  who  died  in  February  2006,  was  an 
accomplished  businessman,  skilled  political 
strategist,    and    dedicated   citizen    servant. 

During    the    Clinton 

.  .^^—^^^  administration,  he  was 
1  ^^^^HHl  ch<^  founding  CEO  of 
the  Corporation  for 
National  and  Commu- 
nity Service,  and,  as 
President  Clinton  calls 
him,  "the  Father  of 
AmeriCorps."  Segal 
Eli  Segal  also  created  the  Welfare 


to  Work  Partnership,  a  project  for  which  he 
received  the  Presidential  Citizens  Medal. 

A  generous  contributor  to  Brandeis, 
Segal  served  his  alma  mater  in  a  variety  of 
roles,  including  a  stint  as  chair  of  the 
Brandeis  Transitional  Year  Program/Posse 
Council  and  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Overseers  at  the  Heller  School  for  Social 
Policy  and  Management. 

The  Eli  J.  Segal  '64  Citizen  Leadership 
Program  would  provide  fellowships  for  fif- 
teen Brandeis  students  (nine  undergraduates 
and  six  graduate  students  at  Heller)  who 
would  serve  in  summer  internships  at  mis- 
sion-driven organizations  and  be  matched 
with  mentors  from  Segals  network  of  family, 
friends,  and  colleagues.  These  fellows  would 
in  turn  become  engaged  in  activities  with  a 
Network  of  Segal  Fellows,  including  others 


selected  by  the  Corporation  for  National  and 
Community  Service,  AmeriCorps  alumni, 
and  CityYear.  The  Segal  Memorial  Lecture 
would  serve  as  a  national  platform  for  the 
discussion  of  innovative  ideas  about  citizen 
service  and  civic  engagement. 

"Eli  was  a  master  at  translating  the  poetry 
of  big  ideas  into  the  prose  of  an  effective  pro- 
gram," said  his  wife,  Phyllis  (Nichamoff)  '66, 
one  of  the  driving  forces  behind  the  initiative. 
"He  took  great  joy  in  mentoring  young 
people  who  aspired  to  make  a  difference, 
and  this  program  is  designed  to  extend  his 
impact  by  developing  future  generations  of 
citizen  leaders. " 

For  more  information  about  the  Segal 
fellowship  and  lecture  series,  contact 
Claudia  Jacobs  '70  at  781-736-3806  or 
ciacobs@brandeis.edu. 


Sounding  an  Alarm  about  Heart  Disease 

Getzes  endow  research  fund  in  memory  of  late  family  member 


Back  home  after  a  night  out  at  a  restaurant, 
Dan  Getz  complained  to  his  wife  about  suf- 
fering from  heartburn  and  back  pain.  Over 
the  next  few  hours,  the  symptoms  grew  pro- 
gressively worse.  By  the  time  the  thirty-seven- 
year-old  sought  medical  attention,  it  was  too 
late;  he  died  of  a  massive  heart  attack. 

Getz  left  behind  a  family  committed 
to  turning  his  tragic  death  into  a  positive 
for  society. 

To  raise  public  awareness  about  the  dan- 
gers of  heart  disease  in  Getz's  memory,  his 
brother  and  sister-in-law.  Ken  '84  and 
Debra  (Hassenfeld)  Getz  '85,  made  a  gift  to 
the  university  to  establish  the  Dan  Getz 
Endowed  Fund  for  Heart  Disease  Research. 
The  fund  will  support  a  series  of  annual  lec- 
tures featuring  Brandeis  faculty  and  other 
leading  researchers  discussing  prevention, 
early  detection,  and  treatment  of  America's 
leading  killer.  The  first  lecture  is  scheduled 
for  this  fall. 


"Debra  and  I  were  not  going  to  let  this 
tragedy  define  our  family,"  Ken  Getz  said. 
"We  were  determined  to  find  a  way  to  help 
others  avoid  this  type  of  tragedy  and  live 
longer,  healthier  lives." 

As  they  looked  deeper  into  the  plague  of 
heart  disease.  Ken  and  Debra  were  struck  by 
the  number  of  people,  even  those  with  a  his- 
tory of  cardiovascular  problems  in  their  fam- 
ily, who  disregarded  symptoms,  refused  to 
make  needed  lifestyle  and  dietary  changes, 
and  ignored  the  abundant  literature  that  is 
available.  "We  miss  Dan  very  much  and 
wished  he  had  survived.  But  his  passing  has 
taught  our  family  .something  important  that 
we  want  to  share,"  Debra  said. 

The  Getzes  met  at  Brandeis  in  1982 
while  attending  a  student  torum  on  nuclear 
war  awareness  being  led  by  professor 
Gordie  Fellman.  They  were  married  in 
1986  and  have  three  children,  ages  ten, 
fourteen,  and  fifteen. 


Ken  and  Debra  (Hassenfeld)  Getz  with  their 
three  children.  Ellyn,  Julia,  and  David. 

"We  have  always  had  a  great  fondness  for 
the  Brandeis  community  and  the  research 
being  done  there,"  Ken  said.  "It  was  impor- 
tant for  us  to  find  a  way  to  give  to  Brandeis 
in  honor  of  my  brother's  memory.  This  gift 
felt  right  on  many  levels." 


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Kazis  Chair  Established 

The  Earle  W.  Kazis  '55  Chair  in  the  Practice  of  Finance  and 
International  Real  Estate  was  dedicated  at  the  International 
Business  School.  Kazis  participated  in  a  panel  discussion  and 
was  feted  at  a  reception  in  his  honor.  Left  photo,  from  left: 
trustees  Jonathan  Davis  '75  and  John  Usdan;  Edward  Bayone, 
the  inaugural  holder  of  the  Kazis  chair;  Kazis;  and  Gene 
Kohn.  Above,  from  left:  Keren  Kazis  Phillips,  Kazis,  Deborah 
Kazis,  and  Judy  Kazis. 


SuiiiiiKT  07  I  Braiiilcis  rniviTsily  .Vlaf! 


65 


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RECENT  GIFTS 


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Classmates  Seek  to  Esta 

Fund  a  tribute  to  late  political  strategist,  pub 


Classmates,  friends,  and  family  of  Eli  J. 
Segal  '64  are  working  to  establish  a  fellow- 
ship program  and  lecture  series  at  Brandeis 
that  will  honor  the  passionate  citizen  leader 
while  also  inspiring  others  to  follow  his  lead 
and  make  service  central  to  their  lives. 

Segal,  who  died  in  February  2006,  was  an 
accomplished  businessman,  skilled  political 
strategist,  and  dedicated  citizen  servant. 
During  the  Clinton 
administration,  he  was 
the  founding  CEO  of 
Ik  \  ^^^^BMV  the  Corporation  for 
.^^b™  1—  National  and  Commu- 
nity Service,  and,  as 
President  Clinton  calls 
u  ^^^^^^^H  ^"n,  "the  Father  of 
1/ I^^HHI^H  AmeriCorps."  Segal 
Eli  Segal  also  created  the  Welfare 


to  Work  Partnership, 
received  the  President 

A  generous  cont 
Segal  served  his  alma 
roles,  including  a  s 
Brandeis  Transitiona 
Council  and  as  a  me 
Overseers  at  the  He 
Policy  and  Managem 

The  Eli  J.  Segal  '( 
Program  would  provi 
teen  Brandeis  student 
and  six  graduate  stu 
would  serve  in  sumn 
sion-driven  organizat 
with  mentors  from  Se 
friends,  and  colleague 
in  turn  become  enga; 
Network  of  Segal  Fel 


Sounding  an  Alarm  aboi 

Getzes  endow  research  fund  in  memory  of  lal 


Back  home  after  a  night  out  at  a  restaurant, 
Dan  Getz  complained  to  his  wife  about  suf- 
fering from  heartburn  and  back  pain.  Over 
the  next  few  hours,  the  symptoms  grew  pro- 
gressively worse.  By  the  time  the  thirty-seven- 
year-old  sought  medical  attention,  it  was  too 
late;  he  died  of  a  massive  heart  attack. 

Getz  left  behind  a  family  committed 
to  turning  his  tragic  death  into  a  positive 
for  society. 

To  raise  public  awareness  about  the  dan- 
gers of  heart  disease  in  Getz's  memory,  his 
brother  and  sister-in-law.  Ken  '84  and 
Debra  (Hassenfeld)  Getz  '85,  made  a  gift  to 
the  university  to  establish  the  Dan  Getz 
Endowed  Fund  for  Heart  Disease  Research. 
The  fund  will  support  a  series  of  annual  lec- 
tures featuring  Brandeis  faculty  and  other 
leading  researchers  discussing  prevention, 
early  detection,  and  treatment  of  America's 
leading  killer.  The  first  lecture  is  scheduled 
for  this  fall. 


"Debra  and  I  were 
tragedy  define  our  fa 
"We  were  determinec 
others  avoid  this  typ 
longer,  healthier  lives 

As  they  looked  dee 
heart  disease,  Ken  anc 
the  number  of  people 
tory  of  cardiovascular 
ily,  who  disregarded 
make  needed  lifestyle 
and  ignored  the  abut 
available.  "We  miss 
wished  he  had  survivt 
taught  our  family  sorr 
we  want  to  share,"  Dc 

The   Getzes   met 
while  attending  a  stuc 
war    awareness    beir 

Gordie   Fellman.   Th.^     _. 

1986  and  have  three  children, 
fourteen,  and  fifteen. 


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felt  right  on  many  levels. " 


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ENDOWED   CHAIRS 


Davis  Chair  Dedicated 

The  university  communiry  gathered  to 

celebrate  the  estabhshment  of  the  Harold 

and  Bernice  Davis  Chair  in  Aging  and 

Neurodegenerative  Disease.  Above: 

trustees  Malcolm  Sherman  (left)  and 

Stephen  Kay.  Right:  Dagmar  Ringe,  the 

inaugural  holder  of  the  Davis  chair; 

trustee  Jonathan  G.  Davis  '75;  Ellen 

Davis;  Bernice  Davis,  P'75;  Margot  T. 

Davis,  MA'05;  President  Jehuda 

Reinharz,  PhD'72;  and  Ken  Davis. 


Kazis  Chair  Established 

The  Earle  W.  Kazis  '55  Chair  in  the  Practice  of  Finance  and 
International  Real  Estate  was  dedicated  at  the  International 
Business  School.  Kazis  participated  in  a  panel  discussion  and 
was  feted  at  a  reception  in  his  honor.  Left  photo,  from  left: 
trustees  Jonathan  Davis  '75  and  John  Usdan;  Edward  Bayone, 
the  inaugural  holder  of  the  Kazis  chair;  Kazis;  and  Gene 
Kohn.  Above,  from  left:  Keren  Kazis  Phillips,  Kazis,  Deborah 
Kazis,  and  Judy  Kazis. 


Simuiier  "07  I  Uriiiiih-i^  I 


Mai 


65 


jiii 


COMMENCEMENT  DINNER 


Trustees,  alumni,  friends,  faculty,  and  members 
of  the  Class  of  1957  attended  the  annual 
Commencement  Dinner  on  campus.  Brandeis 
president  Jehuda  Reinharz,  PhD'72,  briefed  attendees 
on  the  miraculous  building  boom  that  has  transformed 
the  campus  in  the  last  ten  years.  After  a  stirring  video 
tribute  to  past  Brandeis  honorary-degree  recipients,  the 
2007  honorees — influential  human-rights  advocate 
Irwin  Coder  (doctors  of  laws),  pioneering  cancer 
researcher  Judah  Folianan  (doctor  of  science),  leading 
architect  Daniel  Libeskind  (doctor  of  humane  letters), 
and  award-winning  author  Joyce  Carol  Oates  (doctor 
of  humane  letters) — were  introduced.  Each  received  a 
standing  ovation  from  the  crowd. 


From  left:  Lynda  Wijcik  and  her  husband,  trustee  Alex  Barkas  '68.  and  trustee 
Stephen  Reiner  '61  and  his  wife,  Patricia. 


Trustee  Kenneth  Kaiserman  '60 
and  his  wife,  Susan. 


Fellow  Valya  (Kazes)  Shapiro  '61  (left) 
and  Nancy  Winship,  P'lO.  senior  vice 
president  of  institutional  advancement. 


Trustee  Bart  Winokur  (left)  and  former  Canadian  Minister  of 
Justice  Irwin  Cotler  (right)  with  their  wives,  Susan  and  Ariela. 


From  left:  Trustee  Thomas  Friedman  '75.  trustee  Allen  Alter  '71, 
Lisbeth  Tarlow  and  her  husband,  trustee  Stephen  Kay. 


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Trustee  Myra  (Hiatt)  Kralt  '64  and  her  husband,  Robert. 


66 


Brandeis  l'ni\'orsity  Magazine  |  Siuniiier  '07 


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From  left:  Shula  Reinharz,  PhD'77,  architect  Daniel  Libeskind.  and 
Joseph  Neubauer  and  his  wife,  trustee  Jeanette  Lerman  '69. 


From  left:  Marie  Herrero,  trustee  Daniel  Elkaim  '81,  and  trustee 
Malcolm  Sherman,  the  new  board  chair. 


From  left:  Trustee  Louis  Perlmutter  '56,  his  wife,  Barbara,  and 
Bruce  Magid,  new  dean  of  the  International  Business  School. 


From  left;  Beth  Bernstein-Yamashiro,  President  Jehuda  Reinharz,  PhD'72, 
and  fellow  Jules  Bernstein  '57  and  his  wife,  Linda  Lipsett. 


President 
Jehuda 
Reinharz, 
PhD'72  (left). 
and  trustee 
Thomas 
Friedman  '75 
share  a  laugh. 


Trustee  Paul  ZIotoff  '72  and  his  wife,  Linda  (Yale)  ZIotoff  '72. 


Siinniier  "07  |  HriiTuli'is  rni\frsit\   Magazine  67 


Zinner  Lecture 

Author  Robin  Gerber  delivered  a  keynote  talk,  "Women's  Civic  and 
Political  Leadership  Yesterday  and  Today,  Featuring  Timeless  Strategies  from 
Eleanor  Roosevelt,"  at  the  annual  Zinner  Lecture  at  the  Heller  School  for 
Social  Policy  and  Management.  Shannon  O'Brien,  the  former  Massachusetts 
state  treasurer,  and  Joan  Wallace-Benjamin,  PhD'80,  president  and  chief  execu- 
tive officer  of  the  Home  for  Little  Wanderers,  participated  in  a  panel  discus- 
sion. Left  photo:  O'Brien  with  Heller  dean  Stuart  Altman,  the  Sol  C.  Chaikin 
Professor  of  National  Health  Policy.  Right  photo:  Wallace-Benjamin  chats  with 
Thomas  P  Glynn  III,  MSW'72,  PhD'77,  chair  of  Heller's  Board  of  Overseers. 


BUNWC  Leaders  Gather 

Trustee  Dorothy  Pierce  (in  multicolored  blouse), 
national  president  of  the  Brandeis  University 
National  Women's  Committee  (BUNWC),  and 
Nancy  Winship,  P'lO  (in  purple  suit),  Brandeis's  senior 
vice  president  of  institutional  advancement,  hosted 
regional  and  chapter  presidents  from  around  the 
country  at  the  first  BUNWC  Art  of  Leadership 
training  program.  BUNWC  successfully  completed 
its  Science  for  Life  campaign,  exceeding  the  $2  million 
goal  by  20  percent. 


Gathering  in  New  Jersey 

Bonnie  Notis  (left)  and  her  husband,  Corey  '84 
(second ftom  right),  hosted  a  reception  at  their  New 
Jersey  home  for  area  alumni  and  friends.  They  are 
joined  here  by  (ftom  left)  children  Alexander,  Max, 
and  Melissa,  and  President  Jehuda  Reinharz, 
PhD'72. 


Rose  in  Bloom 

Brandeis  House  in  New  York  hosted  a  forum 
with  representatives  from  the  famed  auction 
house  Christie's,  who  discussed  the  Rose  Art 
Museum's  renowned  collection  of  modern 
and  contemporary  art.  Left  photo,  ftom  left: 
Liz  Rueven,  P'09;  Michael  Rush,  the  Henry 
and  Lois  Foster  Director  of  the  Rose;  and 
Joanna  Gang  '06.  Right  photo,  ftom  left: 
Danielle  Frankenthal  '69,  trustee  Allen  Alter 
'71,  and  Jane  (Paley)  Price  '69,  P'08. 


Justice  Brandeis  Documentary  Screening 

Attending  the  screening  of  a  new  documentary  film  on  the  life  of  Justice  Louis  D.  Brandeis  were  (left  photo)  fellow  Frank  Gilbert  (left),  a 
grandson  of  Brandeis,  and  fellow  Jules  Bernstein  '57,  and  (right photo,  from  left)  President  Jehuda  Reinharz,  PhD'72;  Robert  Sheridan, 
president  and  CEO  of  SBLI;  fellow  Alice  Popkin,  granddaughter  of  Brandeis;  Gilbert;  and  Walter  Raushenbush,  a  grandson  of  Brandeis. 


Brandeis  Night 
in  Washington 

Alumni  and  friends  from  the 

Washington,  D.C.,  area 

gathered  at  the  home  of 

fellow  Jules  Bernstein  '57 

(right)  and  his  wife,  Linda 

Lipsett  (second from  right). 

Here,  they  are  joined  by 

Judy  and  Paul  Regan  '73. 


Brandeis  Night  in  IVIiami 

Jonathan  Plutzik  '76  and  his  wife,  Lesley  Goldwasser,  hosted  alumni  and  friends 
from  South  Florida  at  the  Betsy  Ross  Hotel,  a  boutique  property  they  own  on  South  Beach. 
Top  left,  from  left:  Vicki  and  fellow  Bruce  Litwer  '61.  Bottom  left,  from  left:  Theresa  and  Bernard 
Shuster  '87  and  Linda  '80  and  Gilbert  Drozdow  '79.  Below,  frvm  left:  Cornelia  Turk  Philipson  '62, 
Rachel  Baum  '03,  Nancy  Winship,  P'lO,  senior  vice  president  of  institutional  advancement, 
Mark  Weinberg  '77,  Conrad  Koller  '77,  Plutzik,  Tracey  Cohen  '00,  and  Julie  Katz,  MBA'03. 


President  Jehuda  Reinharz,  PhD72,  accepts  the  senior  glass  gift  from  (from  left)  Yoni  Litwok.  Aaron 
Gaynor,  Raena  Davis,  Maayan  Zack,  Rachel  Hlllman,  Johanna  Sllverio,  Beth  Wexelman.  Stacey  Cohen, 
and  Dorit  Ingber.  The  class  set  all-time  records  for  both  participation  and  gift  size. 

Giving  Back 

Recent  grad  thanks  Brandeis  with  generous  class  gift 


To  get  the  most  out  of  her  Brandeis  experi- 
ence, Michehne  Frias  '07  knew  she  needed  to 
make  sacrifices. 

If  she  wanted  to  pursue  two  majors  (interna- 
tional and  global  studies  and  anthropology) 
and  a  minor  (journalism),  intern  at  the  Elaine 
and  Gerald  Schuster  Institute  for  Investigative 
Journalism,  serve  as  a  host  and  performer  at 
the  Intercultural  Center,  work  as  a  supervisor 
at  the  Student  Informa- 
tion Center,  spend  a  year 
as  a  residential  adviser, 
and  enjoy  a  satisfying  so- 
cial life,  something  had 
to  give. 

"One  thing  I  didn't  do 
that  much  of  at  Brandeis 
was  sleep,"  the  recently 
graduated  New  Yorker 
said  with  a  laugh.  "To  do  everything  I  wanted 
to  do  inside  and  outside  the  classroom,  I  just 
didn't  have  much  time  to  sleep." 

In  the  spirit  of  giving  back  to  an  institution 
that  provided  her  with  such  a  positive  experi- 
ence (if  not  much  sleep),  Frias  made  a  gener- 
ous contribution  to  the  senior  class  gift.  She 
helped  the  Class  of  2007  establish  all-time 
records  for  both  gift  size  ($  1 5,840,  topping  last 
year's  $14,445)  and  participation  (64  percent, 
beating  last  year's  61  percent). 


Braiuleis  University  Maguziru-  |  Siininii-i    07 


MIchellne  Frias 


"I  am  so  grateful  for  my  education  at  Bran- 
deis that  I  would  feel  guilty  if  I  did  not  con- 
tribute," said  Frias,  the  recipient  of  a  Posse 
Foundation  full-tuition  leadership  scholarship. 
"It  would  not  be  right  to  have  been  given  this 
opportunity  and  not  make  a  gift  to  help  some- 
one else  have  the  same  opportunity." 

Stretching  back  to  when  Frias  was  nine  years 
old,  when  the  budding  entrepreneur  sewed  her 
own  Barbie  clothes  and  sold  them  to  classmates, 
she  has  eschewed  the  easier,  more  traditional 
path  for  more  challenging  alternatives. 

As  a  Brandeis  junior,  she  chose  to  spend  a 
term  at  the  School  for  International  Training  in 
Rabat,  Morocco,  rather  than  do  her  study  abroad 
in  the  relative  comfort  of  Western  Europe  or 
Latin  America,  where  she  knew  the  language. 

"I  wanted  to  go  someplace  less  familiar  to 
me,  where  I  could  learn  about  a  totally  differ- 
ent culture  and  another  language,"  said  Frias, 
who  spent  time  in  a  rural  Moroccan  village 
that  had  no  running  water  or  electricity. 

The  notion  of  constantly  challenging  her- 
self guided  her  Brandeis  career. 

"At  a  place  that  was  not  as  rigorous,  I  would 
not  have  learned  so  much  about  myself,"  Frias 
said.  "Being  knocked  down  but  always  getting 
up  builds  character.  I  know  now  that  I  am  a 
strong  person,  and  I'll  make  it  in  whatever 
I  choose  to  do." 


Sachar  Legacy  Society 
event  set  for  September 

Sachar  Legacy  Society  member  Aileen 
Cabitt  '53  will  host  the  organization's 
annual  luncheon  on  September  18 
from  11:30  a.m.  to  1:30  p.m.  Scott 
Edmiston,  director  of  the  Office  of 
the  Arts  and  an  award-winning 
theater  director,  will  be  the  principal 
speaker.  The  Sachar  Society  honors 
and  recognizes  more  than  five  hun- 
dred alumni,  parents,  and  friends 
who  have  included  Brandeis  in  their 
estate  plans.  For  more  information, 
contact  Orla  Kane  at  781-736-4069 
or  kane@brandeis.edu. 

Golf  and  tennis  outing 
scheduled  for  August  13 

One  of  the  top  courses  in  Westchester 
County,  New  York,  Old  Oaks 
Country  Club  in 
Purchase,  will  host 
the  third  annual 
Brandeis  Golf  and 
Tennis  Outing  on 
August  13.  Alumni, 
parents,  and  friends  are 
invited  to  participate  in  the  event, 
which  is  sponsored  by  Alpine  Capital 
Bank.  Following  the  afternoon  golf 
and  tennis  competitions,  an  awards 
dinner  will  be  held.  Last  year's  event 
raised  more  than  $100,000  for  under- 
graduate scholarships.  For  more 
information  on  playing  or  sponsor- 
ship opportunities,  contact  Robyn 
Hartman  at  212-472-1501,  ext.  232, 
or  hartman@brandeis.edu. 

Scholarship  Appreciation 
Luncheon  on  November  1 

Longtime  Brandeis  supporter  Myra 
(Hiatt)  Kraft  '64  will  host  the  sixth 
annual  Scholarship  Appreciation 
Luncheon  on  November  1  from  noon 
to  1:30  p.m.  The  luncheon  gives 
scholarship  donors  and  recipients  the 
chance  to  meet  each  other.  For  more 
information,  contact  Meredith 
Everson  at  781-736-4026  or 
meverson@brandeis.edu. 


alumnineJI 


Rain  Can  t  Dampen  Spirits 

More  than  1,000  drop  in  on  Reunion  weekend 


More  than  one  thousand  alumni  and  their  famiHes  flocked  to  cam- 
pus in  June  for  Reunion  2007.  Even  the  occasional  rain  failed  to 
dampen  the  spirits  of  Reunion  class  members,  who  came  from  as 
far  away  as  Israel,  Spain,  and  California  to  reconnect  with  class- 
mates and  visit  their  alma  mater. 

Reunion  Weekend  kicked  off  on  Friday,  June  8,  with  Alumni 
College  (see  story,  page  75),  the  popular  one-day  series  of  classes  for 
alumni,  friends,  and  members  of  the  Brandeis  University  National 
Women's  Committee  (BUNWC).  During  the  evening,  Reunion 
attendees  packed  the  Shapiro  Campus  Center  for  the  Welcome 
Back  Reception  before  heading  off  to  individual  Class  Dinners  held 
at  locations  throughout  campus. 

David  Oshinsky,  PhD'71,  the  Jack  S.  Blanton  Chair  in  History 
at  the  University  of  Texas-Austin  and  winner  of  a  2007  Alumni 
Achievement  Award,  addressed  an  enthusiastic  crowd  on  Saturday 
morning.  He  discussed  his  latest  book,  Polio:  An  American  Story, 
which  won  the  2006  Pulitzer  Prize  in  history.  Alumni  then  joined 
President  Jehuda  Reinharz,  PhD'72,  for  a  discussion  about  current 
happenings  at  the  university  and  plans  for  the  future. 


Afternoon  showers  on  Saturday  moved  at  least  some  of  the 
Ralph  Norman  Barbecue  indoors,  but  didn't  deter  alumni  and  their 
families  from  enjoying  each  other's  company  under  tents  on  the 
Great  Lawn.  Face-painters,  magicians,  clowns,  caricature  artists, 
and  many  more  entertainers  were  on  hand,  keeping  guests  of  all 
ages  amused. 

The  weekend  culminated  with  a  gala  reception,  dinner,  and 
dance  themed  "A  Night  in  Para'Deis."  Considered  by  many  to  be 
the  highlight  of  the  weekend,  the  evening's  festivities  and  dancing 
lasted  into  the  wee  hours  of  the  morning. 

Earlier  in  the  program,  Reinharz  presented  2007  Alumni 
Achievement  Awards  to  Oshinsky  and  Deborah  Bial  '87,  founder 
and  president  of  the  Posse  Foundation.  A  third  Alumni  Achieve- 
ment Award  was  given  to  Jules  Bernstein  '57,  a  leading  union  and 
labor  attorney  at  his  50th  Reunion  in  May. 

Ruth  M.  Charney  '72,  chair  and  professor  of  mathematics  at 
Brandeis,  and  Larry  M.  Myatt  '72,  headmaster  on  assignment  at 
the  Boston  Public  Schools,  were  recognized  for  receiving  Harry  S. 
Levitan  Education  Prizes. 


SuimiK^r  07  I  Uramlci.-,  rni\fM'.siiy  MiijLrazino  71 


FROM  THE  ALUMNI   ASSOCIATION   PRESIDENT 

Q&A  with  Allen  Alter 

New  association  president  wants  to  help  foster  alumni  connections 


Allen  Alter  71,  an  Emmy  Award-winning 
senior  producer  of  A?,  Hours  Mystery  at  CBS, 
became  president  of  the  Alumni  Association 
on  July  1.  He  shares  his  thoughts  on  the  asso- 
ciation, the  importance  of  serving  his  alma 
mater,  and  keeping  connections  strong  among 
Brandeis  alumni. 

Did  you  ever  imagine  becoming  presi- 
dent of  the  Alumni  Association? 

I  never  expected  to  lead  the  Alumni 
Association.  But  when  the  opportunity 
presented  itself,  I  was  both  flattered  and 
humbled — and  a  bit  concerned  about 
finding  the  time  needed  to  do  the  job  right. 
In  the  end,  I  realized  that  working  with  a 
supportive  on-campus  stafl\  this  would  be 
an  exciting  and  rewarding  challenge.  It  also 
provides  a  chance  for  me  to  give  back — 
which  I  see  as  increasingly  important  in 
our  world  today.  Thanks  to  Brandeis,  I 
have  had  so  many  wonderful  experiences 
and  opportunities,  both  professionally  and 
personally.  This  is  a  special  and  meaningful 
way  to  say  thanks. 


Your  job  must  keep  you  busy.  How  do 
you  find  time  to  serve  Brandeis? 

If  something  is  a  priority,  you  find  the  time. 
I've  made  room  in  my  life  for  this  commit- 
ment for  the  next  two  years  because  a  lot  is 
at  stake.  The  role  alumni  are  playing  in  the 
future  of  our  university  is  increasingly 
important,  and  I  want  to  help  Brandeis 
chart  its  future. 

What  are  your  specific  goals? 

To  engage  more  Brandeis  alumni,  regardless 
of  class  year,  with  the  university  and  each 
other.  We're  all  part  of  a  special  club  and 
have  a  unique  bond.  I  want  to  build  and  sus- 
tain an  ongoing  link  between  alumni  and 
Brandeis.  There  are  fresh  ways  to  do  so,  such 
as  the  launch  this  fall  of  B-Connect,  our 
new  online  community. 

What  services  do  alumni  want? 

More  than  anything,  our  alumni  want  con- 
nection with  each  other  and  the  university. 
Through  B-Connect  we  can  offer  expanded 
networking  opportunities,  career  services,  a 


better  alumni  direc- 
tory, you  name  it. 
Alumni  also  like  to 
see  each  other. 
Soon,  we  will  begin 
a  revitalization  of 
Brandeis  House,  .\ 
great  facility  in  the 
heart  of  New  York 
City.  We  will  pro- 
vide computer  stations,  an  honor  bar,  a 
pool  table,  and  other  meeting  facilities  for 
use  by  alumni,  whether  they  live  in  New 
York  or  are  visiting  for  the  day. 

Any  message  for  your  fellow  alumni? 

No  matter  when  you  graduated,  you  are 
always  welcome  in  the  Brandeis  communi- 
ty. If  you've  not  been  involved,  you're  miss- 
ing out  on  something  special.  We  have 
Alumni  Clubs  in  twenry-two  cities  world- 
wide, and  host  more  than  150  alumni 
events  each  year.  There  are  lots  of  opportu- 
nities to  stay  connected.  Your  only  regret 
will  be  that  you  waited  so  long. 


Job  Well  Done 

Kamine  thanks  outgoing  association  board  for  its  support,  accomplishments 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Alumni  Association 
Board  of  Directors  at  Brandeis  House 
in  New  York  in  March,  outgoing  presi- 
dent Darlene  Green  Kamine  '74,  P'03, 
expressed  her  appreciation  to  fellow 
board  members  for  their  service  during 
her  rwo-year  term.  Citing  significant 
accomplishments,  including  the  launch 
of  the  alumni  Web  site,  introduction  of 
the  new  Louie  logo,  rewriting  the  asso- 
ciation constitution  and  bylaws,  and 
significantly  enhanced  programming, 
Kamine  credited  the  entire  board  with 

helping  to  move  the  association  forward 

1   r      1      •        ■  1      r  •         1  '^™f"  'e'f-  Past  president  and  trustee  Paul  ZIotoff  72:  Detlev  Suderow  70,  P'05:  Beth  Wexelman  '07; 

and  hirdiermg  its  goal  of  serving  die  o^,^^„^  Kamine  74,  P'03:  Barbara  (Bobbi)  Kravitz  'S?,  P79;  Victor  Ney  'SI:  Susan  Deutsch  '62;  and 

university's  more  than  37,000  alumni.  Daniel  Blumenthal  '85. 


Brandeis  riiiver.sity  Magazine  |  Summer  '0? 


VOLUNTEER   PROFILE 

Behind  B-Connect 

Ramer,  Kranc  team  up  to  help  launch  enhanced  online  community 


Starting  this  fall,  alumni  looking  to  reconnect  with  classmates  and 
old  friends  online  will  have  a  much  easier  time  doing  so,  thanks  to 
the  efforts  of  Mike  Ramer  '88,  MA'89,  and  Lisa  Kranc  75.  The 
pair  has  teamed  up  with  more  than  a  dozen  fellow  alumni  to  help 
the  university  launch  B-Connect,  an  enhanced  online  community. 

"We  are  very  excited  about  this,"  says  Ramer,  a  member  of  the 
Alumni  Association  Board  of  Directors,  chair  of  the  B-Connect 
Committee,  and  principal  at  Ramer  Search  Consultants  in 
Livingston,  New  Jersey.  "We'll  be  able  to  offer  alumni  the  services 
and  products  they  want,zc  while  enabling  them  to  connect  to 
Brandeis  and  classmates  in  areas  of  their  interest. " 

B-Connect  will  replace  the  current  Louie-Net,  the  online  com- 
munity available  through  the  alumni  Web  site.  It  will  provide  a  host 
of  enhanced  online  services,  including  business  and  networking 
resources,  resume  and  job  postings,  a  My  Page  profile,  class  notes, 
and  event  registration,  all  while  giving  alumni  an  easy  way  to  main- 
tain and  develop  important  Brandeis  connections. 

"This  is  a  great  project,"  says  Kranc,  an  association  board  mem- 
ber, chair  of  the  B-Connect  Marketing  Subcommittee,  and  senior 
vice  president  of  marketing  for  Memphis,  Tennessee-based  Auto- 
Zone, Inc.  "To  have  the  Brandeis  community  at  the  fingertips  of  all 
alumni  is  wonderful,  particularly  for  those  of  us  who  live  far  away 
from  campus  and  don't  get  back  as  often  as  we'd  like.  B-Connect 
will  mean  our  Brandeis  family  and  friends  are  never  further  away 
than  our  desktops.  That  means  a  lot  in  this  communit)'. " 

Looking  tor  ways  to  increase  connections  among  alumni,  former 
Alumni  Association  president  Darlene  Green  Kamine  '74,  P'03, 
approached  Ramer  to  lead  the  effort.  "Mike  brings  the  background, 
leadership,  and  an  infectious  enthusiasm  to  this  project,"  says 
Kamine.  "He  dreamed  the  dream  and  made  this  possible.  He  has 
assembled  a  great  team.  With  Mike  and  Lisa  at  the  helm,  B-Connect 
is  sure  to  bring  many  Brandeis  alumni  back  into  the  fold." 

For  Ramer  and  Kranc,  B-Connect  is  more  than  a  labor  of  love. 
The  many  hours  of  meetings,  conference  calls,  and  research  they've 


Mike  Ramer  '88,  MA'89.  and  Lisa  Kranc  '75. 

logged  have  already  helped  them  and  other  committee  members  con- 
nect— or  reconnect — with  other  alumni.  "I've  met  people  from  other 
class  years,  people  I  never  would  have  met  had  I  not  been  working  on 
this  project,"  Kranc  says.  "B-Connect  is  already  expanding  my  Bran- 
deis connections,  and  it  hasn't  even  launched  yet! " 

"B-Connect  is  going  to  transform  the  way  Brandeis  alumni  stay  in 
touch,"  says  Ramer  "We're  having  a  terrific  time  designing  an  online 
community  that  will  be  fun,  engaging,  and,  most  important,  very 
useful  for  alumni  anywhere  at  any  stage  of  life. 

"I  know  I  speak  for  the  entire  committee,"  continues  Ramer. 
"B-Connect  gives  each  of  us  a  great  way  to  make  a  meaningful  and 
lasting  contribution  to  Brandeis  and  our  fellow  alumni." 

Senior  staff,  along  with  Ramer  and  Kranc,  are  especially  grateful 
to  Bobbi  Kravitz  '57,  P'79,  for  her  leadership  in  the  development 
of  the  alumni  Web  site  and  B-Connect.  Other  committee  members 
include  Alexandra  Ainsztein  '89,  Laurie  Slater  Albert  '74,  Wendy 
Morris  Berliner  '95,  Ellen  Feinberg  Blitz  '76,  Matthew  Brown  '08, 
Yehuda  Cohen  '81,  Aaron  Gaynor  '07,  Kamine,  Jennifer 
Koplow  05,  Robert  Rose  '92,  Fern  Lazarus  Schapiro  '81,  Mark 
Surchin  '78,  Clare  Tully  '80,  and  Beth  Wexelman  '07. 


►  UPCOMING  EVENTS 


ALUMNI  CLUB  OF  CHICAGO 


ALUMNI  CLUB  OF  SOUTHERN  CALIFORNIA        ALUMNI  CLUB  OF  TORONTO 


Alumni  Spotlight  with  University  of  Chicago 
president  Robert  Zimmer  '68  and  wife  Terese 
Schwartzman-Zimmer  '73,  July  15,  11:00  a.m. 
to  1:00  p.m.  Hosted  by  Nancy  and  Jim  Kahn, 
P'95,  parents  of  club  president  Carolyn 
Birkenstein  '95,  at  their  Chicago  home. 

Brandeis  Night  in  Chicago.  Hosted  by  Margot 
and  Tom  Pritzker,  P'02,  October  16,  Park 
Hyatt  Chicago.  Keynote  speaker  is  Bill 
Schneider  '66,  senior  political  analyst,  CNN. 


Countrywide  Classic  Tennis  Tournament  and 
Reception,  July  19.  Reception  at  5:30  p.m., 
matches  begin  at  7:30  p.m.  Group  tickets 
available  for  $33  each:  matches  plus  recep- 
tion tickets  are  $45  each. 

Annual  Outing  to  the  Hollywood  Bowl:  The 
Big  Picture— The  Films  of  Paramount  Pic- 
tures. September  2.  Picnic  in  our  seats  at 
6:30  p.m.,  concert  begins  at  7:30  p.m. 
Group  tickets  available  for  $28  each. 


Faculty  in  the  Field  at  the  Stratford  Festival 
of  Canada.  William  Flesch,  professor  of 
English  and  American  literature,  July  22. 
Performance  of  The  Merchant  of  Venice  at 
2:00  p.m.  Pre-  and  postevent  gathering  TBA. 
Group  tickets  available  for  $47 

For  more  information,  visit 
www.alumni.brandeis.edu. 


.Summer  "07  |  Braiidei.s  I  rii\rrhiry  Ma 


73 


NEW   MEMBERS   OF  THE   ALUMNI   ASSOCIATION   BOARD 


Leslie  Meltzer  Aronzon  '84 

SANTA  MONICA.  CALIFORNIA 

Leslie  Meltzer  Aronzon  is  an  author  and  wedding 
consultant.  She  was  formerly  a  vice  president  of 
investment  banking  at  Houlihan,  Lokey,  Howard 
and  Zukin.  She  served  as  a  member  of  her  1 5th 
Reunion  Gift  Committee  and  as  chair  of  her  20th 
Reunion  Gift  Committee.  Aronzon  was  a  member  of 
the  Capital  Campaign  Committee  and  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Alumni  Admissions  Council  since  2003.  She  is  married  to  Paul 
Aronzon  and  has  three  children. 


Frani  Rudolph  Bickart  '66 

GOLDEN,  COLORADO 


^^^^       Frani  Rudolph  Bickart  was  a  founding  member  of 
^H^^^     the  Alumni  Club  of  Denver  and  has  hosted  club 
I^H^^V     events.  She  is  also  a  member  of  the  Sachar  Legacy 
rV^pH       Society.  Bickart  earned  a  master's  degree  in  public 
^■E^^     administration  from  Syracuse  University  and 
^^^™^^^    worked  for  years  at  Michigan  State  University's 
Institute  for  Public  Policy.  She  and  her  husband,  Ted,  former 
president  of  the  Colorado  School  of  Mines,  have  three  children. 


Ira  H.  Cohen  '93 

GREENWICH,  CONNECTICUT 


mi 


^1^  Ira  Cohen  is  a  vice  president  in  the  investment 
JL  Jk  banking  division  of  Goldman,  Sachs  &  Co.  in 
'      ^        New  York  City.  He  served  as  chair  of  his  5  th 

Reunion  Committee  and  as  cochair  of  his  10th 
Reunion  Gift  Committee.  Cohen  has  conducted 
countless  informational  interviews  with  Brandeis 
undergraduate  and  graduate  students  interested  in  banking  and 
finance.  He  is  married  to  Dr.  Susan  Markowitz  Cohen  '93  and 
has  three  children. 


Kalman  J.  Fishbein  '87 

LIVINGSTON,  NEW  JERSEY 

Kalman  J.  Fishbein  is  the  vice  president  of  Elkal, 
Inc.,  a  family-owned  real-estate  company  in 
Livingston.  He  received  a  law  degree  from  the 
University  of  Virginia  in  1991.  Fishbein  was  a 
member  of  his  10th  Reunion  Gift  Committee  and 
his  20th  Reunion  Committee.  His  wife,  Susan 

Spector  Fishbein,  is  the  author  of  kosher  cookbooks.  The  couple 

have  four  children. 


Wayne  K.  Goldstein  '83 

MAMARONECK,  NEW  YORK 

Wayne  Goldstein  is  a  principal  at  the  Endicott 
Group,  a  money-management  and  investment- 
banking  firm  in  New  York.  A  member  of  the 
International  Business  School  Dean's  Global  Busi- 
ness Council  and  the  Wall  Street  Group,  Goldstein 
served  on  his  15th  and  20th  Reunion  Gift  Com- 
mittees. He  and  his  wife,  Tara  Slone  Goldstein,  have  three  sons. 


David  M.  Levine  '83 

FAIRFIELD,  CONNECTICUT 

David  M.  Levine  is  an  attorney  and  partner  at 
Cohen  and  Wolf  in  Bridgeport,  Connecticut.  He 
received  a  law  degree  from  Boston  University  in 
1986.  Levine  was  president  of  the  Alumni  Club  of 
Connecticut  from  1992  to  1998.  In  1994,  he 
received  the  Alumni  Association  Service  to  the 
Association  Award.  He  served  on  the  Alumni  Association  Board 
of  Directors  from  1998  to  2001  and  has  been  a  member  of  his 
10th  and  20th  Reunion  Program  Committees.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  the  Lawyers  Network.  He  is  married  to  Sheryle  Scharf 
Levine  '85. 


Michael  L.  Resnick  '86 

DEERFIELD,  ILLINOIS 


Michael  L.  Resnick  is  a  managing  partner  at 
Lincoln  Trading  Company  in  Chicago.  The  son  of 
Paula  Resnick  '61 ,  a  past  president  of  the  Alumni 
Association,  he  was  a  member  of  his  15th  Reunion 
Program  Committee.  He  is  married  to  Ellen  Abrams 
Resnick  and  has  two  children. 


Michael  A.  Saivetz  '97 

NEW  YORK  CITY 

Michael  A.  Saivetz  is  director  of  operations  at 
Richloom  Fabrics  Group  in  New  York.  He  received 
an  MBA  through  New  York  University's  Stern 
Executive  Program.  He  is  a  member  of  the  National 
Alumni  Campaign  Committee  and  served  on  his 
5th  and  10th  Reunion  Committees.  Saivetz  is  a 
sponsor  of  the  annual  Alumni  Golf  Outing.  He  is  the  son  of  Carol 
Richman  Saivetz  '69  and  the  late  Richard  Saivetz  '69,  who  served 
as  president  of  the  association  from  1998  to  2000,  and  brother  of 
Aliza  Saivetz  01.  He  is  married  to  Amy  Klein  and  has  a  son. 


Braiuleis  University  Magazine  |  Summer  "07 


Strong  Foundation 

Scholarship  program  set  Hironaka  on  path  to  success 


A  chance  meeting  in  her  native  Tokyo  back  in  1958  led  Wakako 
Kimoto  Hironaka,  MA'64,  H'87,  across  the  globe  to  Waltham, 
Massachusetts,  where  she  became  one  of  the  first  Wien  Scholars  at 
Brandeis.  Now  serving  her  fourth  term  as  a  member  of  the  House 
of  Councillors,  the  upper  house  of  the  Japanese  National  Diet, 
Hironaka  looks  back  with  deep  gratitude  to  Lawrence  Wien. 

"My  experience  as  a  Wien  Scholar  taught  me  to  view  things 
from  a  global  perspective,  to  value  democracy,  fairness,  free- 
dom, gender  equality,  and  foreign  policy,"  says  Hironaka,  who 
will  be  a  panelist  at  the  Wein  fiftieth  anniversary  celebration  in 
April  2008. 

Hironaka  graduated  from  Ochanomizu  Women's  University  in 
Tokyo  with  a  bachelor's  degree  in  English  and  was  looking  for  a  schol- 
arship that  would  allow  her  to  study  abroad.  She  met  a  tourist  who 
happened  to  be  a  Brandeis  trustee.  "She  told  me  about  the  Wien 
International  Scholars  program,"  Hironaka  says. 

The  first  class  of  thirty  Wien  Scholars  was  mostly  from  Europe; 
Hironaka  was  the  only  one  from  Japan.  The  day  of  the  program's 
inauguration,  John  F.  Kennedy,  then  senator  from  Massachusetts, 
was  on  campus  to  receive  an  honorary  degree,  along  with  Ameri- 
can political  adviser  and  former  ambassador  George  F.  Kennan  and 
Lawrence  Wien.  "I  happened  to  be  wearing  a  kimono,  so  they 
chose  me  to  be  in  their  picture,"  laughs  Hironaka. 


Married  in  1960  to  a  mathematician  who  began  his  teaching 
career  at  Brandeis,  Hironaka  returned  to  Brandeis  in  1961  to 
pursue  a  master's  degree  in  anthropology.  After  Brandeis,  she  con- 
tinued to  audit  courses  at  some  of  America's  best  universities,  while 
raising  two  children.  Hironaka  began  writing  about  American 
trends  for  a  Japanese  audience  and  translated  such  best-selling 
books  as  Shifting  Gears  by  Nena  and  George  O'Neill  ind  Japan  as 
Number  One  by  Ezra  Vogel. 

In  1986,  Hironaka  made  a  successfiil  run  for  an  office  in  the  House 
of  Councillors,  where  she  has  served  ever  since.  Currently,  she  is  chair 
of  the  Research  Committee  on  Economy,  Industry,  and  Employment 
and  a  member  of  the  Committee  on  Education,  Culture,  and  Science. 

She  is  also  active  internationally,  serving  such  organizations  as 
Global  Legislators  for  a  Balanced  Environment,  Micro  Credit 
Summit  Council  of  Parliamentarians,  the  World  Commission  on 
Forests  and  Sustainable  Development,  and  many  others. 

Hironaka  remains  moved  by  comments  made  by  Larry  Wien  at  the 
thirtieth  anniversary  in  1988.  "He  said  he  used  his  money  in  a  way 
that  brought  him  more  pleasure  than  any  material  acquisitions  ever 
could,"  she  recalled.  "He  was  a  generous  philanthropist  whose  vision 
changed  a  lot  ot  lives." 

For  information  about  the  fiftieth  anniversary,  visit  brandeis.edu/wien. 


Think  Again 

Alumni  College  attendees  get  lesson  in  creativity 


You  may  not  think  you  would  need  to  go 
back  to  college  to  learn  how  to  fold  a  T-shirt. 
That,  however,  is  just  what  more  than  two 
hundred  alumni,  friends,  and  members  of 
the  Brandeis  University  National  Women's 
Committee  (BUNWC)  did  June  8  at  Alum- 
ni College  during  the  first  day  of  Reunion. 

During  his  class  "Five  Steps  to  Innovation 
and  Creative  Thinking:  Unleashing  Creativ- 
ity for  Individuals  and  Groups,"  Associate 
Professor  of  Human  Services  Management 
Jon  Chilingerian,  P'07,  P'lO,  challenged 
attendees  to  think  more  creatively  about 
everyday  things — like  folding  a  T-shirt — 
and  broad  organizational  issues  that  face 
large  institutions.  Creative  thinking,  he  said, 
leads  to  greater  innovation. 

"It  was  just  fabulous,"  said  Joan  Small,  a 
BUNWC  member  from  Arizona.  "His  ideas 
on    leadership,   organization,   and   getting 


things  done  were  particularly  usefijl  for  us 
when  thinking  about  BUNWC." 

"I  love  engaging  with  people  who  can 
actually  teach  me,"  said  Chilingerian.  "I 
create  the  conversation,  and  then  we  all 
teach  each  other." 

With  topics  as  varied  as  black-Jewish 
relations,  the  paintings  of  Nicolas  Poussin, 
the  ever-changing  brain,  and  the  cost  of  col- 
lege tuition,  attendees  at  this  year's  Alumni 
College  had  plenty  of  intellectually  stimu- 
lating classes  and  workshops  to  choose 
from.  Each  registrant  selected  as  many  as 
four  of  eight  classes  offered  at  the  daylong 
academic  symposium,  which  featured  some 
prominent  Brandeis  faculty  members. 

Instructors  included  Jonathan  Unglaub, 
assistant  professor  of  fine  arts  and  chair 
of  medieval  and  Renaissance  studies;  Don 
Katz,    assistant   professor   of  psychology; 


Irving  Epstein,  the  Henry  F.  Fischbach 
Professor  of  Chemistry  and  Howard 
Hughes  Medical  Institute  Professor; 
Michael  Coiner,  associate  professor  of  eco- 
nomics; Ibrahim  Sundiata,  the  Samuel  and 
Augusta  Spector  Professor  of  History;  and 
Dawn  Skorczewski,  director  of  university 
writing  and  associate  professor  of  English 
and  American  literature. 


Suinnirr  07  |  Brandeis  Univpr.sily  Magazine 


75 


alumniaews 


CLASS  REUNIONS 

More  than  one  thousand  alumni  and  their  families  came  back  to  campus  June  8  to  10  to 
celebrate  Reunion  2007.  Alumni  from  ten  classes  enjoyed  a  series  of  special  events.  Class 
photos  were  taken  during  the  Ralph  Norman  Barbecue  on  June  9.  The  50th  Reunion  of  the 
Class  of  1957  was  held  in  May  during  Commencement  (see  page  39).  Through  June  25, 
Reunion  classes  had  raised  a  combined  $3.9  million.  The  final  total  will  be  even  higher. 


int   hACU 


Class  of  1952 

Gus  Ranis  and  Max  Perlitsh  cochaired 
the  55th  Reunion  Gift  Committee. 
June  Saftel  Goldman,  Julian  Koss, 
Gene  Saklad,  and  Len  Van  Gaasbeek 
cochaired  the  55th  Reunion  Program 
Committee.  The  Class  of  1952 — the 
first  Brandeis  class  to  celebrate  a 
55th  Reunion — completed  it  class 
scholarship  at  $717,300  with  a 
71  percent  Reunion  participation  rate. 


Class  of  1962 

Sid  Boorstein  and  Bill  Singer  served  as  cochairs  of  the  45th 
Reunion  Committee.  The  Class  of  1962  raised  $281,979  with 
a  40  percent  participation  rate. 


Braiiileis  ririvpisity  Mapazine  |  Slimmer  '07 


Class  of  1967 

Howard  Scher  was  chair  of  the  40th  Reunion 
Committee.  The  Class  of  1967  raised  $76,432 
with  a  48  percent  participation  rate. 


Class  of  1972 

Martin  Gross  and  Meyer  Koplow  were  cochairs  of 
the  35th  Reunion  Committee.  The  class  raised 
$615,526  with  a  49  percent  participation  rate. 


Class  of  1977 

Murray  Greenberg  and  David  Hodes  were 
cochairs  of  the  30th  Reunion  Committee.  The 
Class  of  1977  raised  $177,541  with  a  43  percent 
participation  rate. 


Class  of  1982 

Glenn  Langberg  and  Susan  Lewtan  Langberg 
cochaired  the  25th  Reunion  Committee.  The 
class  raised  $224,337  with  a  41  percent 
participation  rate. 


SuiniiKT  07  [  Bratidris  L  riiMT-sity  Magazine 


77 


alumnirtews 


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Class  of  1987 

Michael  Kivort  served  as  chair  of  the  20th 
Reunion  Committee.  The  class  raised  $101,550 
with  a  32  percent  participation  rate. 


Class  of  1992 

Scott  Kessier  and  Scott  Tobin  cochaired  the  15th 
Reunion.  The  Class  of  1992  raised  $65,792  with 
a  30  percent  participation  rate. 


Class  of  1997 

Stacy  Norden  Bess  and  Leigh  Kessier  served  as 
cochairs  of  the  Class  of  1997  10th  Reunion. 
The  class  raised  $57,752  with  a  24  percent 
participation  rate. 


Class  of  2002 

Mike  Berger  and  Janna  (Rosenberg)  Berger  served 
as  cochairs  of  the  5th  Reunion  Committee.  The 
Class  of  2002  raised  $22,372  with  a  24  percent 
participation  rate. 


RECENT  EVENTS 


Alumni  Association  and  Future  Alumni  of  Brandeis 

The  Alumni  Association  and  Future  Alumni  of  Brandeis  (FAB)  held  their  annual  student-alumni  event,  "The  Real  World:  After 
Brandeis, "  in  March.  Juniors  and  seniors  attended  a  life-skills  session,  networking  dinner,  and  career  panel.  Hosts  were  Sara  Kahan  '07 
and  FAB  cochairs  Beth  Wexelman  '07  and  Matt  Brown  '08. 


Sara  Rosenfeld  '81  (left),  senior  vice  presi- 
dent and  manager  of  Coldwell  Banker  Res- 
idential Brokerage,  and  Julian  Hyman  '78, 
senior  vice  president  of  investments  at 
Smith  Barney,  spoke  about  housing  and 
managing  finances  after  graduation. 


Development  consultant  Lori  Berman  Gans  '83,  MMHS'86  (left),  and  Lou  Woolf '76, 
executive  vice  president  and  chief  operating  officer  of  North  Shore  Medical  Center,  served 
on  the  career  panel,  which  also  included  Donald  Stewart  '76,  director  of  academic 
resources  at  Brown  University.  Other  alumni  panelists  included  Margaret  Sullivan  '82, 
director  of  graduate  admissions  at  Boston  University's  School  of  Education;  Emily 
(Kargauer)  Samansky  00,  attorney  at  Johnson  &  Borenstein;  Adam  Samansky  00,  attor- 
ney at  Edwards  Angell  Palmer  &  Dodge;  David  Weiner  '63,  former  president  of  Children's 
Hospital  Boston  and  now  president  and  chief  executive  officer  of  Boston  Latin  School 
Association;  Bob  Halperin  '77,  chief  education  officer  of  Young  Presidents  Organization; 
and  Wendy  Russman-Halperin  '75,  adviser  to  the  junior  and  senior  classes  at  Brandeis. 


Alumni  Club  of  Washington,  D.C. 

The  Alumni  Club  of  Washington,  D.C,  hosted  a  panel  presentation,  "Technology,  the  Media,  and  You:  The  Impact  of  Real-Time 
Journalism, "  at  the  Beacon  Hotel  in  April.  Panelists  included  (left  photo)  Dorian  Friedman  '83  (left),  director  of  external  relations  at  the 
American  Prospect;  Rob  Levy  '89  (right),  senior  multimedia  producer  for  Discovery  Communications;  and  Walter  Mossberg  '69  (second 
from  right),  personal  technology  columnist  at  the  Wall  Street  Journal.  They  were  joined  by  club  president  Dan  Kazzaz  '74  (second  from 
left)  and  event  chair  Jan  Solomon  '73.  Right  photo,  from  left:  Avi  Coburn  '04;  Phyllis  Brenner  Coburn  '75,  P'04,  P'07,  P'lO;  David 
Coburn  '73,  P'04,  P'07,  P'lO;  and  Shayna  Skelley  '06. 


SuiniiuT  07  I  Braiidiis  I  riivcrsily  Magazine 


79 


Steven  London  '77  (right),  Tedd  Lustig  '91 
(center),  and  Lunch  Series  committee  member 
Doug  Rosner  '88  welcomed  Peter  Conrad,  the 
Harry  Coplan  Professor  of  Social  Sciences,  at  a 
lunch  on  March  7  at  the  offices  of  Brown  Rudnick 
Berlack  Israels.  Conrad  discussed  the  subject  of  his 
recently  published  book,  The  Medicalization  of 
Society.  Erica  Michals  Silverman  '95  and  Barbara 
Cantor  Sherman  '54,  P'83,  are  also  members  of 
the  committee. 


Alumni  Club  of  Chicago 

Guests  gathered  in  April  at  the  Glencoe 
home  of  host  Robin  Goldman  Leikin  '78 
for  a  Faculty  in  the  Field  discussion, 
"From  Brandeis  Classrooms  to  Balkan 
Battlefields  and  Back,"  by  Steven  Burg, 
the  Adlai  Stevenson  Professor  of 
International  Politics. 


Boston-area  alumni  toured  the  Budweiser  Brewery  in  Merrimack,  New 
Hampshire,  on  March  25.  The  visit  included  a  guided  tour  of  the  Brew 
Hall  and  a  visit  to  the  Clydesdale  Hamlet,  home  of  the  world-famous 
Budweiser  Clydesdales.  From  left:  Paul  Levenson  '52,  P'78,  P'82;  Sheryl 
Levenson,  P'78,  P'82;  Clare  Hurley,  MM'05;  Shubhra  Kumar  '94;  Elizabeth 
Sandler-Spindel  '78;  Michael  Schwartz  '89;  Seth  Kaufman  '97;  Joanna 
Rothman  '97;  Zina  Jordan  '61;  event  chair  Melissa  Bank  Stepno  '99;  Eric 
Stepno;  and  David  Daiell  '98. 


Alumni  Club  of 
Southern  California 

Top  photo,  from  left:  Roger 
Sohn  '73;  Francine  Ladd 
Sohn  '74,  former  president  of 
the  Alumni  Club  of  Southern 
California;  Mark  Aronson  '55; 
and  Marty  Brower  joined  more 
than  fifty  fellow  alumni  and 
friends  at  the  home  of  Lou  and 
Tani  Sackler  Krouse  '57  at  a 
Faculty  in  the  Field  event  in 
February.  Bottom  photo: 
Professor  Steve  Whitfield, 
PhD'72  (center),  led  a  discussion 
on  'An  Appreciation  of  Jewish 
Humor."  He  is  flanked  by  Tani 
Krouse  and  her  husband,  Lou. 


80 


Brandeis  University  Magazine  [  Smnnier  "07 


Alumni  Association  and  National  Women's  Committee 


Assistant  Professor  of  Psychology  Don  Katz  (left)  delivered  a  talk 
about  "The  Ever-Changing  Brain:  Learning  in  Neurons,  Whole 
Animals,  and  You,"  at  a  Faculty  in  the  Field/University  on  Wheels 
event  in  Seattle  in  May,  cosponsored  by  the  Alumni  Association  and 
the  Brandeis  University  National  Women's  Committee.  Katz  is  shown 
here  with  (from  left)  event  cochairs  Barbara  Sherer  and  Jeannie 
Moskowitz  (BUNWC)  and  Eli  Patashnik  '83. 


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Leslie  Zebrowitz  (center),  the  Manuel  Yellen  Professor  of 
Social  Relations,  spoke  about  "The  Origin  of  First 
Impressions"  at  a  Faculty  in  the  Field/University  on  Wheels 
event  in  Minneapolis  in  April,  cosponsored  by  the  Alumni 
Association  and  Brandeis  University  National  Women's 
Committee.  Zebrowitz  is  shown  with  Judy  Sherman  (left). 
president  of  the  Minneapolis/St.  Paul  BUNWC  chapter, 
and  Wendy  Robinson  Schwartz  '79,  cochair  of  the  Twin 
Cities  Alumni  Admissions  Council. 


Alumni  Club  of  Cincinnati 

Professor  of  Coexistence  Mari  Fitzduff 
(second from  right)  spoke  about  "War  in  the 
World  Today:  Beyond  Winning  or  Losing,"  at 
a  Faculty  in  the  Field  event  in  February. 
She  was  joined  by  (from  left)  former  Alumni 
Association  president  Darlene  Green 
Kamine  '74,  P'03;  club  president  and  event 
chair  Chuck  Kamine  '74,  P'03;  Jennifer 
Mitzman  '03;  and  Hilda  Rosenberg  '77.  The 
event  was  cosponsored  by  Xavier  University's 
Peace  and  Justice  Program. 


GLBT  Alumni  Network 

The  Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender  Alumni  Network  met  at  Brandeis  House  in 
New  York  for  a  panel  discussion  on  the  "GLBT  Brandeis  Experience."  Panelists  Judith 
Kesselman  '56,  Claudette  Charbonneau  '57,  Fred  Berg  '77,  Brian  Drutman  '84,  and 
Leo  Dorfman  '04  (second from  right)  shared  their  experiences.  The  event  was  cochaired 
by  Thomas  W  Brown  '95,  Gerard  Cabrera  "85,  and  Michael  Sklar  '79  (right).  Other 
attendees  included  Scott  Frost  '10  (left)  and  David  Klotz  '86  (second  from  left). 


Meet  and  Greet  in  New  Mexico 

Beata  IngeborgThorstensen  '96  (center),  senior  policy 
analyst  and  director  of  the  State  Action  for  Education 
Leadership  Project  at  the  New  Mexico  Office  of 
Education  Accountability,  discussed  the  status  of  New 
Mexico's  education  .system  at  a  Meet  and  Greet  event 
hosted  by  Valerie  Zamzok  Velhagen  '90  (left)  in 
March.  Adam  M.  Greenwald  '98  (right)  chaired  the 
event.  Alumni  Admissions  Council  chair  Marlene 
Aronin  Sigel  '72  updated  the  group  on  admissions 
efforts  in  the  area. 


Siiiiiiiirr  ()7  I  Braiiilci^  I  riiviTsiiy  Miiji.iziiii' 


81 


classnotes 


1952 


Diana  Laskin  Siegal 

900  SW  31st  Street,  #BE339 
Topeka,  KS  66611 
1952notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Judith  Marks  Kass 

Brookline,  Massachusetts 
Kass  is  trustee  for  the  Albert  E.  Marks 
Charitable  Trust.  The  trust  supports 
living  Jewish  culture  in  the  United 
States,  the  improvement  of  Arab-Jewish 
relations  in  Israel,  and  efforts  toward 
Israeli-Palestinian  peace.  She  and  her 
husband,  Sy,  recently  returned  from 
their  annua!  trip  to  Israel,  where  they 
were  encouraged  by  their  contacts  with 
people  working  on  projects  funded  by 
the  trust. 


Abraham  Heller 

1400  Runnymede  Road 
Dayton,  OH  45419 
1953notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


"^     FROM  THE 


ROOFTOPS 


in  an  award?  Get  a  promotion? 
Move  cities?  Have  a  baby?  Share 
your  good  news  with  classmates 
and  fellow  alumni. 

Mail  your  news  to: 

Class  Notes 

MS  124,  Brandeis  University 

415  South  Street 

Waltham,  MA  02454 

You  may  also  e-mail  your  news  to 
your  class  correspondent  or  to 
classnotes@alumni.brandeis.edu, 
or  complete  the  online  form  at 
http://alumni.brandeis.edu/web/ 
classes/classnotes.html. 


1954 


William  Marsh 

5113  Castlerock  Way 
Naples,  FL  34112 
1954notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Paula  Eisenberg  Goldfader 

New  York  City 

Goldfader  has  become  a  serious 
photographer  in  her  retirement  years. 
In  addition  to  selling  her  work,  she  has 
a  group  of  photos  published  in  Still  Life: 
Documenting  Cancer  Survivorship 
(Umbrage  Editions,  2007). 

Isaac  Goodman 

Atherton,  California 
Goodman  writes,  "We're  still  going 
strong.  I  am  practicing  law  full  time, 
playing  basketball  four  days  a  week,  and 
enjoying  family  and  friends." 

Barbara  (Cohen)  Rosenberg 

Saint  Helena,  California 
Rosenberg  received  the  2007  Judith 
Chapman  Women's  Leadership  Award 
from  the  Judith  Chapman  Women's 
Leadership  Fund  of  the  Jewish 
Community  Endowment  Fund.  Each 
year,  the  organization  recognizes  a 
woman  who  exhibits  significant  and 
sustained  volunteer  leadership  in  the 
Jewish  community.  Rosenberg  was  cited 
for  her  consistent  and  creative  dedication 
in  leading  fundraising  efforts  for  the 
Jewish  and  general  communities. 


1955 


Judith  Paul!  Aronson 

838  N.  Doheny  Drive,  #906 
Los  Angeles,  CA  90069 
1955notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


1956 


Leona  Feldman  Curhan 

366  River  Road 
Carlisle,  MA  01741 
1956notes(a)alumni. brandeis.edu 


Marjorie  Grodner  Housen 
Boston 

Housen  and  her  husband,  Charley, 
celebrated  their  fiftieth  wedding 
anniversary  at  a  gala.  She  was  also 
honored  at  a  special  event  as  a  Woman 
of  Distinction  by  the  Boston  chapter 
of  Hadassah. 


1957 


Wynne  Wolkenberg  Miller 

1443  Beacon  Street,  #403 
Brookline,  MA  02446 
1957notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Not  even  torrential  rains  could  dampen 
the  warmth  and  spirit  of  our  50th 
Reunion.  However  green,  naive,  or 
inadequate  any  of  us  thought  we  were, 
we  learned  how  we  had  unknowingly 
impacted,  inspired,  and  affected  others. 
Three  panels  of  storytellers  prompted 
others  to  add  their  reflections;  what  wise, 
brave,  bright,  entertaining  people  we  have 
become!  Even  those  no  longer  with  us 
were  with  us.  Events  meticulously  planned 
filled  our  hearts  and  minds,  leaving  time 
to  visit.  We  resurrected  Hi  Charlie, 
athletic  moments,  nostalgia  (what  a 
DVD),  and  the  drinking  song.  Finally, 
embracing  the  magnitude  of  this  occasion, 
we  joined  the  honorary'  degree  recipients 
at  a  gala  dinner,  then  accepted  the  honor, 
ourselves,  of  marching  in  commencement. 

Janet  Cohen  David 
New  York  City 

David  writes,  "I  am  sorry  I  missed  our 
50th  Reunion.  I've  been  enjoying 
retirement  from  private  practice  as  a 
psychologist  and  working  part  time 
teaching  and  supervising  psychotherapists 
in  training.  1  also  volunteer  at  the 
American  Museum  of  Natural  History 
and  am  a  zone  gardener  in  Central  Park." 

Barbara  (Derocher)  Holleman 

Lexington,  Massachusetts 
Holleman  writes,  "On  September  1,  200^, 
I  retired  from  my  practice  of  clinical  social 
work,  having  worked  two  years  in  the 
Maiden  Public  Schools'  special-needs  pro- 


82 


lii;Miilfis  L  rii\er.siiy  .Magazine  |  SunuiiiM'  '[)"! 


gram,  eighteen  years  at  the  Massachusetts 
General  Hospital  Chelsea  Health  Center, 
and  in  my  own  private  practice  from 
1989.  It  is  ven,-  gratifying  to  know  that 
many  people's  lives  have  changed  because 
of  the  work  we  did  together." 

Ronald  Klayman 
Stoughton,  Massachusetts 
Klayman  and  his  wife,  Sandy,  proudly 
announce  the  birth  of  their  first  grand- 
child, Matthew  William.  They  celebrated 
their  lorr)'-tourth  wedding  anniversary 
on  January  13.  Klayman  writes,  "Hello 
to  all  my  former  classmates." 

Marilyn  (Blackman)  Salter 
Newton,  Massachusetts 
Salter  has  three  children,  all  of  whom 
graduated  from  Brandeis:  David  '88. 
Sharon  '91,  and  Susan  (Salter) 
Bradley  '95. 


NION 


1958 


Judith  Brecher  Borakove 

10  East  End  Avenue.  #2-F 
New/  York,  NY  10021 
1958notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

David  Cohen 

West  Palm  Beach,  Florida 

Cohen  is  alive  and  well,  playing  in  West 

Palm  Beach.  He  looks  forward  to  seeing 

everyone  next  year  at  the  50th  Reunion. 


1959 


Sunny  Sunshine  Brownrout 

7238  Brambury  Court 
Sarasota,  FL  34238 
1959notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


1960 


Joan  Silverman  Wallack 

28  Linden  Shores 

Branford,  CT  06405 

1960notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


Joel  Lebow 

Needham,  Massachusetts 
Lebow  writes,  "I'm  awaiting  my  fourth 
grandchild.  I'm  still  in  the  retail  business. 
Congratulations  to  Brandeis  tor  its  huge 
growth  in  population.  Best  to  all  alumni.' 


1961 


Judith  Leavitt  Schatz 

139  Cumberland  Road 
Leominster,  MA  01453 
1961notes@alumnl.brandeis.edu 

Beth  Rapfogel  Roy 

San  Francisco 

Roy's  new  book,  Parents  Lives,  Children's 
Needs:  Working  Together  for  Everyone's 
Well-Being,  was  published  in  May  by 
Personhood  Press. 


1962 


Ann  Leder  Sharon 

13890  Ravenwood  Drive 
Saratoga,  CA  95070 
1962notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Beth  Bondel  Rosenthal 

Palo  Alto,  California 
Rosenthal  writes,  "I  am  a  clinical  psy- 
chologist in  private  practice  in  Palo  Alto. 
I  have  been  working  as  a  psychologist  for 
the  past  twenry-five  years.  I  have  been 
happily  married  to  my  husband,  Peter, 
for  almost  forty-five  years.  I  have  a  son, 
age  thirty-seven,  who  lives  in  Menlo 
Park,  California,  and  a  daughter,  age 
thirty-four,  who  lives  in  Berkeley,  Califor- 
nia. I  feel  very  blessed  to  have  them  and 
their  children  (three  grandchildren  and 
one  on  the  way)  close  by.  Unfortunately, 
I  was  not  able  to  attend  our  45th 
Reunion  because  it  conflicted  with  my 
forty-ninth  high  school  reunion." 

Leni  Friedman  Valenta 

Boca  Raton,  Florida 

Valenta  writes,  "I  am  a  writer,  currently 

working  with  my  husband,  Russian 

scholar  Jiri  Valenta,  on  a  major  book 


about  the  collapse  of  the  former  Soviet 
Union.  We  are  near  completion  and 
looking  for  a  publisher.  I  have  two 
daughters.  Erica  Hamilton,  who  is  work- 
ing toward  a  PhD  in  health  sciences,  and 
Liza  Hamilton,  who  is  a  manager  for  the 
National  Academy  of  Sciences." 


Miriam  Osier  Hyman 

140  East  72nd  Street.  #16B 
New  York,  NY  10021 
1963notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Michael  Obsatz 
Golden  Valley,  Minnesota 
Obsatz  became  professor  emeritus  at 
Macalester  College  in  St.  Paul  after  forty 
years  of  teaching  in  the  education  and 
sociology  departments.  He  has  written 
three  books,  Raising  Nonviolent  Children, 
Healing  Our  Anger,  and  From  Stalemate 
to  Soiilmate. 

Arlene  Shapiro  Wiseth 
Silver  Spring,  Maryland 
Wiseth  writes,  "I  am  a  certified  rehabili- 
tation counselor  with  my  own  consulting 
firm.  I  am  married  to  Bob  and  have  a 
son.  Marc,  who  practices  law  in  San 
Francisco  and  who  married  Katherine 
Dowling  in  October  2006.  After  twenty- 
five  years.  Bob  is  converting,  and  we  will 
remarry  in  October.  I  am  in  a  wheelchair 
full  time,  but  I  don't  let  that  stop  me, 
although  I  am  not  the  dancer  I  once 
was.  I  would  love  to  hear  from  anyone 
who  happens  to  remember  me — or  even 
from  those  who  don't." 


1964 


Shelly  A.  Wolf 

113  Naudain  Street 
Philadelphia,  PA  19147 
1954notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


"(r  I  Hi 


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ri-,il\    \Iiii;;i/im 


83 


classnotes 


Elizabeth  Lapidus  Zelvin 

New  York  City 

Zelvin's  mystery  Death  Will  Get  You  Sober 
will  be  published  by  St.  Martin's  Press  in 
2008.  She  is  still  doing  therapy  online 
at  LZcybershrink.com  and  training 
clinicians  in  online  practice  skills. 


1965 


Joan  Furber  Kalafatas 

3  Brandywyne 

Wayland,  MA  01778 

1965notes@alumnl.brandeis.edu 


1966 


Kenneth  E.  Davis 

28  Mary  Chilton  Road 
Needham,  MA  02492 
1966notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Joseph  Shuldiner 

Chicago 

Shuldiner,  one  of  the  nations  foremost 
experts  in  the  field  of  public  housing, 
has  been  named  executive  director  of 
the  Municipal  Housing  Authority  in 
Yonkers,  New  York.  He  formerly  served 
as  assistant  secretary  of  the  U.S. 
Department  of  Housing  and  Urban 
Development  and  as  director  of  public 
housing  in  the  three  largest  cities  in  the 
country. 


1967 


Anne  Reilly  Hort 

10  Old  Jackson  Avenue,  #21 
Hastings-on-Hudson,  NY  10706 
1967notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Babette  Bleifeld  Zacks 

Tenatly,  New  Jersey 

Zacks  recently  became  certified  to  train 

academic  language  therapists  in  the 

remediation  of  dyslexia. 


alumnipiofile    Elliot  Aronson,  '54 


Changing  Behavior,  Changing  Attitudes 


While  a  student  at  Brandeis,  Elliot 
Aronson  '54  chatted  with  a  young  woman 
he  wanted  to  know  better.  He  followed  her 
to  her  class,  taught  by  "some  guy  named 
Maslow, '  he  recalls.  He  lost  interest  in  the 
young  woman  but,  thanks  to  the  teaching 
of  famed  professor  Abraham  Maslow,  fell 
in  love  with  psychology. 

"I  think  I  found  the  one  thing  I  was  best 
suited  for,"  he  says.  "But  it  was  a  lucky  cir- 
cumstance." 

Author  of  the  seminal  textbook  The 
Social  Animal,  Aronson  became  a  famed 
psychology  professor  in  his  own  right, 
named  (along  with  Maslow)  as  one  of  the 
hundred  most  eminent  psychologists  of 
the  twentieth  century.  After  graduating 
from  Brandeis,  he  earned  a  master's  at 
Wesleyan  and  a  doctorate  at  Stanford 
before  going  on  to  teach  at  Harvard,  the 
University  of  Minnesota,  the  University 
of  Texas,  and  the  University  of  California, 
Santa  Cruz.  Recently,  he  received  a  life- 
time achievement  award  from  the  Associ- 
ation of  Psychological  Science,  which 
cited  him  as  a  man  who  "fundamentally 
changed  the  way  we  look  at  everyday  life." 

As  a  Stanford  graduate  student,  Aronson 
made  an  immediate  impression  by  devising 
a  now-classic  experiment  on  cognitive  dis- 
sonance. His  investigation  showed  that 
people  who  went  through  the  harshest  ini- 
tiation to  get  into  a  group  liked  the  group 
better  than  those  who  went  through  a  mild 
initiation.  According  to  Aronson,  the  sub- 
jects reconciled  dissonance  by  concluding 
that  a  sensible  person  would  not  go 
through  a  severe  initiation  to  get  into  a 
worthless  group. 

The  experiment  taught  Aronson  his 
greatest  lesson  of  social  influence:  changing 


people's  behavior  will  change  their  atti- 
tudes. He  has  tried  to  do  that  for  society's 
benefit   with    the   "jigsaw   classroom,"    in 


which  small  clusters  of  students  work 
together  to  solve  problems.  It  motivates 
students  to  empathize  with  each  other  and 
helps  quell  racial  conflict  and  violence  in 
schools,  he  says. 

"The  act  of  working  together  and  being 
mutually  interdependent  really  opens  the 
eyes  and  the  heart,"  Aronson  says. 

Despite  losing  most  of  his  eyesight  from 
macular  degeneration,  he  recently  joined 
forces  with  author  Carol  Tavris  to  write 
Mistakes  Were  Made  (But  Not  by  Me):  Why 
We  Justify  Foolish  Beliefs,  Bad  Decisions, 
and  Hurtful  Acts.  The  book  is  the  latest  step 
in  a  career  in  which  Aronson  has  repeated- 
ly broken  new  ground  in  understanding 
human  behavior  and  social  interaction. 

— Lewis  Rice  '86 


1968 


David  Greenwald 

1920  Chestnut  Street 
Philadelphia,  PA  19103 
1968notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Our  daughter  Anna  Forman-Greenvi^ald 
'02  married  Zachary  Pelta-Heller  '02 

on  July  1,  2006,  at  Citizens  Bank  Park 


in  Philadelphia.  Many  Brandeisians  from 
our  era  and  theirs  were  in  attendance, 
including  Amanda  Cohen  '02,  Alisa 
Drooker  '02,  Daniel  Fishman  '02, 
Courtney  McElerney  '02,  Ruth  Selzer 
Vogel,  Morris  Vogel  '67,  and  Larry 
Brown  '67.  Brandeis  professor  James 
Mandrell  also  attended. 


84 


IJiaiulci.s  I  ni\ersiiv  Ma«uziiK'  [  .Suiiiiiicr'  07 


classnotes 


Donald  Drapkin 

Englewood,  New  Jersey 
Drapkin,  former  vice  chairman  of 
MacAndrews  &  Forbes  Holdings  Inc., 
has  joined  Lazard  as  vice  chairman  ot 
Lazard  International  and  chairman  of 
Lazard's  Investment  Committee.  He  will 
focus  on  strategic  investments  and  initia- 
tives for  Lazard  and  its  clients  worldwide. 

Jay  Kaufman,  MA'73 
Lexington,  Massachusetts 
Kaufman  is  in  his  seventh  term  in  the 
Massachusetts  Legislature,  where  he 
serves  as  chair  of  the  Committee  on 
Public  Service.  He  is  also  heading  the 
Center  for  Leadership  and  Public  Life  at 
Northeastern  University.  He  is  empty- 
nesting  comfortably. 


1969 


Phoebe  Epstein 

205  West  89th  Street,  #10-S 
New  York,  NY  10024 
1969notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Bernard  Gerber 

Houston 

Gerber  writes,  "The  Gerbers  are  doing 
well  in  Houston,  my  hometown.  After 
Brandeis,  I  attended  the  University  of 
Texas  Southwestern  Medical  School  in 
Dallas  and  stayed  another  year  for  an 
internal  medicine  internship  before 
heading  back  to  Boston  for  a  psychiatric 
residency  at  Massachusetts  General  Hos- 
pital. Our  two  children,  Sarah  (Gerber) 
Abrahams  '98  and  Jacob,  were  born  in 
Boston  before  we  moved  back  to  Texas 
in  1978.  After  academic  work  at  Baylor 
College  of  Medicine  for  four  years,  I 
have  been  in  private  practice  ever  since.  1 
have  been  president  ot  the  Houston  Psy- 
chiatric Society  and  the  Texas  Society  of 
Psychiatric  Physicians  and  am  currently 
vice  president  of  the  Harris  County 
Medical  Society.  My  wife,  Carol,  retired 
from  special-education  teaching  a  few 
years  ago.  Our  daughter  lives  in  Austin 
with  her  husband,  Eric,  and  our  two 
grandsons,  ages  three  years  and  two 
months.  Jacob  lives  in  San  Antonio. " 


Neil  Kauffman 

Swarthmore,  Pennsylvania 
Kauffman  and  Barbara  Drebing's  oldest 
son,  Brian,  graduated  from  Columbia 
College  in  May  2006.  He  now  works  as  a 
paralegal  at  the  law  firm  Paul,  Weiss  in 
Manhattan.  Kauffman  and  Drebing 
recently  celebrated  the  twenty-fifth 
anniversary  of  Kauffman  &  Drebing,  their 
financial  planning  firm  in  Philadelphia. 

Daniel  Levitt 
San  Francisco 

Levitt,  a  twenty-year  veteran  of  the 
biotechnology  and  pharmaceutical 
industries,  was  named  executive  vice 
president  of  research  and  development  at 
Cerimon  Pharmaceuticals.  He  will  direct 
Cerimon's  product  development  activi- 
ties and  manage  the  company's  clinical 
programs  for  its  lead  product  candidate, 
Simulect,  and  for  topical  Diclofenac. 


1970 


Charles  S.  Eisenberg 

4  Ashford  Road 

Newton  Centre,  MA  02459 

1970notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Paul  Fleisher 
Richmond,  Virginia 

Fleisher  s  book  Parasites:  Latching  On  to  a 
Free  Lunch  was  honored  as  2006  Out- 
standing Science  Trade  Book  by  the 
National  Science  Teachers  Association  and 
Children's  Book  Council.  The  book  was 
starred  as  a  Selectors'  Choice,  indicating 
that  individual  panel  members  responded 
to  it  with  particular  enthusiasm. 

Nancy  Danforth  Gault 

Southbury,  Connecticut 

Gault  received  a  master  of  arts  degree  in 

Teachers  of  English  to  Speakers  of 

Other  Languages  from  Fairfield 

University  in  January. 


1971 


Richard  Kopley 

608  W.  Hillside  Avenue 
State  College,  PA  16803 
1971notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Jonathan  Reiter 

New  York  City 

Reiter  married  Karen  Anne  Bernard  on 

January  20  at  the  Carlyle  in  New  York. 


1972 


Dan  Garfinkel 

2420  Kings  Lane 
Pittsburgh,  PA  15241 
1972notes@alumnl.brandeis.edu 

Lou  Liebhaber 

Allentown,  Pennsylvania 

See  Barbara  Golden  Liebhaber  '73. 

Warren  Soiffer 
New  York  Cit)' 

Soiffer  writes,  "After  completing  a  career 
in  the  U.S.  Foreign  Service,  I  am  pursuing 
my  dream  of  writing,  and  dividing  my 
time  between  the  Upper  West  Side  of 
Manhattan  and  the  northern  Catskill 
town  of  Phoenicia. " 


1973 


George  Kahn 

11300  Rudman  Drive 

Culver  City,  CA  90230 

1973notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Alice  Freund 

Montclair,  New  Jersey 
Freund  is  an  industrial  hygienist  and 
teacher  at  Mount  Sinai  School  of  Medi- 
cine. She  married  union  organizer  Larry 
Lipschultz  of  the  JRK  Blues  Project. 
They  have  two  daughters,  Liz,  who 
attends  Pitzer  College,  and  Amy,  fifteen, 
a  competitive  rock  climber. 


O:  I  Br 


.l.i>  I 


Mag 


85 


class  notes 


Ruth  Gottlieb  King 

New  Haven,  Connecticut 
King  continues  her  work  as  a  child, 
adolescent,  and  adult  psychiatrist  at 
Yale  University  School  of  Medicine  and 
in  private  practice.  Among  her  favorite 
avocations  are  singing  with  the  New 
Haven  Chorale  and  hearing  her  daugh- 
ter Claire  '09  sing  with  Manginah 
at  Brandeis. 

Barbara  Golden  Liebhaber  and 
Lou  Liebhaber  72 

AJlcntown,  Pennsylvania 
Lou  recently  retired  as  chief  operations 
officer  of  Lehigh  Valley  Hospital  and  is 
running  a  thriving  management 
consulting  business  of  his  own.  Barbara 
has  worked  as  an  assistant  professor  ot 
music  and  director  of  music  education  at 
Moravian  College  in  Bethlehem, 
Pennsylvania,  since  1996.  She  is  also  the 
educational  consultant  and  pianist  tor 
the  music  ensemble  Satori,  a  group  that 
performs  concerts  as  well  as  assembly 
programs  and  presentations  in  music  for 
all  ages.  She  writes,  "We  recently 
performed  three  of  the  Claude  Boiling 
Suites — for  violin,  flute,  and  guitar — 
and  already  have  concerts  booked  for 
next  year.  Our  two  children  are  adults. 
Sarah  teaches  sixth  grade  in  Central 
Bucks,  Pennsylvania,  and  lives  in 
Philadelphia  with  her  husband,  Aron. 
David  is  attending  law  school  in 
Harrisburg,  Pennsylvania." 

Jeremy  Spector 

Princeton,  New  Jersey 
Spector  has  been  appointed  vice  chair  of 
the  American  Bar  Association's 
Committee  on  Tax  Exempt  Financing. 
In  this  role,  he  will  help  guide  the  com- 
mittee's activities,  including  identifying 
and  engaging  in  opportunities  affecting 
the  development  and  administration  of 
tax  laws,  conducting  continuing  legal 
education  programs,  and  recruiting  suc- 
cessors for  the  committee's  leadership 
positions.  Spector  is  also  a  partner  and 
head  of  the  public-finance  group's  tax 
practice  at  Blank  Rome. 


1974 


Class  of  1974 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

1974notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Denise  Dill  Bell 

Upper  Marlboro,  Maryland 

Bell  writes,  'As  fate  would  have  it,  for 

twentj'-seven  years  I've  been  a  federal 

contractor  specializing  in  commercial 

renovations.  I'm  a  Maryland  home 

builder  with  rwo  sons,  ages  fourteen  and 

fifteen.  My  husband  and  I  and  our  boys 

live  in  the  hills  of  Marlboro  (tobacco 

country)  in  Maryland." 

Robert  Creo 

Pittsburgh 

Creo  published  his  book  Alternative 
Dispute  Resolution:  Law,  Procedure,  and 
Commentary  for  the  Pennsylvania  Practi- 
tioner with  the  George  T.  Bisel  Compan\- 
in  October  2006. 

Thomas  Phillips 
Westborough,  Massachusetts 
Phillips  wrote  the  musical  score  for 
Louis  D.  Brandeis:  The  People's  Attorney, 
a  PBS  documentary  film  that  premiered 
at  Brandeis. 

Sandra  Saltzer-Duzak 
Green  Valley,  Arizona 
Saltzer-Duzak  graduated  with  honors  from 
the  Arizona  Culinary  Institute  in  2005. 
She  is  a  personal  chef  in  the  Tucson  area. 
She  is  also  the  group  leader  for  Taste  of 
Home  Entertaining,  a  new  direct-sales 
party  company  featuring  products  for  the 
cook  and  for  those  who  love  to  entertain. 
Visit  http://chefsandra.net  tor  details. 


1975 


Class  of  1975 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

1975notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


Alison  Bass 

Newton,  Massachusetts 
Bass  was  selected  as  one  of  seven  Alicia 
Patterson  Fellows  for  2007  for  a 
nonfiction  narrative  she  is  writing  about 
the  health-care  industry.  The  book, 
tentatively  titled  Tivisted  Medicine,  is 
slated  to  be  published  by  Algonquin 
Press  in  early  2008.  Bass  is  an  adjunct 
professor  of  journalism  at  Brandeis, 
where  she  teaches  the  course  The  New 
Media  Landscape. 

Phyllis  Click  Kosminsky,  PhD'83 

Pleasantville,  New  York 
Kosminsky  recently  published  her  first 
book.  Getting  Back  to  Life  When  Grief 
Won't  Heal,  with  McGraw-Hill. 

Arietta  Liebgatt-Twersky 

Bensalem  Township,  Pennsylvania 
Liebgatt-Twersky  received  a  master's 
degree  in  music  therapy  in  1977.  Since 
then,  she  has  raised  four  children,  one  of 
whom  recently  moved  to  Israel.  She 
recently  returned  to  school  in  pursuit  ot  a 
master's  in  occupational  therapy. 

Suzanne  Ginsberg  Seff 

Baltimore 

Seff  writes,  "After  a  year  in  California, 
three  years  in  Denver,  where  I  received 
my  MBA,  and  another  two  years  in 
Wilkes-Barre,  Pennsylvania,  I  have  been 
living  in  Baltimore  tor  the  past  twenty- 
five  years,  practicing  as  a  physical 
therapist.  I  am  the  clinic  director  for 
Physiotherapy  Associates  at  Lifebridge. 
We  specialize  in  orthopedics,  and  my 
special  interest  is  in  chronic  pain.  After  a 
twenty-year  marriage  and  subsequent 
divorce,  I  remarried  in  2003  to  Irv  Seff 
who  is  the  regional  manager  for  an 
Internet-based  marketing  company,  and 
have  expanded  my  family  of  three  kids 
(Andrea,  nventy-five,  Mark,  twenty-two, 
and  Carla,  twenty)  to  include  rwo 
stepchildren,  Melinda,  twenty-six,  and 
Rachel,  twenty-two,  as  well  as  two  dogs. 
It  is  a  busy  household,  to  say  the  least. 
I  would  love  to  hear  from  any  of  my 
Brandeis  friends." 


.lei-   I 


r^ilN    \la; 


alumniprofile    Michael  Lewis  '64 


Passion  Comes  into  Focus 


Decades  ago,  in  a  classroom  at  Brandeis, 
Michael  Lewis  '64  learned  all  he  ever 
needed  to  know  about  photography — in, 
of  all  places,  an  art  history  class  taught  by 
Leo  Bronstein. 

"By  opening  the  world  ot 
art  and  artists  to  me.  Profes- 
sor Bronstein  expanded  my 
vision,"  Lewis  says.  "He  gave 
me  the  tools  to  understand 
how  to  express  emotion 
through  color  and  form, 
which  is  what  photography  is 
all  about." 

An    orthopedic    surgeon 
who   has   treated   basketball 
legend      Michael      Jordan, 
Lewis  combined  his  love  ot 
travel    and    photography   to 
produce  One  World:  A  View  of  50  Coun- 
tries, a  picture  book  that  captures  his  jour- 
neys around  the  world  in  vibrant  color 
(available  at  oneworldthebook.com). 

Lewis's  favorite  images  express  the 
themes  of  harmony,  beauty  in  diversity, 
and  connection  to  one  another.  They 
include  a  woman  in  Cuba  chomping  a 
cigar,  an  Israeli  soldier  praying  at  the  West- 
ern Wall,  a  dry  lake  in  Namibia,  and  the 
cover  image  of  a  zebra  and  egret  together. 

Lewis,  a  native  of  Texas  who  now  lives 
outside  Chicago,  began  his  travels  more 
than  thirty  years  ago  while  stationed  in 
England  as  an  Air  Force  doctor. 

"Someone  else  might  reflect  on  circum- 
stances by  writing  a  story,  painting  a  pic- 
ture, or  composing  a  poem,"  Lewis  says. 
"Photography  is  my  way  of  expressing  the 
emotions  that  I  feel  while  traveling." 

It  he  produces  another  book,  it  could 
be  titled  My  Adi'entures  as  n  Team  Doctor. 
His  work  as  the  orthopedic  consultant  to 
baseball's  Chicago  White  Sox  and  basket- 
ball's Chicago  Bulls  afforded  him  the 
opportunity  to  be  near  two  of  sport's  most 
compelling    figures    of    the    last     halt- 


century — maverick  White  Sox  owner  Bill 
Veeck  and  Jordan. 

"Bill  Veeck  was  one  of  the  most  creative, 
energetic,  insightful  men  I  have  ever  met," 


Margery  Williams 

Somerville,  Massachusetts 

Williams  stayed  in  the  Boston  area  after 

graduating.  She  received  a  law  degree 

from  Northeastern  Universitv  in  1983 

and  attended  Massachusetts  C^ollege  of 

Art  for  a  while  in  the  '90s.  She  writes, 


"I  am  an  artist,  currently  working  on 
amulets  with  Jewish  and  Islamic  visual 
themes.  For  twelve  years,  I've  been 
married  to  Dan  Luker,  a  carpenter  and 
licensed  general  contractor  specializing 
in  historically  sensitive  rehabilitation  of 
old  houses." 


Lewis  says.  "One  quality  I  tried  hard  to 
emulate  was  his  ability  to  be  so  comfort- 
able with  himself  that  he  makes  everyone 
around  him  comtortable." 

Lewis  was  on  the  medical  staff  for  the 
Bulls  during  the  last  two  years  of  their 
NBA  championship  run  in  the  1990s. 
"Traveling  with  the  Bulls  was  like  traveling 
with  the  Beatles  must  have  been  in  the 
1960s, "  Lewis  says.  "Everywhere  we  went, 
we  were  mobbed  by  people." 

Lewis  tended  to  Jordan  after  he  suffered 
a  nasty  injury  near  his  eye  during  a  playoff 
game  in  1998.  The  physician  had  to 
choose  whether  to  suture  the  wound, 
which  would  have  kept  Jordan  from 
playing,  or  apply  strips  of  tape  in  hopes  of 
stopping  the  bleeding. 

"I  was  imagining  the  headline  in  the 
Chicago  paper,  'Bulls  lose  championship 
because  of  Dr.  Michael  Lewis,'"  Lewis 
recalls. 

The  headline  was  never  written:  The 
strips  of  tape  held  and  the  Bulls  won  the 
game  on  the  way  to  the  last  of  their  six 
NBA  tides. 

— David  E.  Nathan 


1976 


Beth  Pearlman 

1773  Diane  Road 

Mendota  Heights,  MN  55118 

1976notes@alumnl.brandeis.edu 

Many  of  us  were  reminded  how  fragile 
and  short  life  can  be  by  the  untimely 
deaths  of  two  of  our  classmates.  Jeffrey 
Pomeranz  and  Eric  Shapiro  both 
passed  away  in  April  (zichronom 
I'vracha).  You  can  read  more  in  "In 
Memoriam"  on  page  72.  Meanwhile, 
please  send  in  your  milestones  and 
accomplishments.  It  feels  important  to 
share  those  with  one  another. 

Joseph  Edward  Rizzo 
Boston 

Rizzo,  an  attorney,  has  been  teaching 
business  and  law  at  Northeastern 
University  since  1990.  He  is  currently  a 
visiting  professor  at  Bridgewater  State 
College  School  of  Business.  He  main- 
tains a  law  practice  in  the  Back  Bay  that 
concentrates  on  the  representation  of 
small  businesses  and  real-estate  interests. 
Rizzo  also  works  closely  with  sports 
agents  in  the  areas  of  contract  and 
employment  law.  When  not  working  or 
teaching,  he  lives  on  Cape  Cod,  travels 
the  country  attending  sporting  events, 
and  plays  endless  golf 

Sandra  Seltzer  Segal 

Santa  Barbara,  California 
Segal  writes,  "I  am  a  special-education 
teacher  at  a  private  school.  My  son, 
Andy,  is  a  high  school  junior.  I  would 
love  to  hear  from  fellow  alumni  at 
ssegal@lagunablanca.org. " 

Iroka  Joseph  Udeinya 

Enugu,  Nigeria 

Udeinya  returned  to  Nigeria  a  few  years 
ago  after  living  in  Washington,  D.C., 
while  pursuing  a  PhD  at  Howard 
University.  He  has  established  a 
laboratory  and  is  attempting  to  develop  a 
treatment  for  AIDS  from  a  derivative  of 
the  Neem  tree. 


Suinirni ■O:'  |  liriindii,  I 


lll\  Cfsll  \ 


87 


1977 


Fred  Berg 

145  Fourth  Avenue,  #19-C 
New  York,  NY  10003 
1977notes@alumni.brancleis.edu 

Ira  Cohen 

Agoura  Hills,  California 
Cohen  has  been  married  for  rwenty- 
seven  years  to  wife  Jeri.  They  have  two 
boys,  Andrew,  fitteen,  and  Matthew, 
twelve.  He  is  the  founder  and  chairman 
of  the  Mortgage  House  Inc.,  a  mortgage 
banking  company  with  twelve  offices. 

Robin  Jaffee  Frank 

Westport,  Connecticut 
Frank,  the  Alice  and  Allan  Kaplan  Senior 
Associate  Curator  of  American  Paintings 
and  Sculpture  at  the  Yale  University  Art 
Gallery,  had  an  essay,  "Portraits  of  Chil- 
dren," published  in  the  book  Expressions  of 
Innocence  and  Eloquence:  Selections  from 
the  June  Katcher  Collection  of  Americana. 

E.  Stewart  Mittler 
Boston 

Mittler  writes,  "I  recently  read  the  book 
The  Mothers'  Group  by  Suzanne  Loebl, 
mother  of  classmate  David  Loebl.  In  her 
moving  and  deeply  personal  memoir, 
Loebl  tells  the  story  of  David's  battle 
with  AIDS  and  her  own  unflinching 
courage  and  unwavering  support,  from 
his  first  diagnosis  as  HIV-positive  to  his 
final  days  in  a  San  Francisco  hospital  ten 
years  later.  The  book  also  tells  the  story 
of  the  founding  of  the  Mothers'  Group, 
a  support  group  in  New  York's 
Greenwich  Village  composed  of  a  diverse 
group  of  brave  women  who  together 
shepherd  one  another  through  the 
unspeakable  ordeal  of  losing  a  child.  The 
story  recounts  more  than  David's  illness 
and  death,  however.  Loebl  provides  us 
with  glimpses  of  David's  entire  life,  from 
child  to  teenager  to  college  student  .it 
Brandeis,  and  later,  graduate  student  at 
Berkeley  and  successful  businessman.  In 
her  doing  so,  we  witness  firsthand  the 
growth,  both  figuratively  and  literally,  of 
a  unique  and  remarkable  man.  The  ulti- 
mate tragedy  of  the  story  is  that  the  life 


described  had  just  reached  its  full  bloom 
when  it  was  cut  short  by  a  disease  which 
no  one  could  have  imagined  was  possible 
just  a  few  years  earlier.  During  the  mid- 
'70s,  David  was  a  fixture  on  the  Brandeis 
campus,  participating  in  everything  from 
political  actions,  such  as  marching  in 
support  of  the  occupation  of  the  sociolo- 
gy building  and  protesting  financial  aid 
cuts  to  poor  students,  to  partying  wildly 
at  the  Usdan  Lives  and  Bronstein  Day 
festivities.  During  his  senior  year  at 
Brandeis,  David  participated  in  a  student 
organization  and  taught  a  sociology 
course  on  homosexuality  in  America. 
The  Mothers'  Group  is  autobiographical  as 
well,  weaving  in  tales  of  Mrs.  Loebl's 
own  childhood  in  Germany,  surviving 
the  Holocaust  in  Belgium,  her  emigra- 
tion to  America,  her  marriage  to  her 
husband  ok  more  than  fift)'  years, 
chemist  Ernest  Loebl,  her  tumultuous 
relationship  with  her  own  mother,  and 
her  launching  a  successkil  career  as  a  sci- 
ence writer  while  raising  two  children 
during  the  '50s  and  '60s.  This  is  a  story 
that  will  resonate  not  only  with  gay  men 
who  came  of  age  in  the  '70s  and  '80s — 
and  those  who  loved  them — but  with 
anyone  who  has  lived  through  the 
tragedy  of  losing  someone  in  the  prime 
of  his  life." 

Jan  Sandberg 

Tonawanda,  New  York 
Sandberg  writes,  "I  continue  to  be  a  con- 
tributing movie  reviewer  for  the  Buffalo 
News.  In  September  2006,  Time- Warner 
Cable  asked  me  to  review  movies  on  a 
regular  basis  for  its  local  magazine-style 
show  Crossroads.  My  segment  appears 
every  other  weekend." 

Marc  and  Martha  Sonnenschein 

Salzberg 
Oceanside,  New  York 
Martha  is  a  senior  associate  at  Cline  Bet- 
tridge  Bernstein  Lighting  Design  in  New 
York  City.  She  recently  completed  the 
Overture  Center  in  Madison,  Wisconsin, 
and  the  new  arena  at  Quinnipiac 
University  in  Connecticut.  In  December 
2006,  she  attended  the  bar  mitzvah  of 
Morgan  Fins,  son  of  Daniel  and  Deborah 
Liss  Fins.  Deborah  Zecher  and  Teri 


(Huttner)  McRae  were  also  in  atten- 
dance. Marc  is  the  production  soundman 
at  the  Vivian  Beaumont  Theater  at 
Lincoln  Center.  He  is  working  on  The 
Coast  of  Utopia  trilogy  by  Tom  Stoppard. 


Valerie  Troyansky 

10  West  66th  Street,  #8J 
New  York,  NY  10023 
1978notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

I  was  honored  at  the  spring  dinner  of  the 
Jewish  Reconstruction  Federation  of 
Metropolitan  New  York  and  New  Jersey 
for  my  work  in  creating  a  sacred  space  at 
West  End  Synagogue  in  New  York  City. 
I  served  as  chair  of  West  End's  Art 
Committee,  transforming  an  old  city 
library  into  a  sanctuary.  I  also  created 
ritual  objects — breastplates  and  mezuzot — 
for  the  Torahs  and  the  building. 

Mindy  Berman 

Newtonville,  Massachusetts 
Berman  was  hired  as  managing  director 
at  the  Boston  office  of  Jones  Lang 
LaSalle.  She  has  more  than  twenty-five 
years  of  corporate  finance  experience, 
including  a  recent  stint  as  senior 
managing  director  of  42  North 
Structured  Finance  Inc.,  the  successor 
company  to  Key  Global  Finance. 

Lisa  Braverman 

Levittown,  New  York 
Braverman  has  been  appointed  dean  of 
the  School  of  Continuing  and  Profes- 
sional Studies  at  the  Fashion  Institute  of 
Technology  in  New  York  City.  She  is 
responsible  tor  overseeing  the  continued 
expansion  of  the  school,  which  includes 
the  Center  for  Professional  Studies,  the 
Enterprise  Center,  and  the  Center  for 
Precollege  Programs. 

Benjamin  Feingold 

Beverly  Hills,  California 
Feingold,  an  entertainment  industry 
executive,  is  the  newest  member  of 
PlayPhone  Inc.'s  board  of  directors.  He 


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class  not 


,es 


was  one  of  the  leading  members  of  the 
worldwide  launch  team  of  the  DVD 
format  in  conjunction  with  Sony, 
Toshiba,  and  Warner  Bros.  He  was  also 
involved  in  setting  specifications  for  the 
Blu-ray  Disc  format  and  orchestrated  all 
key  Sony  negotiations  for  digital 
downloading,  including  agreements  with 
Amazon.com,  AOL,  WalMart.com,  and 
CinemaNow.com,  as  well  as  discussions 
with  Apple. 

Amy  Levenson 
Glenwood  Springs,  Colorado 
Levenson  writes,  "The  last  two  years 
have  been  a  whirlwind.  In  December 
2005,  my  oldest  son,  Evan,  graduated 
with  a  BBA  from  the  Universit)'  of 
Miami.  My  youngest,  Trevor,  is  a 
sophomore  majoring  in  sociology  at  the 
University  of  Colorado  at  Boulder.  1  got 
divorced  after  twenty-five  years,  sold  my 
house,  resigned  my  position  with  a  large 
hospice  firm,  and  drove  from  Boston  to 
Glenwood  Springs,  where  I  am  happily 
living  with  my  new  partner,  Terry.  I  have 
a  wonderful  new  position  at  the  hospital 
here.  I  ski  every  weekend,  float  in  the 
famous  hot  springs  pools,  and  have  a 
thirteen-minute  commute  to  work!  Evan 
moved  to  Denver  last  fall,  so  my  kids  are 
both  three  hours  away.  Change  is  good. 
Go  for  it  if  you've  been  dreaming  it." 

Mark  Sultan 

Engclwood,  New  Jersey 
Sultan  is  chief  of  plastic  surgery  at  Beth 
Israel  Medical  Center  in  New  York  City. 
He  is  an  avid  cyclist  and  lives  in  Engle- 
wood  with  his  wife  and  four  children. 


1979 


Ruth  Strauss  Fleischmann 

8  Angler  Road 
Lexington,  MA  02420 
1979notes(§)alumnl. brandels.edu 

Pearl  Stelnbuch 
Brookline,  Massachusetts 
Stcinbuch,  a  professor  at  Mount  Ida's 
School  ot  Business,  has  been  invited  to 
serve  on  the  2007-08  Economics  1 


Peer  Review  Committee  for  the 
Fulbright  Senior  Specialists  Program. 
She  is  one  of  three  experts  on  the 
discipline  committee  who  will  review 
applications.  The  program  is  adminis- 
tered bv  the  Council  tor  International 
Exchange  of  Scholars. 

Paul  Sullivan 
Washington,  D.C. 

Sullivan  is  a  senior  fellow  at  the  East 
West  Institute's  Conflict  Prevention 
Program,  focusing  on  projects  related  to 
countering  violent  extremism  and  inter- 
faith  negotiations.  He  is  an  adjunct  pro- 
fessor of  security  studies  at  Georgetown 
University,  teaching  a  course  on  energy 
and  security.  Sullivan  is  also  part  of 
Trialogue21,  a  high-level  initiative  to 
build  a  dialogue  on  energy  and  extrem- 
ism issues  among  the  United  States,  the 
European  Union,  and  China.  He  has 
also  become  more  involved  with  the 
United  Nations  on  energy  issues,  partic- 
ularly in  developing  countries,  with  an 
increasing  focus  on  Africa.  Sullivan  is 
primarily  a  professor  of  economics  at 
the  National  Defense  University,  where 
he  also  leads  the  North  Africa  and 
Levant  Regional  Security  Study.  Last 
year,  he  graduated  from  MIT's  Seminar 
XXI  program  for  future  leaders. 


1980 


Lewis  Brooks 

585  Glen  Meadow  Road 
Richboro,  PA  18954 
1980notes(SJalumnl. brandeis.edu 

Lauren  Levy  Brodie 
Naples,  Florida 

Brodie,  daughter  of  Dorothy  Saval 
Levy  '54,  received  the  2007  Distin- 
guished Judicial  Service  Award  on 
January  25  from  Chief  Justice  Fred 
Lewis  before  the  entire  Florida  Supreme 
Court.  The  annual  award  recognizes  the 
one  judge  in  Florida  who  has  given  the 
most  outstanding  and  sustained  service 
to  the  public,  especially  as  it  relates  to 
support  of  pro  bono  legal  services. 
Brodie  is  assigned  to  the  juvenile 


delinquency  and  family  divisions  of  the 
20th  Judicial  Circuit,  where  she  has 
served  for  more  than  three  years. 

Felice  Prifer  Cotignola 

Madison,  New  Jersey 
Cotignola  is  a  senior  partner  and  a 
member  of  the  executive  committee  at 
Lester  Schwab  Katz  &  Dwyer,  a  mid- 
sized litigation  law  firm  in  New  York 
City.  She  writes,  "I  have  a  wonderful 
husband,  Michael,  and  a  precious 
seventeen-year-old  daughter,  Melissa. 
She  is  college  shopping  now,  and  I  can't 
believe  how  time  flies.  I  would  love  to 
be  in  touch  with  some  of  my  old  friends 
at  Brandeis." 

Betsy  DIamant-Cohen 

Baltimore 

Diamant-Cohen  received  a  doctorate  in 
communications  design  from  the 
University  of  Baltimore  in  2005.  Her 
book  Mother  Goose  on  the  Loose  was 
published  by  Neal-Schuman  Publishers. 

Edward  Prim 

Pittsburgh 

Frim  moved  to  Pittsburgh  in  2005  with 

his  wife,  Lori,  and  six-year-old  daughter, 

Naomi.  He  is  the  executive  director  of  the 

Agency  for  Jewish  Learning. 


1981 


David  J.  Allon 

540  Weadley  Road 

Wayne,  PA  19087 

1981notes@alumnl.brandeis.edu 

Bob  Carroll 

Jerusalem 

Carroll  writes,  "I  celebrated  my  first 
wedding  anniversary  to  Ruth  Levi  as  well 
as  the  first  anniversary  ot  our  move  from 
New  Jersey  to  Jerusalem.  I  am  the 
director  of  development  and 
communications  at  the  Interreligious 
Coordinating  Council  in  Israel,  which 
puts  me  in  the  thick  of  dialogue  efforts 
aimed  at  furthering  reconciliation  among 
Muslims,  Christians,  and  Jews  in  the 
Middle  East." 


I  I!, 


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89 


otes 


Adam  Frieman 

Scarsdale,  New  York 
Frieman  joined  Probitas  Partners,  a 
leading  knowledge,  innovation,  and 
solutions  provider  to  private-market 
clients  globally,  as  principal  of  its  New 
York  office.  He  will  focus  on  relationship 
management  and  liquidity  management 
for  Probitas's  limited-partner  client  base. 
He  has  twenty-four  years  of  experience 
on  Willi  Street,  having  most  recently 
served  as  deputy  head  of  U.S.  equity 
capital  markets  at  UBS. 

Susan  Kline 

Newton,  Massachusetts 
Kline  writes,  "Unfortunately,  I  am  writ- 
ing with  some  very  sad  news.  Terri  Paul 
Margoshes,  who  attended  Brandeis  for 
her  first  two  years  of  college  and  was  my 
college  roommate,  died  unexpectedly  of 
an  acute  form  ot  leukemia  on 
September  30,  2006.  Terri  is  survived  by 
her  husband,  Joe  Margoshes  '80,  and 
her  ten-year-old  son,  Bruce.  As  those  ot 
you  who  knew  her  will  appreciate,  Terri 
brought  great  energy  and  spirit  to  the 
work  she  did  in  the  Jewish  community 
in  Denver.  However,  raising  Bruce  was 
what  she  was  most  proud  of — and  she 
did  this  with  tremendous  love,  devotion, 
care,  and  thought.  Terri  and  I  remained 
extremely  close  throughout  her  life,  and 
we  had  talked  about  attending  last  year's 
25th  Reunion.  She  had  very  fond  mem- 
ories of  Brandeis.  I  miss  Terri  every  day. " 

Nancy  Weiner 
Burbank,  California 
Weiner  and  her  partner,  Rina,  have 
adopted  a  beautiful  girl,  Hannah,  who 
will  be  two  in  July.  Weiner  is  managing 
programs  with  the  new  MHSA  movies, 
and  Rina  is  helping  her  students  get 
back  on  track. 

David  Weinstein 
New  York  City 

Weinstein  was  named  managing  director 
and  head  of  Calyon  America's  newly 
established  High  Yield  and  Leveraged 
Capital  Markets  Group  in  the  United 
States.  Calyon  is  Credit  Agricole's  corpo- 
rate and  investment  banking  entity. 


Michael  Weintraub 

Sudbury,  Massachusetts 
Weintraub  joined  Leerink  Swann  as  senior 
managing  director  to  head  corporate 
development  and  strategy.  His  background 
includes  twenty-five  years  of  executive 
management  experience  in  the  health- 
care technology,  information  services, 
and  consulting  arenas. 


1982 


Ellen  Cohen 

1007  Euclid  Street,  #3 
Santa  Monica,  CA  90403 
1982notes@alumnl.brandeis.edu 

Jeffrey  Miller 

Broomall,  Pennsylvania 

Miller  is  director  of  dental  services  for 

Greater  Binghamton  Health  Center  in 

Binghamton,  New  York.  He  is  also  the 

proud  father  of  a  nine-year-old  son. 


1983 


Lorl  Berman  Gans 

46  Oak  Vale  Road 
Newton,  MA  02468 
1983notes(g)alumni. brandeis.edu 

Gary  Cohen 
Narberth,  Pennsylvania 
Cohen  was  named  senior  vice  president 
of  marketing  for  Playtex  Products  Inc. 
He  has  more  than  eighteen  years  of 
classical  consumer  packaged  goods 
experience.  He  previously  served  as  vice 
president  for  oral-care  global  business 
management  at  the  Gillette  Company, 
where  he  had  full  global  profit-and-loss 
responsibility  for  the  Oral  B  division. 

Lance  Kawesch 
Brookline,  Massachusetts 
Kawesch  has  formed  Kawesch  Law 
Group  and  opened  the  firm's  first  office 
in  the  heart  of  Boston's  financial  district 
in  April.  Kawesch  Law  Group's  practice 
focuses  on  corporate  and  securities  law; 


mergers  and  acquisitions;  licensing;  angel 
and  venture  funding;  tax  law;  and  execu- 
tive compensation.  The  firm  has  four 
attorneys  who  collectively  have  broad- 
based  experience  working  with  compa- 
nies in  the  technology,  life  sciences,  and 
business-services  industries. 

Marc  Rothenberg 

Cincinnati 

Rothenberg,  professor  of  pediatrics  and 
director  of  the  division  of  allergy  and 
immunology  at  Cincinnati  Children's 
Hospital  Medical  Center,  received  the 
E.  Mead  Johnson  Award  for  Research  in 
Pediatrics  at  the  2007  annual  meeting  of 
the  Pediatric  Academic  Societies  in 
Toronto.  The  award  honors  clinical  and 
laboratory  research  achievements  in  pedi- 
atrics and  is  considered  the  most  presti- 
gious award  in  pediatric  research. 
Rothenberg  established  the  Cincinnati 
Center  for  Eosinophilic  Disorders  at 
Cincinnati  Children's  in  2005. 


1984 


Class  of  1984 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

1984notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Cheryl  Appel 

Sharon,  Massachusetts 
Appel  lives  in  Sharon  with  her  husband, 
Dan,  her  two  children,  her  mother,  and 
her  dog  and  lizard.  Currently  a  stay-at- 
home  mom,  Appel  is  caring  for  her  nine- 
year-old  and  three-year-old  as  well  as 
being  the  primary  caregiver  for  her 
mother,  who  is  in  the  middle  stages  of 
Alzheimer's.  She  would  love  to  hear  from 
old  friends. 

Leah  Binder 

Farmington,  Maine 

Binder  and  Sam  Elowitch  '92  adopted 

a  girl,  Fanya  Rosa,  born  December  30, 

2006,  in  Oxnard,  California.  She  joins 

her  eight-year-old  brother,  Henry. 


(Icis  I  iii\iThil\    Mai;;i/iin-  I  Sii 


classnot 


es 


Debra  Green  Garfinkle 

Aliso  Viejo,  California 
Garfinkle  writes,  "I'm  a  retired  lawyer, 
living  with  my  husband  and  three 
children  in  Orange  County,  California. 
My  first  novel,  Storky:  How  I  Lost  My 
Nickname  and  Won  the  Girl,  recently 
came  out  in  paperback.  It  was  published 
in  hardback  in  2005,  and  rights  were 
sold  in  Germany,  Italy,  and  Serbia.  I  had 
two  new  books  published  in  May:  a 
humorous  novel  called  Stuck  in  the  '70s 
and  The  Band:  Trading  Guys,  the  first  of 
a  racy  trilogy  about  a  teenage  rock  band. 
All  of  my  books  are  young- adult  novels 
published  with  Penguin.  I  totally  love 
being  a  writer.' 

Dennis  Kelleher 

Potomac,  Maryland 

Kelleher  married  Stacy  Weckerling  on 

March  3 1 .  They  had  a  spectacular 

honeymoon  in  Belize  and  are  moving  to 

Potomac,  Maryland. 

Michael  Lenett 

Silver  Spring,  Maryland 
Lenett  was  elected  to  the  Maryland 
Senate  last  November  and  took  his  seat 
on  January  10.  He  lives  in  Silver  Spring 
with  his  wife,  Kriszti,  and  their  two  sets 
of  twins,  David  and  Aaron,  sixteen,  and 
Jason  and  Sabrina,  three. 

Carin  (Goldschmidt)  Muhlbaum 
Hartsdale,  New  York 
Muhlbaum  celebrated  the  bar  mitzvah  ot 
her  son.  Josh,  with  fellow  Brandeisians 
Robin  (Youth)  Feldman  '87,  Ireen 
(Katz)  Westrack,  Gail  (Pomerantz) 
Shapiro  '85,  Michele  (Silber)  Kaish, 
Harvey  Kaish  '82,  Denise  (Silber) 
Brooks,  Lewis  Brooks  '80,  and  Chris 
Boyatzis,  MA'84,  PhD'90. 


1985 


James  R.  Felton 

26956  Helmond  Drive 
Calabasas,  CA  91301 
1985notes@alumnl.brandeis.edu 


Randall  Kessler 

Atlanta 

Kessler  writes,  "I  married  Valerie  Cassius, 
and  we  had  our  first  child,  Jolie  Miriam, 
on  Januar)'  19.  My  firm,  Kessler,  Schwarz 
&  Sobmiany,  has  eleven  lawyers,  all  han- 
dling tamilv  law  cases  in  Georgia.  Visit 
our  Web  site  at  vvww.kssfamilylaw.com. " 


1986 


Beth  Jacobowltz  Zive 

16  Furlong  Drive 

Cherry  Hill,  NJ  08003 

1986notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Jaime  Ezratty 

East  Rockaway,  New  York 
Ezratty  is  a  partner  at  the  Mineola  law 
firm  Ezratty,  Ezratty  &  Levine,  where  he 
specializes  in  all  aspects  of  real-estate  law. 
He  was  recently  elected  to  the  board  ot 
directors  of  the  Nassau  County  Bar  Asso- 
ciation, and  he  has  had  numerous  speak- 
ing engagements  involving  landlord-tenant 
law.  Ezratty  is  former  president  of  the 
Brandeis  Alumni  Club  of  Long  Island.  He 
lives  on  the  south  shore  of  Long  Island 
with  his  wife,  Stacey,  and  their  three  sons, 
Harrison,  twelve,  Ethan,  ten,  and  Lance, 
six.  He  reports  that  he  often  thinks  of  his 
great  times  at  Brandeis. 


1987 


Vanessa  B.  Newman 

33  Powder  Horn  Drive 
Suffern,  NY  10901 
1987notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Lorraine  Adier  Altschuler 
Potomac,  MaPf'land 
Altschuler  writes,  "I  married  Philip 
Altschuler  in  1998.  We  have  two  sons, 
Evan,  who  was  born  in  1999,  and  Sam, 
born  in  2002.  The  boys  keep  us  on  our 
toes  24/7.  I've  spent  the  last  twenty  years 
of  my  career  in  both  the  IF  and 
publishing  arenas  and  am  currently 
director  of  business  technology  at  UCXi 
in  Rockville,  Maryland. " 


Laurie  Meyers  Goldberg 

Englishtown,  New  Jersey 
Goldberg  was  named  a  shareholder  at 
the  New  Jersey  law  firm  Wilentz, 
Goldman  &  Spitzer,  where  she  has  a 
comprehensive  real-estate  and  redevelop- 
ment practice.  Her  clients  include  major 
corporations,  owners,  and  developers  in 
New  Jersey. 

Lance  Gould 
New  York  City 

Gould,  former  deputy  managing  editor 
of  the  Neiv  York  Daily  News  and  former 
executive  director  of  Spy  and  Men's 
Fitness  magazines,  is  the  new  editor  of 
the  Boston  Phoenix.  He  also  wrote  a 
book,  Shagadelically  Speaking:  The  Words 
and  World  of  Austin  Powers. 

Adam  Shames 

Chicago 

Shames  is  a  consultant,  facilitator,  speaker, 
and  founder  of  the  Kreativity  Network 
(www.kreativity.net)  and  Adam  Shames 
Consulting  (www.adamshames.com).  His 
retreats,  seminars,  and  team-building 
programs  help  organizations  build 
cultures  of  innovation  and  collaboration. 
After  years  in  Northern  California, 
Shames  is  more  or  less  settled  back  in  his 
hometown  of  Chicago,  where  he  now 
lives  just  a  baseball's  throw  away  from 
Wrigley  Field. 

Reva  (Schlessinger)  Winston 
West  Roxbury,  Massachusetts 
Winston  welcomed  a  son,  Leo  David,  on 
February  27.  He  joins  sister  Lily  and 
brother  Ethan. 


Class  of  1988 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

1988notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Joshua  Bobley 
New  York  Cm 
Bobley  has  established  a  U.S. -China 


S -r-  II"  I  lir 


91 


classMotc 


alumniprofile    Donald  Lessem  '73 


consulting  firm,  Dynasty  Resources, 
which  helps  U.S.  companies  do  busi- 
ness in  China  and  assists  Chinese  firms 
that  want  to  enter  the  United  States. 
Fluent  in  Mandarin,  which  he  studied 
at  Brandeis  and  Yale,  Bobley  has  been 
traveling  to  China  since  he  was  twelve 
years  old.  He  says  he  is  thrilled  to  be  a 
part  of  the  development  of  the  world's 
most  exciting  market.  You  can  learn 
more  about  his  company  at 
www.DynastyResources.net. 

Mitchell  Gross 

New  York  City 

Gross  is  engaged  to  Beth  Markowitz,  his 
college  sweetheart.  The  couple  will  wed 
on  October  28.  Gross  has  a  son,  age  five, 
from  a  previous  marriage. 

Ian  Rubin 

Wayland,  Massachusetts 
Rubin  writes,  "After  seven  years  with 
IDC,  I  have  accepted  a  senior  manage- 
ment position  at  Financial  Research 
Corporation  in  Boston.  I  am  responsible 
for  development  and  delivery  of  major 
products  and  services  and  for  helping 
determine  strategic  direction.  We  pro- 
vide the  investment  management 
industry  (firms  such  as  Fidelity,  Legg 
Mason,  Vanguard,  etc.)  with  market  data 
and  analysis  to  help  them  better  compete 
in  acquiring  assets." 


1989 


Class  of  1989 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

1989notes@alumnl.brandeis.edu 

Bronte  Ward  Abraham 

Menlo  Park,  California 
Abraham  lives  in  Menlo  Park  with  her 
husband,  David,  and  two  children, 
Micah,  seven,  and  Jacob,  one.  In  addi- 
tion to  running  a  small  medical  commu- 
nications company,  she  has  recently 
become  the  president  of  Autism 
Speaks/Cure  Autism  Now  of  the  San 
Francisco  Bay  area,  a  leading  advocacy 


Bronto  Buster 

Like   most   people,   Don   Lessem   '73   lost 
interest  in  dinosaurs  when  he  was  about 
eight  years  old.  Unlike  most,  however,  he 
became  a  dinosaur  aficionado 
again   when    he    reached   his 
thirties.  And  for  nearly  twenty 
years  he's  made  it  his  business 
to  spread  the  word  to  a  new 
generation  of  kids — and  their 
parents,  too. 

Dubbed      "Dino      Don," 
Lessem    has    become    a    far- 
ranging     dinosaur     expert, 
writing    fifty   books   on    the 
subject  and  a  regular  column 
for  Highlights  for  Kids  maga- 
zine. He  has  served  as  adviser 
for  Hollywood  depictions  of 
dinosaurs    (including    the    film   Jurassic 
Park),  raised  money  tor  dinosaur  research, 
and  traveled  the  world  seeking  out  traces  of 
the  prehistoric  beasts. 

Once  he  was  an  expert  on  another  kind 
of  creature.  After  graduating  from  Bran- 
deis, where  he  majored  in  Oriental  art  his- 
tory, he  studied  animal  behavior  and 
researched  gorillas  at  the  University  of 
Massachusetts-Boston,  earning  a  master's 
degree  in  biological  studies.  But  he  pre- 
ferred chronicling  other  people's  research 
and  so  became  a  reporter.  Later,  while 
working  at  the  Boston  Globe,  he  wrote  a 
story  about  dinosaurs. 

"I  thought  it  was  really  fascinating  in  a 
way  that  was  different  from  when  I  was  a 
kid,"  Lessem  says. 

After  completing  a  Knight  Science  Jour- 
nalism Fellowship  at  the  Massachusetts 
Institute  of  Technology,  he  began  delving 
into  dinosaurs  on  a  1988  expedition  to 
Inner  Mongolia,  where  a  1923  trip  led  by 


Roy  Chapman  Andrews,  whom  he  calls 
"the  real  Indiana  Jones,"  had  uncovered  the 
first  known  dinosaur  remains  in  Central 


Asia.  He  returned  to  the  same  place  in 
spring  2007,  collecting  artifacts  for  a  trav- 
eling exhibition  on  the  fierce  historic  con- 
queror Genghis  Khan. 

On  the  same  trip  Lessem  went  to  Ger- 
many to  work  on  an  "evolution  theme 
park"  featuring  recreations  ot  ancient  envi- 
ronments complete  with  robotic  and  cine- 
matic recreations  of  prehistoric  animals 
craited  to  meticulously  accurate  scientific 
standards.  He'd  like  to  build  another,  he 
says,  on  land  he  owns  in  Texas. 

"The  thing  I  want  to  encourage  is  a  sense 
of  wonder  and  curiosity,  which  you  don't 
get  by  merely  imparting  a  set  of  facts,"  the 
Pennsylvania  resident  says.  "You  do  it  bet- 
ter by  raising  questions  and  best  of  all  by 
creating  a  fun  or  awe-inspiring  experience. 

In  truth,  it's  not  hard  to  capture  kids' 
interest  in  dinosaurs,  he  says.  "The  basic 
question,"  he  adds,  "is  what's  the  matter 
with  adults." 

— Lewis  I.  Rice  '86 


organization  to  advance  treatments  and  a 
potential  cure  for  autism. 

Andrea  Goldoff  Dorlester 

Annandale,  Virginia 

Dorlester  was  promoted  to  senior  park 

planner  with  the  Fairfax  Counry 

(Virginia)  Park  Authority.  She  was  also 

appointed  to  the  board  of  trustees  of 

Gesher  Jewish  Day  School  of  Northern 

Virginia. 


Steven  Horn 

Roslyn  Estates,  New  York 
Horn  was  recently  named  a  managing 
director  of  UBS  Investment  Bank  in 
Stamford,  Connecticut.  He  is  a  software 
engineer  specializing  in  the  development 
of  automated  equity  and  derivative 
trading  systems.  He  lives  on  Long  Island 
with  his  wife,  Deborah  Haleman 
Horn  '91,  and  their  rwo  young  children. 


Utiiiiilcis  Ijniversily  Magazine  [  Siuunii-r  07 


iuotes 


1990 


Judith  Libhaber  Weber 

4  Augusta  Court 

New  City,  NY  10956 

1990notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Eva  Lefkowitz 

State  College,  Pennsylvania 

Lefkowitz  writes,  "In  2004,  I  was  tenured 

and  promoted  to  associate 

professor  ot  human  development  and 

family  studies  at  Pennsylvania  State 

University.  On  September  5,  2006  (my 

birthday),  we  welcomed  the  arrival  of  our 

daughter,  Sarah,  and  son,  Jordan.  Both 

are  doing  great  and  keeping  their  father 

and  me  constantly  amused  (and  tired)." 

Lee  Whitfield,  MA'90.  PhD'97 
Lexington,  Massachusetts 

Whitfield  was  promoted  to  associate 
professor  with  tenure  at  Wheelock 
College,  where  she  teaches  European 
history  and  world  history  in  the 
Department  of  Humanities. 


1991 


Andrea  C.  Kramer 

Georgetown  University 
113  Healy.  Box  571250 
Washington,  DC  20057 
1991notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Lynn  Kugler  Clark 

Winter  Springs,  Florida 

Clark  writes,  "My  husband,  Scott,  and  I 

are  living  in  sunny  Orlando,  Florida, 

with  our  beautiful  one-year-old  baby, 

Molly,  and  our  five-year-old,  Brittany, 

along  with  our  spaniel,  Charlie." 

Jeffrey  Hitchin 

Redmond,  Virginia 

Hitchin  writes,  "I  now  work  for  IBM 

after  almost  nine  years  at  Microsoft.  I'm 

working  on  getting  my  Actors'  Equity 

card  and  my  AFTRA  card  in  order  to 

further  my  acting  career." 


Deborah  Haleman  Horn 
Roslyn  Estates,  New  York 
See  Steven  Horn  '89. 

Alon  Kahana,  MA'91,  and 
Heidi  Cohen  Kahana 

Madison,  Wisconsin 
Alon  writes,  "My  wife,  Heidi,  and  I  had 
our  third  child  and  first  daughter,  Kyra 
Faye,  born  August  25,  2006.  Our  son, 
Adam,  turned  ten  in  December,  and 
Ethan  turned  six  in  February.  I  passed 
my  board  exams  and  am  now  a  board- 
certified  ophthalmologist.  I  completed 
my  oculoplastic  and  reconstructive  sur- 
gery fellowship  in  June  and  am  joining 
the  faculty  at  the  University  of  Michigan 
in  July  as  an  assistant  professor,  where  I 
will  see  patients  and  do  research.  Heidi 
recovered  well  from  delivery  and  has 
maintained  a  busy  schedule,  including 
finding  time  to  volunteer  at  the 
children's  school." 

Leslie  Stein  Lloyd 

Derwood,  Mar)'land 

Lloyd  gave  birth  to  a  son,  Soren  Philip, 

on  March  9,  2006.  He  was  named  in 

loving  memory  of  Lloyd's  father. 

Amanda  Luell 
Hood  River,  Oregon 
Luell  writes,  "I  graduated  from 
Washington  State  University  Veterinary 
School  with  a  DVM  in  May  2006  and 
am  now  working  as  a  mixed-animal 
(horse,  dog,  cat,  sheep/goat,  llama)  vet  in 
Hood  River,  Oregon.  I  married  Leigh 
Robert  Brooks  in  Mosier,  Oregon,  just 
outside  of  Hood  River,  on  August  12, 
2006,  and  spent  the  last  six  months  of 
the  year  working  in  California  at  a  thor- 
oughbred breeding  farm  before  moving 
to  Hood  River  in  January.  We're  very 
happy  to  be  back  in  the  Pacific  North- 
west. I  was  sorry  to  miss  Reunion,  but 
the  move  and  the  wedding  were  just  a 
little  too  overwhelming  to  try  to  make 
the  trip  to  Boston!" 

Claudia  Salomon 

New  York  CJvy 

Salomon  was  named  a  partner  in  the 

litigation  practice  group  at  DLA  Piper  US 

in  New  York  City.  She  is  cochair  of  the 


firm's  international  arbitration  practice 
and  focuses  her  work  on  complex  interna- 
tional disputes.  Salomon  was  named  to 
"45  under  45"  in  international  arbitration 
by  the  G/oba!  Arbitration  Revieiv  and  is 
included  in  the  International  Who's  Who  of 
Commercial  Arbitration. 

Lisa  Statland 
Gurnee,  Illinois 

Statland  and  David  Gilbert  were  married 
on  November  1 1,  2006,  in  Chicago  at 
the  Cliff  Dwellers  Club.  Fellow 
Brandeisians  in  attendance  were  Kelly 
Lynn  (Tripp)  Arce  '92,  Jennifer  Rich 
'92,  Ben  Shoshan  '92,  Rachel  Baron 
'05,  and  Dennis  Baron  '65.  Stadand 
graduated  from  Northwestern  University 
last  year  with  a  master's  in  information 
technology.  She  works  as  a  project  man- 
ager in  learning  and  technology  at 
Abbott  Laboratories.  Gilbert  is  an  ana- 
lytical chemist  at  Lambent  Technologies 
in  Gurnee,  Illinois. 

Michael  Sweet 

San  Francisco 

Sweet  made  partner  at  the  law  firm 

McNuh  &  Litteneker.  He  continues  to 

practice  general  civil  litigation,  insolvency, 

and  election  law. 

David  Swirnoff 
Glen  Cove,  New  York 
Swirnoff  is  director  of  human  resources 
at  Judlau  Contracting,  a  civil  engineering 
firm  that  does  general  contracting  work, 
primarily  on  transportation  projects 
(building  subway  stations,  rebuilding 
bridges)  in  New  York  City.  He  also  does 
some  private  tutoring  and  teaches  a 
review  course  for  high  school  students 
taking  the  ACT  exam.  In  March,  he 
was  elected  chair  of  the  Glen  Cove 
Democratic  Committee,  where  his  focus 
is  part)'  building  and  helping  to  select 
and  guide  candidates  for  local  office.  He 
has  also  taken  up  yoga,  which,  he  says,  is 
a  wonderful  way  to  relax  and  protect  his 
rapidly  aging  bones. 


SijTTiriH-r  ■()''  I  liiiiiiilii,  I  iii\i-r-hy  Maiia/im- 


93 


marnafires   unions 


Benjamin  Sandler  '99  and  Kalya  Pontlnen 


Lauren  Haimovich   01  and 
Robyn  Treadwell  '01  and  Jason  Monroe  Adam  Kupersmith  '99 


94 


BraiHJcIs  University  Maguziric  |  Suniim-r  "(17 


,imA 


Rachel  Richter  '94  and  Elliot  Rabinovich 


Class      Name 


1971 
1980 
1984 
1991 

1994 
1995 
1996 
1999 


2000 
2001 


2002 
GRAD 


Jonathan  Reiter  and  Karen  Anne  Bernard 
Joel  Fishman  and  Lesley  Watts 
Dennis  Kelleher  and  Stacy  Weckerling 
Amanda  Luell  and  Leigh  Robert  Brooks 
Lisa  Statland  and  David  Gilbert 
Rachel  Richter  and  Elliot  Rabinovich 
Francyne  Davis  and  Kevin  Jacobs 
Daniel  Freeman  and  Kara  Haback 
Gabrielle  Dickerman  and  Daniel  Charlton 
Malthevi/  Hugger  and  Michelle  Bafundo 
Benjamin  Sandler  and  Kaiya  Pontinen 
Molly  Jacobs  and  James  O'Malley 
Wendi  Adelson  and  Danny  Markel 
Lauren  Haimovich  and  Adam  Kupersmith  '99 
Meaghan  Morrison  and  Morgan  Rudolph 
Robyn  Treadwell  and  Jason  Monroe 
Marina  Voronina  and  David  Krasnopolsky 
David  Weisz  and  Julia  Aronson 
Irina  Zelenchuk  and  Ronny  Winiarsky  '98 
Karen  Thomashow  and  Yonatan  Eyal 
Peter  Ephross,  MA'95,  and  Bonnie  Kerker 
Tricia  Roth.  MBA'06,  and  Scott  Sherman 
Guy  Antebi,  MA'08,  and  Jennifer  Paul 


Got  the  Picture? 

Brandeis  University  IVIagazine  pub- 
lishes wedding  photos  on  a  space- 
available  basis.  Both  prints  and 
digital  files  are  acceptable.  Digital 
files  should  be  at  least  3  inches  by  5 
inches  scanned  at  300  dpi. 

Send  prints  to: 

Class  Notes  Editor 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

E-mail  digital  files  to: 
classnotes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


Date 


January  20 
December  9.  2006 
March  31 
August  12,  2006 
November  11.  2006 
January  15.  2006 
November  13.  2005 
July  4.  2005 
May  21.  2006 
August  18.  2006 
June  4.  2006 
July  31.  2006 
February  26.  2006 
October  21,  2006 
December  4.  2006 
July  1.  2006 
April  27 
May  27 
July  4.  2004 
September  3.  2006 
March  17 
May  28,  2006 
May  28 


Daniel  Freeman  '96  and  Kara  Haback 


1992 


Lisa  Davidson  Fiore 

34  Van  Ness  Road 

Belmont,  MA  02478 

1992notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Ciao,  classmates!  I  have  recently  returned 
from  a  •weeklong  study  tour  in  Reggie 
Emilia,  Italy,  where  I  was  able  to  visit 
some  of  their  amazing  infant-toddler 
centers  and  engage  in  dialogue  with 
Italian  educators  as  well  as  fellow  educa- 
tors from  different  countries.  We  shared 
ideas,  laughs,  and  tears,  and  some  really 
excellent  wine  and  Parniesano  Reggiano 
cheese.  I  have  always  had  an  appreciation 
tor  education  and  for  helping  people 
reach  their  potential,  but  I  left  Italy  with 
a  longing  to  convince  people  of  the  com- 
petence of  young  children  and  to  subvert 
the  dominant  paradigm.  Needless  to  say, 
my  head  is  full,  but  I  am  still  able  to 
appreciate  the  changing  seasons  and 
anticipate  our  15th  Reunion.  It  is  quite 
likely  that  the  printing  of  these  class 
notes  will  follow  the  Reunion,  which  I 
am  sure  will  be  a  success — both  emo- 
tional and  intellectual.  I  encourage  you 
to  send  me  your  thoughts  about  recon- 
necting with  old  friends,  sparking  con- 
nections with  newly  approached  peers, 
and  next  steps  postreunion.  Best  wishes 
for  a  relaxing  summer,  and  may  you  all 
find  something  special  that  makes  you 
happy.  I've  got  my  cheese  .  .  . 

Andrea  Alexander 

South  Orange,  New  Jer.sev 
Alexander  is  a  pediatrician  in  private 
practice  in  her  hometown  of  Millburn, 
New  Jersey.  She  lives  in  South  Orange 
with  her  husband,  Stewart,  and  their  two 
children,  Jordan  and  Emma. 

Pavel  CenkI 

Crattsbury  Common,  Vermont 
Cenkl,  wife  Jen  Schoen  '93,  and 
two-year-old  son  Orion  live  in 
Craftsbury  Common,  where  Pavel  has 
been  teaching  at  Sterling  College  in  the 
humanities  and  circumpolar  studies 
department.  He  was  recently  appointed 
academic  dean  of  the  college. 


lotes 


Sam  Elowitch 

Fiirmington,  Maine 
See  Leah  Binder  '84. 

Caren  (Gever)  and  Brian  Kirschner 
Elkins  Park,  Pennsylvania 
The  Kirschners  live  in  Elkins  Park  with 
their  five-year-old  son,  Nate.  After  six 
years  in  the  communications  department 
of  the  Philadelphia  76ers  organization, 
Brian  recently  shifted  gears  and  is  now 
assistant  director  of  public  relations  at  the 
University  of  the  Sciences  in  Philadelphia. 
Caren  is  a  pediatrician  in  her  ninth  year 
at  Fox  Chase  Pediatrics,  and  still  receives 
the  best  instruction  on  what  to  do  (and 
what  not  to  do)  from  Nate,  who  will  enter 
kindergarten  in  the  fall. 

Joshua  Laff 

Doylestown,  Pennsylvania 
Laff  writes,  "I  recendy  joined  the  law 
firm  Blank  Rome  as  an  associate  in  the 
general  real-estate  practice  group  in 
Philadelphia.  Before  joining  the  firm,  I 
was  assistant  general  counsel  for  Heritage 
Building  Group,  a  builder/developer 
based  in  Bucks  County,  Pennsylvania. 
My  wife,  Amy,  and  I  have  two  wonderful 
children,  Haylie  Jordyn,  six,  and  Jared 
Morgan,  two. " 

Rebecca  Tuchinsky  Morris 
Dallas 

Morris  writes,  "My  husband,  Brian,  and  1 
have  been  happily  settled  in  Dallas  for  six 
years.  Brian  is  a  partner  in  his  internal 
medicine  practice.  Since  I  last  sent  in  an 
update,  we  welcomed  our  second  and 
third  children.  Eliana  Faith  was  born  on 
May  20,  2004,  and  Avigail  Grace  on 
September  19,  2005.  Along  with  their 
big  sister,  Arielle  (who  is  almost  five), 
the  girls  welcomed  the  newest  Morris 
addition  this  May.  Unfortunately,  our 
baby's  birth  prevented  us  from  attending 
this  year's  Reunion.  1  am  a  full-time  and 
very  busy  mom." 

Sari  Siege! 

Montgomcr)'  Village,  Maryland 
Siegel  graduated  with  a  PhD  in  health 
policy  from  the  University  of  Maryland 
School  of  Public  Policy. 


1993 


Joshua  Blumenthal 

135  Edisto  Court 

Chapel  Hill,  NC  27514 

1993notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Stacy  Lefkowitz  Brown 
Dobbs  Ferry,  New  York 
Brown  and  her  husband,  Craig, 
welcomed  a  son,  Hayden  Zachary,  on 
June  7,  2006.  He  joins  brother  Ramsey, 
two,  and  half-sister  Haylee,  six. 

Dana  Buck  Cohen 

Summerville,  South  Carolina 
Cohen  and  her  husband  had  twins,  a 
boy  and  a  girl,  in  January  2006.  She 
will  return  to  teaching  in  the  fall.  Her 
husband  has  resigned  from  active-duty 
military  flying  and  has  been  hired  to  fly 
civilian  aircraft. 

Stephanie  Lehman 

New  York  City 

Lehman  is  a  cofounder  of  Lehman 

Sullivan,  a  law  firm  exclusively  dedicated 
to  the  practice  of  matrimonial  and 
family  law.  The  firm  is  located  in  New 
York  City.  You  can  learn  more  about  the 
practice  at  www.lehmansullivan.com. 

William  Marks 

Santa  Monica,  California 

Marks  was  named  vice  president  of 
business  development  at  E!  Entertain- 
ment Television  in  Los  Angeles.  In  the 
newly  created  position,  he  will  oversee 
new-media  initiatives  for  three  national 
cable  networks:  E!,  Style,  and  G4.  Marks 
and  his  wife,  Elisa,  will  celebrate  their 
tenth  wedding  anniversary  in  August. 
They  live  with  their  dog,  Indy,  a  few 
blocks  from  the  beach  in  Santa  Monica. 

Mimi  (Steinberg)  Pomeranz 

Denver 

Pomeranz  writes,  "All's  well  in  Denver. 

We've  added  a  third  girl  to  the  mix;  Ella 

Grace  was  born  August  16,  2006.  She 

joins  sisters  Sophie,  six,  and  Lena,  four." 


Jen  Schoen 

Craftsbury  Common,  Vermont 
See  Pavel  CenkI  '92. 

David  Shapiro 
Beverly  Hills,  California 
Shapiro  was  named  to  Dynamic  Leisure 
Corporation's  board  of  directors.  An 
attorney  for  more  than  nine  years,  he  has 
experience  in  business  law,  intellectual 
property  rights  management,  mergers  and 
acquisitions,  securities  compliance,  and 
strategic  partnerships.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Academy  of  Television  Arts  and  Sci- 
ences and  oversees  corporate  business  and 
legal  affairs  for  DIC  Entertainment. 


1994 


Sandy  Kirschen  Solof 

108  Cold  Spring  Road 

Avon,  CT  06001 

1994notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Stephanie  Berman 
Miami 

Berman  was  named  president  of 
Carrfour  Supportive  Housing,  the  only 
nonprofit  in  Miami  solely  dedicated  to 
developing  housing  for  the  formerly 
homeless.  She  has  served  in  various  roles 
in  the  organization,  including  acting 
president  for  nine  months,  since  joining 
Carrfour  in  2002.  Her  contributions  to 
providing  supportive  housing  for  the 
formerly  homeless  in  Miami  were 
recognized  by  the  South  Florida  Business 
Journal,  which  named  her  an  "Up  and 
Comer'  in  2006. 

Richard  Davles 
New  York  City 

Davies  is  a  corporate  lawyer  at  Avon's 
global  headquarters  in  New  York  City. 
He  and  his  wife,  Dana,  have  a  two-year- 
old  daughter,  Noa,  and  a  son,  Matan, 
who  was  born  in  March. 

Elyse  (Mittler)  Efron 
New  York  City 

Efron  lives  in  Manhattan  with  her 
husband,  David,  and  eighteen-month- 
old  son,  Philip. 


ri?.  L'liiversii)'  Magazinr  |  .Sutniner  "07 


aliimniprotile    Karen  AxelrocI 


Shop  Talk 


Crack  open  a  crunchy  fortune  cookie  and 
a  little  piece  of  paper  pops  out.  Do  you 
wonder  how  it  got  in  there? 

VChen  you  look  at  a  red 
and  white  candy  cane,  do  you 
ask  how  it  got  stripes? 

For  Karen  Axelrod  '82  and 
her  husband  Bruce  Brum- 
berg,  such  questions  were 
intriguing  enough  to  inspire 
a  guide  book  about  factories 
that  make  some  of  the  most 
popular  and  recognizable 
products  in  the  world. 
Exploring  the  country  to  find 
pineapple  plantations,  kazoo 
factories,  frozen  yogurt 
creameries,  and  automobile 
manufacturing  plants  that  welcome 
tourists,  Axelrod  and  Brumberg  wanted  to 
help  families  experience  firsthand  the 
products,  companies,  technology,  and 
workers  that  fuel  our  economy. 

"For  the  first  edition,  we  traveled 
together  for  one  week  each  month  for  six 
months.  We  even  did  a  2,400-mile,  four- 
teen-day, seventeen-factory  tour  road  trip 
driving  from  Boston  to  West  Virginia, 
Kentucky,  and  back  through  Ohio  and 
Pennsylvania, "  explains  Axelrod. 

The  fourth  edition  of  Watch  It  Made  in 
the  U.S.A.:  A  Visitor's  Guide  to  the  Best  Facto- 
ry Tours  and  Company  Museums  was  recently 
published  by  Avalon  Travel  Publishing.  The 
new  edition  has  added  sixty  factory  tours 
and  company  museums.  In  addition,  the 
couple  makes  information  about  tours  avail- 
able at  www.factorytour.com. 


The  authors'  children,  Hilary,  eleven, 
and  Gregory,  eight,  are  now  essential  con- 
tributors   to    their   fact-finding   missions. 


The  fourth  edition  has  a  new  "For  Kids  by 
Kids"  section,  which  includes  Hilary's 
favorite  tours  in  California. 

"We  love  experiencing  the  'wow'  fac- 
tor. Everyone  becomes  a  five-year-old 
again  when  they  go  on  these  tours, "  says 
Axelrod,  who  recalls  childhood  visits  to 
the  Corning  Museum  of  Glass  in  upstate 
New  York. 

"One  of  our  hopes  in  writing  this  book," 
she  adds,  "is  that  more  children  will  visit 
factory  tours  and  company  museums  and 
be  inspired  to  build  things  or  go  into  busi- 
ness themselves.  America  needs  entrepre- 
neurs, factory  workers,  engineers,  and 
business  managers  to  keep  its  industries 
strong.  By  taking  these  tours,  kids  will  see 
that  we  make  things  in  the  United  States, 
and  we  make  them  well." 

— Marjorie  Lyon 


Adam  Falk 
Washington,  D.C. 

Falk  writes,  "In  addition  to  private  law 
practice,  I  am  teaching  at  George 
Washington  University  in  the  graduate 
certificate  program  in  health-care  corpo- 
rate compliance.  I  also  serve  on  the 
Compliance  Committee  of  the  board  of 
directors  of  Whitman-Walker  Clinic,  a 
nonprofit  health  center  in  Washington, 
D.C,  dedicated  to  meeting  the  needs  of 
the  lesbian,  gay,  bisexual,  and  transgen- 
dcr  communities  and  people  living  with 
HIV/AIDS." 


Lisa  Goldstein 
Engelwood,  New  Jersey 
Goldstein  lives  in  New  Jersey  with  her 
boylriend,  Jeff  She  teaches  English  at 
Mamaroneck  High  School  after  teach- 
ing elementary  school  for  ten  years. 
Her  biggest  teaching  discovery:  ninth 
graders  are  just  big  third  graders, 
though  not  as  cute. 

Robyn  (Welfeld)  Hartman 

Englewood,  New  Jersey 
Hartman  and  her  husband,  Josh,  live  in 
Englewood  with  their  six-year-old  twins, 
Bailey  and  Addison,  and  two-year-old 
daughter,  Carly.  She  spends  her  time 


keeping  us  all  connected  to  Brandeis  in 
her  role  as  director  of  alumni  and 
university  relations  at  Brandeis  House  in 
New  York  City. 

Barbara  Tarter  HIrsch 

Armonk,  New  York 
Hirsch  and  her  husband,  Michael, 
welcomed  a  daughter,  Haley  Stella,  on 
March  19.  She  joins  brothers  Ryan 
David  and  Samuel  Isaac. 

Howard  Jeruchimowitz 
Glenview,  Illinois 

Jeruchimowitz  has  been  elevated  to 
shareholder  at  Greenberg  Traurig,  where 
he  is  a  member  of  the  litigation  practice. 
He  concentrates  on  commercial 
litigation  with  an  emphasis  on  real- 
estate  litigation,  HUD  marketing  and 
management  contracts,  business  and 
shareholder  litigation,  and  insurance  and 
reinsurance  disputes. 

Michael  Klein 

New  York  City 

Klein  earned  a  PhD  in  clinical 
psychology  from  Long  Island  University 
in  Brooklyn  in  2006  and  works  at  the 
NYU  Student  Health  Center  as  a  psy- 
chologist in  the  counseling  center. 
He  coordinates  a  multisite  quality- 
improvement  project  that  involves  eight 
universities  across  the  country  focused 
on  improving  the  assessment  and  treat- 
ment of  depression  in  college  health 
centers.  He  was  recently  appointed  an 
assistant  professor  at  Baruch  College, 
where  he  teaches  undergraduate  statis- 
tics, although  he  says  he  would  rather 
be  teaching  core  psychology  classes.  His 
first  professional  publication,  on  the 
need  for  better  integrated  health  care  at 
college  campuses,  was  published  in 
Spectrum  magazine  in  June. 

Adam  Levin 

Newton,  Massachusetts 

Levin  is  engaged  to  Joy  Chatetz.  They 

plan  to  marry  in  August. 

Jonathan  Malkin 
New  York  City 

Malkin  works  for  Cerberus  Capital  Man- 
agement. He  and  his  wife,  Karen,  live  in 


Siiimiicr O""  I  IJi;iii(lri^  I  iii\cr-il\    M;ij;u/iiif 


97 


iiintes 


Manhattan  with  their  son,  Isaac,  three, 
and  daughter,  Abigail,  four  months.  By 
the  time  you  read  this,  he  hopes  to  be 
sleeping  through  the  night  again. 

Ken  Martinian 

Carlisle,  Massachusetts 

See  Aline  Zargarian  Martinian  '95. 

Rachel  (Richter)  Rabinovich 
Stottsdale,  Arizona 
Richter  married  Elliot  Rabinovich, 
originally  from  Medellin,  Colombia,  on 
January  15.  2006.  In  attendance  were 
matron  of  honor  Leah  Froum  Long  '92, 
Sue  Lindenblatt  Gilad  '93,  and  Josh 
Blumenthal  '92,  who  signed  the 
couple's  ketubah. 

Daniel  Royzman 

New  York  City 

Royzman  was  appointed  an  assistant 
clinical  professor  in  the  Department  of 
Periodontology  at  Columbia  University's 
School  ol  Dental  Medicine.  In  addition, 
he  operates  a  successful  private  practice  in 
midtown  New  York.  When  not  working 
and  teaching,  Royzman  is  an  avid  traveler, 
having  visited  fifty-one  countries. 

Marshall  Stevenson 

New  York  Ciry 

Stevenson  has  started  a  tour  company  in 

New  York  City. 

Nicole  Stewart 
Jacksonville,  Florida 
Stewart  and  Rico  Jones  were  engaged  on 
November  23,  2006.  A  spring  2008 
wedding  is  planned.  Stewart  is  a  lieu- 
tenant and  has  been  deployed  to  Iraq  in 
support  of  military  operations  in  con- 
junction with  Operation  Iraqi  Freedom. 
As  a  psychologist,  she  provides  direct 
services  to  marines  and  sailors  suffering 
the  effects  of  combat  or  operational 
stress,  clinical  assessment  to  personnel, 
and  consultation  to  commands  regarding 
prevention  and  treatment  of  operational- 
ly related  disorders.  She  is  looking  for- 
ward to  returning  home  to  her  family, 
hance,  and  friends  in  September. 


f 

i»«ftF(Kt!w  ;■■';.•■-■.■'■  ."•■    ■Lii"-.f»i«-     "  •:    .>/";:■<«;  v.-:;-< 

births    adoptions 

nia<;<! 

Rranripk  Parpntr<i) 

rhild'<;  Name 

1978 

Burton  Kllman 

Man  Pinkhas 

1984 

Leah  Binder  and  Sam  Elowitch  '92 

Fanya  Rosa 

1987 

Reva  Schleslnger  Winston 

Leo  David 

1988 

Erica  Brunwasser  Thompson 

Lucinda  Neil 

1989 

Rachel  (Zuckerman)  and  Marl<  Lebowitz  ' 

87               Meira  Avigayl 

1991 

Leslie  Stein  Lloyd 

Soren  Philip 

Samantha  Supernaw 

Shayna  Elizabeth 

1992 

Gregory  Bland 

Sarah  Emily 

Ayala  Cohen 

Shiri  Helen 

Selentia  Parson  Moore 

Josiah  Deacon 

Pia  Strother  McCusker,  MSF'OO 

Megan  Riley 

Jennifer  (Neal)  and  Eugene  Hoffman 

Samantha  Lyn 

Lauren  Sueskind  Theodore 

Annabel  Ruby 

1993 

Stacy  Lefkowitz  Brown 

Hayden  Zachary 

Melissa  Rubin  Finkelstein 

Sophie  Dillon 

Melissa  Gettinger  Weiner  and  Richard  We 

iner  '92     Jacob  Lev 

1994 

Audrey  Latman  Gruber  and  Jeremy  Gruber  '93         Caleb  Dylan                                                 | 

Sara  Guyer 

Sadie  Chapin 

Barbara  Tarter  Hirsch 

Haley  Stella 

Dana  Blasbalg  Schneiderman  and 

Steven  Schneiderman  '93 

Cory  Jacob  and  Ethan  Matthew 

1995 

Joseph  Andrews 

Michael  Joseph 

Joshua  Blumen 

Alexander  Solomon 

Arren  Goldman 

Ryan  Luke 

David  Harrison 

Isaac  Ari 

Allison  Kaplan 

Tamra  Michelle 

Jessica  Sobczak  Mukherjee 

Gabriel  James 

Karin  Nachinoff  Potik 

Zachary  Miguel 

Erica  Michals  Silverman 

Gabriel  Ethan 

1996 

Jennifer  (Wolf)  Yoel 

Samantha  Madison 

Paul  Shipper 

Joshua  Jacob 

1997 

Kristen  Wool-Lewis  and  Rouven  Wool-Lewis  '95        Cameron  John                                             | 

1998 

Katarina  Stern  Raphael  and  Neil  Raphael 

Emma  Madeline 

Scott  Shandler 

Max  Isaac 

1999 

Jennifer  Lorell  Levison  and  Michael  Levison  '95        Nathaniel  Joseph                                         | 

2001 

Yelena  Taksa  Gurevich 

Marina  Zlatkina  Levit.  MA'02.  and 

Noah  Thomas 

Igor  Levit.  MA'02 

Benjamin  Isaiah 

Shayna  (Aronson)  Singer 

Zachary  Jacob 

Robyn  Treadwell 

Mia 

2002 

Sharena  Soutar  Frith 

Naja 

Carine  Marie  Valbrun-Luxama 

Zachary 

2003 

Eliza  Agrest  Varadi 

Daniel 

2004 

Rumena  (Sotirova)  Turkedjiev 

Adrian  Ivov 

GRAD 

Jennifer  (Hoch)  Koenig.  MA'97,  and 

Eduardo  Koenig  '95 

Gabriella  Brooke  and  Zachary  Ian 

Julie  Koppekin  Stubington 
Tarzana,  California 

Stubington  has  a  daughter,  Rachel,  seven, 
and  two  sons,  Ethan  Thomas,  four,  and 
William  "Will"  Ryan,  twenty  months. 


1995 


Suzanne  Lavin 

154  W.  70th  Street,  Apt.  lOJ 
New  York,  NY  10023 
1995notes@alumnl.brandels.edu 


Joseph  Andrews 
Belmont,  California 
Andrews  writes,  "My  wife,  Lesley,  and  I 
are  pleased  to  share  the  news  ot  the  birth 
of  a  son,  Michael  Joseph,  on  August  22, 
2006.  In  January,  afi:er  six  years  at  Intuit 
(makers  of  Quicken  and  TurboTax),  I 
joined  VMware,  a  software  company  in 
Palo  Alto,  to  lead  marketing  products  to 
the  quickly  growing  small-business  cus- 
tomer segment.  VMware  is  a  subsidiary  of 
EMC  Corp.  and  is  rhe  leading  provider  of 
virtualization  software,  which  allows 
customers  to  run  multiple  operating 
systems  on  a  single  PC  or  Mac." 


IJr;iiiilri..  I  iii\ri-sily  Ma^a/inf  I  Suminer   07 


motes 


Jason  Bravo 

Buffalo,  New  York 
Bravo  released  his  first  CD,  Between 
Head  and  Heart,  an  intimate  collection 
of  original  songs.  For  more  information, 
visit  www.myspace.com/jasonbravo. 

Francyne  Davis 

Houston 

Davis  married  Kevin  Jacobs  on 

November  13,  2005.  Brandeis  alumni  in 

attendance  were  Karen  Hsu  Ford,  Jeff 

Goldman,  Patrick  Conway,  and  Renee 

Peters  Lovitt. 

Arren  Goldman 
Woodbridge,  New  Jersey 
Goldman  was  named  partner  in  the  real- 
estate  department  of  the  law  firm 
Greenbaum,  Rowe,  Smith  &  Davis.  He 
concentrates  his  practice  in  commercial 
real-estate  transactions,  brokerage  law, 
complex  mortgage  and  asset-based 
financing,  zoning  and  land-use  applica- 
tions, leasing,  real-estate  tax  appeals, 
local  government  law,  redevelopment 
law,  residential  real-estate  transactions, 
and  environmental  matters.  He  is  the 
author  or  coauthor  of  numerous  articles 
on  real-estate  topics. 

David  Harrison 
New  York  City 

Harrison  married  Victoria  Chan  in  2004 
in  Great  Neck,  New  York.  In  attendance 
were  many  Brandeis  alumni,  including 
Jeff  Burd,  Brett  Fleishman,  Harry 
Greenbaum,  Harvey  Potter,  Robert 
Hirsh,  and  Marc  Held  '93,  who  were 
part  of  the  wedding  parry  in  varying 
capacities,  among  many  other  family  and 
close  friends.  He  and  Vicky  welcomed 
their  first  son,  Isaac  Ari,  in  March  2006. 
A  month  later,  Isaac  was  honored  with  a 
pidyon  haben,  a  Jewish  ceremony  that 
recognizes  the  firstborn  male  child. 
Harrison  is  an  attorney  specializing  in 
corporate,  securities,  and  energy  law 
with  LeBoeuf,  Lamb,  Greene  &c 
MacRae.  Chan  recently  finished  her 
medical  residency  in  physical  medicine 
and  rehabilitation  at  Cornell/Columbia 
and  is  an  associate  professor  and 
attending  physician  at  New  York 
Presbyterian  Hospital.  Isaac  is  working  at 


walking,  becoming  a  professional  block 
builder,  and  refining  his  impressions  of 
Cookie  Monster  and  Grover  from 
Sesame  Street. 

Aline  Zargarian  Martinian 

("arlisle,  Massachusetts 
Martinian  released  her  debut  CD, 
Ascension,  a  compilation  of  New  Age 
compositions.  Her  husband,  Ken 
Martinian  '94,  produced  the  work. 
For  more  information,  visit 
www.martinianrecords.com.  The 
couple  have  two  sons. 

Karin  Nachinoff  Potik 

Albany,  New  York 

Potik  writes,  "Our  son,  Zachary  Miguel, 

was  born  on  January  26  and  came  home 

to  us  through  domestic  private  adoption 

on  March  8." 


1996 


Janet  Lipman  Leibowitz 

29  Pond  Street,  #9 
Sharon.  MA  02067 
1996notes@alumnl.brandeis.edu 

Adam  Kleinberger 
Cambridge,  Massachusetts 
Kleinberger  writes,  "I  received  a  master's 
in  dispute  resolution  from  the  University 
of  Massachusetts-Boston.  My  master's 
project  was  called  'Building  Skill  in 
Mediators:  Improvisation  as  a  New 
Technique.'  I  was  able  to  combine 
mediation,  clowning/improvisation,  and 
teaching.  I  miss  you  all." 

David  Morris 

Canton,  Massachusetts 
Morris,  his  wife,  Deborah,  and  .son, 
Benjamin  (nine  months  at  the  time), 
spent  part  of  the  winter  on  a  work- 
related  secondment  for  Invensys  Systems 
Inc.  in  Singapore.  They  had  a  great  time 
and  highly  recommend  living  or  visiting 
Singapore,  as  it  is  a  beautiful  and  friend- 
ly city-state,  with  tropical  weather  year- 
round.  They  especially  recommend 
visiting  during  the  Chinese  New  Year. 


Illana  Ram 

New  York  City 

Ram  has  been  married  to  Matthew 
Anchin  for  six  years.  She  works  as  in- 
house  counsel  for  the  Riese  Organiza- 
tion, a  real-estate  and  restaurant-services 
company  in  midtown  Manhattan. 

Amy  Rosenberg 

Fairfax,  Virginia 

Rosenberg  writes,  "Since  leaving 
Brandeis,  I  went  to  law  school  and  then 
moved  to  the  D.C.  area,  where  I  married 
Aaron  Frank  on  November  8,  2003. 
Many  Brandeisians  were  in  attendance, 
from  my  sister,  Shari  (Rosenberg) 
Spivack  '93,  to  my  best  friend,  Sujan 
Talukdar  White  (my  roommate  from 
day  one  freshman  year  straight  through 
to  the  last  day  senior  year).  Others  who 
came  from  all  across  the  U.S.  and 
overseas  were  Alexa  Wasserman 
Toncheff  '95,  Dave  Twombly  '95, 
Julie  Schwartz,  Robin  Bettinger, 
Sarah  Dunnington,  Kaufher 
Englund,  Illana  Ram,  Nelson 
Flgueroa  Jr.  '98,  and  his  wife,  Alisa 
(Albert)  Figueroa  '94.  I  recently  left 
the  legal  field  to  start  my  own  Web 
business,  www.babybunne.com. " 

Paul  Shipper 

Rochester,  New  York 
Shipper  and  his  wife,  Talya,  welcomed 
their  second  son,  Joshua  Jacob,  on 
February  2.  Their  first  son,  Max 
Benjamin,  turned  two  on  June  9. 

Jennifer  (Wolf)  Yoel 

North  Salem,  New  York 
Yoel  and  her  husband,  Mitch,  welcomed 
their  third  child,  Samantha  Madison,  on 
January  9.  They  also  have  a  three-year- 
old  son,  Jake,  and  twenty-rwo-month- 
oid  daughter,  Alexa. 


|{r:iiiili-is  I  iii\ersit\    Matiaziiif 


99 


Alumni 

director  and  fundraiser  for  a  number  of 

Murray  S.  Davis,  PhD'69 

organizations,  including  the 

San  Francisco 

Natasha  (Litvich)  Saltzman  '52 

Maimonides  School,  Temple  Israel  of 

Dr.  Davis  died  at  his  home  on  May  17. 

Eastham,  Massachusetts 

Boston,  and  the  Foundation  for 

He  taught  sociology  at  the  University  of 

Ms.  SaJtzman  died  November  30,  2006. 

Children's  Books.  She  leaves  her 

California-San  Diego  and  previously  at 

She  leaves  two  daughters,  Nelle 

husband,  Harvey;  a  son,  Matthew;  a 

Northern  Illinois  Universiry.  Dr.  Davis 

Saltzman  Miller  '83  and  Rebecca 

daughter,  Alison;  a  sister,  Barbara 

published  books  on  love  and  intimate 

Miller;  a  sister,  Judith  Litvich;  and 

Gordon;  and  two  grandchildren. 

relations,  sociology  of  sex,  humor,  a 

three  grandchildren. 

theory  of  the  interesting,  and  aphorisms. 

Martha  Case  Moore  '61 

He  leaves  a  daughter,  Eiise,  and  two  sons, 

Laurence  Bourassa  '53 

Enid,  Oklahoma 

Emory  and  Ethan. 

Baltimore 

Mrs.  Moore,  a  longtime  social  worker. 

Mr.  Bourassa  died  March  29  of  kidney 

died  January  31  in  Enid,  where  she  had 

Christopher  Zackey  '71 

and  respiratory  failure.  He  had  a  long 

lived  since  1969.  She  leaves  a  son. 

Clinton,  New  York 

career  as  an  international  aid  worker 

Thomas;  a  sister,  Julie;  a  brother. 

Mr.  Zackey  died  February  8.  He  enjoyed 

that  took  him  to  countries  across  Asia 

Christopher,  her  longtime  friend,  Carl;  a 

hiking  in  the  White  Mountains  ot  New 

and  Africa.  He  is  survived  by  two 

grandson;  and  a  great-grandson. 

Hampshire.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Martha; 

brothers,  Clarence  and  Roland,  and  a 

an  aunt;  and  many  cousins. 

sister,  Irene. 

Janet  Berkenfield  '63 

Jamaica  Plain,  Massachusetts 

Lydia  Black.  MA'71 

Loring  Braverman  '53 

Ms.  Berkenfield,  who  worked  in  the  field 

Kodiak,  Alaska 

Cincinnati 

of  public  health  for  four  decades,  died 

Dr.  Black,  professor  emerita  at  the 

Mr.  Braverman  died  February  12.  He 

February  1  after  suffering  a  stroke.  In 

University  of  Alaska-Fairbanks,  died 

leaves  his  wife,  Kathleen;  two  sons. 

1993,  she  became  the  first  director  of  the 

March  12.  Dr.  Black  published 

Michael  and  Benjamin;  two  daughters. 

state  Emergency  Medical  Services  for 

extensively  on  Russian  and  Alaskan 

Lisa  Predella  and  Hilary  Rochelle;  two 

Children  project,  where  she  worked  until 

history  and  anthropology,  including  a 

brothers,  Melvin  and  Richard;  and 

her  death.  She  leaves  a  sister,  Betsy 

biography  of  St.  Innocent,  A  Good  and 

seven  grandchildren. 

Worley  of  Fort  Worth,  Texas,  and  four 

Faithfid  Servant.  She  is  also  the  author 

nieces  and  nephews. 

oi  Aleut  Art. 

Ruth  Spicehandler  '55 

Eastchester,  New  York 

Marvin  1.  Freedman.  MA'63,  PhD'64 

Nancy  Green  Wohl  '74 

Mrs.  Spicehandler  died  in  March.  She 

Wellesley,  Massachusetts 

Williamsville,  New  York 

was  a  loving  daughter,  wife,  mother. 

Dr.  Freedman  died  April  26.  He 

Mrs.  Wohl,  a  school  social  worker  and 

sister,  and  grandmother. 

leaves  his  wife,  Corey  (Langberg);  two 

authority  in  the  field  of  play  therapy  for 

daughters,  Emily  Porten  and  Nicole; 

children,  died  April  27.  She  leaves  her 

Salvatore  DeSimone  '57 

a  sister,  Roberta  Warhus;  and  three 

husband,  Michael;  a  daughter,  Lillian;  a 

Gloucester,  Massachusetts 

grandchildren. 

son,  Aaron;  and  two  brothers,  Theodore 

Mr.  DeSimone,  a  retired  associate 

and  David  Green. 

professor  at  Salem  State  College,  died 

Mark  Ertischek  '69 

September  1 1 ,  2006.  He  was  a  Bronze 

Anchorage,  Alaska 

Eric  Shapiro  '76 

Star  recipient  in  the  Korean  War.  He 

Mr.  Ertischek  died  of  a  heart  attack 

Monticello,  New  York 

leaves  his  wife,  Patricia,  and  son,  Stefan. 

while  hiking  June  9  in  Zion  National 

Dr.  Shapiro,  a  gastroenterologist. 

Park.  He  was  an  attorney  for  the 

internist,  and  nutrition  specialist,  died 

Dorothy  (Rubenstein)  Siegai  '58 

municipality  of  Anchorage,  having 

April  28  in  his  home  of  glioblastoma 

Wellesley,  Massachusetts 

formerly  served  in  similar  positions  at 

multiforme.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Judith; 

Mrs.  Siegai  died  February  27  after  a  long 

the  state  of  Alaska's  Attorney  General's 

two  sons,  David  and  Alex;  a  daughter. 

battle  with  cancer.  She  leaves  two  sons. 

Office  and  the  state's  Human  Rights 

liana;  two  brothers,  Kenneth  and  Ray- 

Jeffrey and  Gregg;  a  daughter,  Jill 

Commision.  Mr.  Ertischek  held  a  law 

mond;  and  many  nieces  and  nephews. 

Greenleaf;  a  sister,  Gail  Rubenstein;  and 

degree  from  Georgetown  University  and 

five  grandchildren. 

a  master's  degree  in  biomedical  ethics 

Jeffrey  Pomeranz  '76 

from  the  University  of  Washington.  He 

Glencoe,  Illinois 

Deanne  Cohn  Stone  '61 

leaves  his  wife,  Jacqui;  two  sons,  Joshua 

Dr.  Pomeranz,  who  operated  a  solo 

Framingham,  Massachusetts 

and  Benjamin;  a  daughter,  Nicole;  two 

pediatric  practice  in  suburban  Chicago, 

Mrs.  Stone  died  January  28  after  a  long 

sisters,  Debra  and  Tami;  and  six 

died  April  14.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Ellen 

battle  with  cancer.  She  was  an  executive 

grandchildren. 

Blumenthal  '76;  two  sons,  Yoni  and 

iir;iri(liM>  I  iii\  ersily  Maga/inr  |  Siiminor   i)'! 

classnolos 


Joshua;  a  daughter,  Adina;  his  parents, 
Chester  and  Louise;  a  brother,  Bruce;  and 
a  sister.  Fern  Funk. 

James  Bookless  77 
Dunbarton,  New  Hampshire 
Mr.  Bookless  died  January  26.  He  was  an 
avid  runner  and  enjoyed  traveUng  and  read- 
ing. He  is  survived  by  his  mother,  Phylhs; 
an  aunt  and  uncle;  and  many  cousins. 

Richard  Bell  '80 

Woburn,  Massachusetts 
Mr.  Bell,  a  consumer  researcher  in  nutri- 
tional and  behavioral  epidemiology  at  the 
Army  Soldier  Systems  Center  in  Natick, 
Massachusetts,  died  February  8  of  cancer. 
He  also  was  an  adjunct  professor  at 
Harvard  University  and  at  Tufts  University. 
He  leaves  his  wife,  Beth  Tenet. 

Leah  Levitz  FIshbane  '96 

Teaneck,  New  Jersey 
Mrs.  Fishbane  died  suddenly  on  March  1 
after  a  brief  illness.  She  leaves  her  parents, 
Jack  and  Barbara  Levitz;  her  husband, 
Eitan;  a  daughter,  Aderet;  a  brother, 
Mitchell;  a  sister,  Stephanie  Englander; 
and  a  grandmother. 

Charles  Mann  '05,  MA'06 
Pleasanton,  California 
Mr.  Mann  died  April  18  at  the  age  of 
twenty-four.  A  former  guard  on  the  men's 
basketball  team,  he  graduated  with  a 
bachelor's  degree  in  economics  and  a 
master's  in  finance.  Following  graduation, 
he  spent  six  months  in  Brazil  at  FGB.  He 
leaves  his  parents,  Michael  Mann  and 
Joann  Daley;  two  sisters,  Jasmine  and 
Michelle;  his  paternal  grandmother,  Janice; 
and  girlfriend  Erica  Richardson. 

Students 

Bernard  Hirsch  Herman  '08 
New  Orleans 

Mr.  Herman,  a  junior  majoring  in  creative 
writing,  died  May  12  in  his  hometown  of 
New  Orleans.  He  leaves  his  mother,  Mollie 
Solomon  Herman;  a  brother,  Adam  Jacob 
Herman  '04:  a  grandmother,  Betty 
Solomon  Madoff;  and  several  aunts, 
uncles,  and  cousins. 


1997 


Joshua  Firstenberg 

5833  Briarwood  Lane 

Solon,  OH  44139 

or 

Pegah  Hendlzadeh  Schiffman 

58  Joan  Road 

Stamford,  CT  06905 

1997notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Thanks  to  all  who  attended  our  10th 
Reunion.  Everyone  had  a  blast, 
including  some  of  the  little,  future 
Brandeisians  running  around.  After  ten 
years  out,  some  of  us  changed  a  lot  and 
some  hardly  at  all.  It  was  great  to  be  able 
to  see  it  all  tusthand.  We  want  to  remind 
you  that  you  can  still  give  to  the 
Jeremy  Marc  Abcug  '97  Memorial 
Humanitarian  Scholarship  in  memory  of 
our  late  classmate.  It's  a  wonderful  way 
to  keep  Jeremy's  memory  alive  and  to 
support  current  Brandeis  students. 

Leigh  Graham 

Boston 

Graham  is  a  candidate  for  a  PhD  at 
MIT's  Department  of  Urban  Studies  and 
Planning.  She  has  also  consulted  for 
various  organizations  in  the  Gulf  Coast 
since  Hurricane  Katrina  hit  in  2005. 
Her  article  "Permanently  Failing 
Organizations:  Small  Business  Recovery 
After  9/11"  has  been  accepted  for 
publication  by  the  journal  Economic 
Development  Quarterly. 

Denise  Markonish 
New  Haven,  Connecticut 
Markonish  was  named  curator  at  the 
Massachusetts  Museum  of  Contemporar)- 
Art  in  North  Adams.  She  most  recently 
worked  at  New  Haven's  Artspace,  where 
she  curated  Territories,  which  traveled  to 
Galerie  fur  Lancschaftskunst  in  Hamburg, 
Germany,  this  past  spring. 

Sarah  Shatz 

New  York  Cit)' 

Shatz  is  a  freelance  photographer  in  New 
York  City,  shooting  portraits  for 
magazines  and  publishing  houses  and 
New  York  City-based  nonprofits.  For 


pictures  and  more  information,  visit 
www.digitalrailroad.net/sarahshatz. 


Alexis  Hirst 

58-19  192nd  Street 

Fresh  Meadows,  NY  11365 

1998notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Noam  Gundle 

Seattle 

Gundle  is  finishing  his  fifth  year  teaching 
science  in  the  public  schools.  He's  also 
making  biodiesel,  growing  lots  of  food, 
brewing  beer,  and  riding  his  bicycle. 

David  Seigal 

New  York  City 

Seigal  writes,  "In  April,  I  opened  a  new 

Spanish  restaurant  called  Mercat,  which 

means  'market'  in  Catalan,  on  New  York 

City's  Bond  Street.  I  am  the  e.xecutive 

chef 

Ronny  Winiarsky,  MA'OO 

New  York  City 

See  Irina  Zelenchuk  '01. 


•^     FROM  THE 


ROOFTOPS 


Win  an  award?  Get  a  promotion? 
Move  cities?  Have  a  baby?  Share 
your  good  news  with  classmates 
and  fellow  alumni. 

Mail  your  news  to: 

Class  Notes 

MS  124,  Brandeis  University 

415  South  Street 

Waltham,  MA  02454 

You  may  also  e-mail  your  news  to 
your  class  correspondent  or  to 
ciassnotes@alumni.hrandeis.edu. 
or  complete  the  online  form  at 
http.V/alumni. brandeis.edu/web/ 
classes/ciassnotes.html. 


Sutiitiirr   ()~  I  Hi'iitidris  I  ni\rt>«it\    Muiiii/inc 


101 


classiint(\-^ 


1999 


David  Nurenberg 

20  Moore  Street,  #3 
Somerville,  MA  02144 
1999notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Gabrielle  Dickerman  Charlton 

Seattle 

Dickerman  writes,  "I  married  Daniel 
Charlton  on  May  21,  2006,  in  Seattle 
at  the  Lake  Union  Cafe.  It  was  a  terrific 
party,  and  there  were  lots  of  Brandeis 
alumni  in  attendance,  most  importantly 
my  dad,  Ellas  Dickerman  '66.  Others 
were  Sarah  Soslow  Smith,  Gershom 
Smith  '00,  Tova  Speter  '00, 
Beth  Herr,  Adele  Traub,  Sheila 
Bandyopadhyay,  Suzanna  Eller  '98, 
Debbie  Robins,  MS'02,  and  Ellen 
Lipstein."  The  couple  bought  their  first 
house,  in  Seattle.  She  has  been  deputy 
prosecuting  attorney  in  the  King  Coun- 
ty Prosecutor's  Office  for  three  years. 
She  is  currently  trying  cases  in  the 
domestic-violence  unit.  Her  husband 
works  at  Microsoft. 

David  Freidenreich 

New  York  City 

See  Sara  Kahn  Troster  '01. 


Laura  (Hacker)  Greenwald 
Fort  Defiance,  Arizona 
Greenwald  became  a  board-certified 
diplomate  of  the  American  Board  of 
Pediatfic  Dentistry  and  was  honored  at 
the  recognition  reception  as  part  of  the 
American  Academy  ot  Pediatric  Dentistr\' 
meeting  in  San  Antonio,  Texas. 

Matthew  Hugger 
Pittsfield,  Massachusetts 
Hugger  married  Michelle  Bafundo  on 
August  18,  2006,  in  Pittsfield.  Jeb 
Chard  '98  was  the  best  man.  Hugger 
is  a  software  manager  at  General 
Dynamics,  and  Bafundo  is  pursuing  a 
nursing  degree. 

Todd  Kammerman 
Cedarhurst,  New  York 
Kammerman  married  Chani  Martin  in 
May  2005.  Brandeis  alumni  in  atten- 
dance included  Gav  Bellino,  Cori 
Bellino  '00,  Micah  Berman  '98, 
Margallt  Friedman  '01,  Scott 
Friedman  '98,  UrI  Hellman  '98, 
Gabe  Kahn  '01,  Dahlia  Kronish,  Libbi 
Levine  Segev,  Moshie  Solomon  '98, 
and  Sonya  Solomon  '98.  The  couple 
welcomed  a  daughter,  Abbi,  in 
August  2006. 


dei 


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Adam  Kupersmlth 
Sacramento,  California 
See  Lauren  Haimovlch  '01, 

Benjamin  Sandler 
Chevy  Chase,  Maryland 

Sandler  married  Kaiya  Pontinen  on 
June  4,  2006,  in  Washington,  D.C. 
Brandeis  alumni  in  attendance  were  Lori 
(Sapir)  Singal  and  Nancy  Diamond. 
The  couple  honeymooned  in  Turkey. 

Jenny  (Held)  Small 
Needham,  Massachusetts 
Small  and  her  husband,  Joshua,  have 
moved  back  to  the  Boston  area  after  being 
away  for  eight  years.  He  finished  his 
residency  in  emergency  medicine  at  the 
University  of  Michigan  and  will  be  an 
attending  physician  at  Caritas  Norwood 
Hospital.  She  is  finishing  her  dissertation 
for  a  PhD  in  higher  education  from  the 
LIniversiry  of  Michigan.  They  have  a 
three-year-old  daughter,  Sophie. 


2000 


Matthew  Salloway 

304  West  92nd  Street,  #5E 
New  York,  NY  10025 
2000notes@alumni. brandeis, edu 

Michael  Bavly 
Haifa,  Israel 

Bavly  writes,  "After  being  admitted  to 
the  Massachusetts  Bar,  I  returned  to 
Israel  in  2004,  where  I  became  a  licensed 
attorney  as  well.  I  opened  my  own 
practice  in  Haifa,  concentrating  on  civil 
rights,  Israeli  corporate  law,  and  U.S. 
immigration  law.  I  recently  published  an 
extensive  report  on  the  conditions 
endured  by  Israeli  civilians  during  the 
2006  summer  war  and  the  tailure  of  the 
Israeli  government  and  various  authori- 
ties in  addressing  the  needs  oi  the  civil- 
ian population  during  that  conflict.  The 
report  was  prepared  in  cooperation  with 
the  Shatil  organization  and  the  Concord 
Center  for  International  Law,  and  gained 
national  media  coverage.  I  hope  it  will 
help  bring  about  some  needed  change." 


lirariilci^  I  iii\crsil\    \lri 


|S„ 


'lassnolr 


Edie  Molot 
Ramat  Gan,  Israel 

Molot  writes,  "After  completing  an  MA 
ftom  Columbia  University's  School  of 
International  and  Public  Affairs  (interna- 
tional relations  and  environmental  policy) 
in  2004,  I  decided  to  study  for  a  year  at 
the  Pardes  Institute  of  Jewish  Studies  in 
Jerusalem.  I  spent  the  time  studying 
tanach,  gemara,  and  Jewish  law,  which 
enriched  my  Jewish  knowledge  substan- 
tially. Subsequently,  1  decided  to  move 
more  permanently  to  Israel  in  September 
2005  and  began  working  as  a  project 
manager  at  a  carbon  development  firm  in 
Tel  Aviv.  I  met  my  husband,  Shahar 
Keren,  the  day  after  my  aliyah,  and  we 
were  married  in  July  2006." 

Molly  Jacobs 

Jamaica  Plain,  Massachusetts 
Jacobs  married  James  O'Malley 
on  July  31,  2006,  in  Sherborn, 
Massachusetts. 

Sara  Shapley 
Los  Angeles 

Shapley,  general  manager  of  Theatre 
Tribe  Theatre  Company  in  North 
Hollywood,  is  producing  the  Los 
Angeles  premiere  of  Paula  Vogel's  The 
Long  Christmas  Ride  Home,  which 
recently  received  a  Critic's  Choice 
mention  in  the  Los  Angeles  Times. 

Miriam  Singer 

Philadelphia 

Singer  had  a  showing  of  her  works  on 

paper  at  Gallery  Siano  in  Philadelphia  in 

February. 

Michael  Stepansky 
Belmont,  Massachusetts 
See  Jane  Kohuth  '01. 

Allna  Uzllov 
Brooklyn,  New  York 
Uzilov  writes,  "1  married  Dr.  Isaac 
Tabari  in  November  2005.  One  of  my 
bridesmaids  was  Stella  Payer.  Since 
graduation,  I  worked  in  a  few  top  finan- 
cial banks,  but  quit  an  AVP  job  at 
JPMorganChase  to  start  my  own 
business  creating  onc-ol-a-kind  invita- 
tions catering  to  high-end  clientele.  In 


October  2006,  my  business  won  a  Cisco 
Innovator  in  Technology  award,  and 
I  now  cater  to  celebrity  clients  such  as 
singer  Usher,  Donald  Trump,  and 
Michael  Flatley  of  Lord  of  the  Dance. " 


2001 


WenLin  Soh 

5000  C  Marine  Parade  Road,  #12-11 

Singapore  449286 

or 

Class  of  2001 

MS  124  Brandels  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

2001notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Thanks  to  everyone  for  sending  in  a 
bumper  crop  of  notes.  I  visited  India  for 
the  first  time  in  February  and  was  awed 
by  both  the  intense  energy  of  Mumbai  as 
well  as  the  serene  beauty  of  the  beaches 
ot  Goa.  I  look  forward  to  having  an 
opportunity  to  go  back.  I  will  be  relocat- 
ing to  London  this  summer  for  work  for 
at  least  a  year  and  look  forward  to 
exploring  more  of  Europe  while  I  am 
there.  I  hope  everyone  is  well. 

Wendi  Adelson 
Coral  Springs,  Florida 
Adelson  writes,  "I  was  married  on 
February  26,  2006,  to  an  adorable 
Canadian  named  Danny  Markel  and 
hope  to  finish  his  immigration  paperwork 
sometime  in  the  near  fiiture  to  make  him 
an  American.  This  past  year,  having  fin- 
ished law  school  in  2006,  I  began  my 
legal  career  as  a  staff  attorney  and  clinical 
instructor  with  the  Children  and  Youth 
Law  Clinic  at  the  University  of  Miami 
School  of  Law.  I  represent  abused,  aban- 
doned, and  neglected  children  in  juvenile 
court  and  immigration  proceedings  and 
supervise  law  students  while  they  bring 
cases.  Looking  forward  to  hearing  about 
my  2001  classmates." 

Zeynep  Akcakoca 

Astanbul,  Turkey 

Akcakoca  is  a  market  analyst  in  the 

research  department  at  Is  Investment, 


an  Istanbul-based  company  that  provides 
brokerage,  consulting,  and  mergers-and- 
acquisitions  services.  She  can  be 
contacted  at  zakcakoca@i.syatirim. com.tr. 

Melissa  Bartman 
Richmond,  California 
Bartman  writes,  "After  graduation,  I 
worked  for  several  years  in  Boston  doing 
basic  AIDS  research  as  well  as  HIV 
vaccine  clinical  trials  at  the  Harvard 
teaching  hospitals.  I  matriculated  at  the 
University  ot  California-Berkeley  in 
August  2006  to  pursue  a  master's  of 
public  health  in  epidemiology  and 
biostatistics. " 

Meera  Bhalotra 

Cambridge,  Massachusetts 
Bhalotra  says  she's  looking  forward  to 
heading  to  Georgetown  University  this 
fall  to  begin  work  on  a  master's  in  pub- 
lic policy. 

Danielle  Braff 

Chicago 

Braff  is  a  reporter  at  the  Post-Tribune. 
She  married  Vadim  Karpinos  in  August, 
and  they  live  with  their  cat  in  Chicago. 

Betty  Chan 

Cambridge,  Massachusetts 
Chan  graduated  with  a  doctorate  in 
biological  chemistry  and  molecular 
pharmacology  from  Harvard  University 
in  June.  Having  been  in  school  all  her 
life,  she  is  excited  about  entering  the 
Biotech  industry  and  having  more  time 
to  pursue  hobbies  such  as  hiking,  water 
sports,  martial  arts,  snowboarding, 
running,  and  bike  racing. 

Allison  Charney 

New  York  City 

Charney  joined  the  New  York  office  of 
McGuireWoods  as  an  associate  in  the 
firm's  business  and  securities  department. 

Chari  Cohen  and  Scott  Hirshson 
New  York  City 

Cohen  and  Hirshson  were  married  in 
November  2006. 


Suitiini-r  '07  I  Br 


.l.i>  I 


ll-ilN    Mm 


103 


Saniya  Fayzullina 

Burlingame,  California 

Fayzullina  was  married  on  July  29,  2003. 

She  gave  birth  to  a  son,  Salvatore  Nicola, 

on  March  17,  2006,  and  is  working  in 

the  biotech  industry  in  the  San  Francisco 


Jennifer  Goldstein  and  Evan  Schultz 

Brooklyn,  New  York 
Goldstein  and  Schultz  were  married  in 
November  2005.  She  will  be  graduating 
from  New  York  University  with  a 
master's  in  public  administration  from 
the  Wagner  Graduate  School  of  Public 
Service  and  a  master's  in  Hebrew  and 
ludaic  studies.  He  will  be  starting 
rabbinical  studies  at  Hebrew  Union 
College  this  summer. 

Lee  Goldstein 
Norwood,  Massachusetts 
Goldstein  earned  a  master's  in  higher 
education  administration  from  the 
University  of  Massachusetts-Amherst 
and  is  the  assistant  director  of  human 
resources  at  Mount  Ida  College  in 
Newton,  Massachusetts. 

Cheryl  Greenwald 
Brighton,  Massachusetts 
Greenwald  writes,  "I  am  living  with  my 
wonderful  boyfriend,  Keith,  who  is 
supporting  me  in  my  most  recent 


SVA0V3^ 

"'     FROM  THE 


\^ 


ROOFTOPS 


Win  an  award?  Get  a  promotion? 
Move  cities?  Have  a  babv?  Share 
your  good  news  with  classmates 
and  fellow  alumni. 

Mail  your  news  to: 

Class  Notes 

MS  124,  Brandeis  University 

415  South  Street 

Waltham,  MA  02454 

You  may  also  e-mail  your  news  to 
your  class  correspondent  or  to 
classnotes@alumni.brandeis.edu, 
or  complete  the  online  form  at 
http://aJumni.brandeis.edu/web/ 
classes/classnotes.html. 


endeavor —  graduate  school.  I'm  working 
toward  a  master's  degree  in  speech- 
language  pathology  from  Emerson 
College  in  Boston.  It's  a  lot  of  hard  work, 
but  it's  been  really  great  so  far.  I'll  finish 
in  August  2008.  I  hope  everyone  else  is 
doing  something  they  love. " 

Lauren  Haimovich 
Sacramento,  California 
Haimovich  and  Adam  Kupersmith  '99 
were  married  on  October  21,  2006,  in 
New  York.  Brandeis  alumni  in  atten- 
dance were  Ian  Goldstein  '99,  Amy 
(Mirsky)  '99  and  Adam  Guttell  '98, 
Edward  Hurwitz,  Adam  Kean  '99, 
Randy  Levitt  '98,  Betsy  Plumb, 
Matthew  Riesenberg,  and  Matthew 
Segal  '99. 

Scott  Josephson 

Billerica,  Massachasetts 
Josephson  relocated  to  the  Boston  area, 
where  he  continues  his  career  via  a  home 
office  working  for  Wimba,  a  New 
York-based  educational  software  compa- 
ny. As  Wimba's  senior  project  specialist, 
Josephson  focuses  on  writing  product 
documentation,  performing  internal 
training,  and  maintaining  close  ties  with 
a  Massachusetts  customer  base,  including 
a  large-scale  implementation  with  the 
University  ot  Massachusetts  Online. 
Outside  of  work,  he  enjoys  producing 
podplays — dramas  for  portable  devices — 
and  will  be  releasing  his  second  work 
later  this  year.  His  first  podplay,  Desolate 
Metropolis,  is  available  for  free  download 
at  www.podantics.com. 

Kaori  Kataoka 
Izumo-shi  Shimane,  Japan 
Kataoka  graduated  from  Shimane 
University  School  of  Medicine  in  March 
and  is  in  residency  at  Shimane 
University  Hospital. 

Adam  Klein 

Athens,  Georgia 

Klein  writes,  "After  receiving  a  master's 
in  Near  Eastern  and  Judaic  studies  from 
good  of  Brandeis  in  2002,  I  served  as  a 
Peace  Corps  volunteer  in  the  village  of 
Dougouolo  in  Mali,  West  Africa. 
Projects  included  microfinance  work 


with  a  village  bank,  a  weekly  radio  show, 
and  composing  and  writing  for  Dambe,  a 
musical  theater  radio  program  (School- 
house  Rockes(\ue  soap-opera  series)  played 
on  stations  nationwide.  Since  then,  I've 
been  living  and  working  in  my  fine 
hometown  of  Athens,  Georgia.  I  released 
my  first  album  of  country-folk  songs. 
Distant  Music,  on  my  own  Cowboy 
Angel  Music  label  this  past  year.  I'll  be 
recording  my  second  record.  Western 
Tales  &  Trails,  a  collection  of  Western- 
themed  legends  and  story-songs,  in  the 
coming  months.  Look  for  a  fall  release. 
Come  check  out  a  show  and  say  hey. 
Check  out  www.adam-klein.com  and 
www.myspace.com/adamkleinmusic." 

Jason  Kohn 
New  York  City 

Kohn  premiered  his  first  film,  Manda 
Bala  (Send  a  Bullet),  a  documentary 
about  corruption  and  kidnapping  in 
Brazil,  as  a  competition  selection  at  the 
2007  Sundance  Film  Festival.  It  garnered 
considerable  attention  and  was  consid- 
ered a  contender  lor  the  Grand  Jury 
award  in  documentary  film. 

Jane  Kohuth 
Belmont,  Massachusetts 
Kohuth  and  Michael  Stepansky  '00 
were  married  at  Beth  El  Hebrew 
Congregation  in  Alexandria,  Virginia,  on 
July  9,  2006.  Brandeisians  in  the  wed- 
ding party  were  Lisa  Cagnacci  and 
Joseph  Wood  '98.  Other  alumni  in 
attendance  were  Shema  Blum- 
Evitts  '00,  Samantha  Gross  Zirkin, 
Adam  Zirkin,  Autumn  Wiley,  and 
Jordan  Hill  '02.  In  August,  the  couple 
moved  back  to  the  Boston  area,  where 
Kohuth  is  a  PhD  student  in  Near 
Eastern  and  Judaic  studies  at  Brandeis. 
Stepansky,  who  received  a  master  ot 
public  policy  from  George  Washington 
University  in  May  2006,  is  director  of 
housing  and  employment  for  the 
Massachusetts  Department  ot  Mental 
Health's  metro-suburban  region. 

Eleanor  Levine 

Beverly  Hills,  California 

Levine  writes,  "I  finished  a  master's  in 

public  policy  at  USC  this  spring  and  am 


104 


Hl,i>    I 


iii\  t'rsii\ 


Mai:;. 


SnmnuT  '07 


working  as  an  analyst  for  the  city  of  Los 
Angeles  on  economic  development  and 
affordable-housing  projects.  I'm  really 
enjoying  living  in  California  with  my 
husband  and  goldfish." 

Shanna  Miller 

Avon,  Connecticut 

Miller  completed  the  New  York  Ciry 

Marathon  in  November  2006. 

Anna  (Glozman)  Munro 
Acton,  Massachusetts 
Glozman  married  Andrew  Munro  on 
October  7,  2006,  in  Acton.  In  atten- 
dance were  Brandeis  alumni  liana 
Glozman  '85,  Johan  Glozman  '99,  and 
Stephanie  (Davis)  Aitchison  '02,  who 
made  the  cake  and  prepared  the  flowers 
for  the  day.  Glozman  has  also  been 
accepted  into  a  master  of  social  work 
program  for  the  fall. 

Matthew  Riesenberg 
Seattle 

Riesenberg  writes,  "I  recently  finished 
training  to  become  a  mobile  intensive- 
care  paramedic  with  the  Seattle  Fire 
Department.  Our  training  was  an 
unhealthy  mix  of  medicine  and  boot 
camp,  but  it  was  a  great  time  and  an 
awesome  experience.  Now,  they've  let  me 
loose  on  the  streets  of  Seattle.  I  love  my 
job,  and  I  can't  imagine  anything  more 
challenging,  rewarding,  and  exciting." 

Michael  Schakow 
Houston 

Schakow  writes,  "I'm  completing  my 
first  year  of  law  school  at  the  University 
of  Houston,  and  I've  been  accepted  as  a 
transfer  student  to  Georgetown  Law 
starting  in  the  fall.  Before  returning  to 
school  this  year,  I  had  been  working 
since  graduation  in  the  public-policy 
department  at  Sun  Microsystems,  first  in 
Silicon  Valley  and  then  as  a  lobbyist  in 
Washington,  D.C.  Since  2003,  I've  been 
volunteering  on  biannual  Holocaust 
Remembrance  trips  to  Poland  and  Israel 
run  by  Birthright  Israel  and  March  of 
the  Living  International." 


Stacy  Paige  (Feingold)  Speiller 
Modesto,  California 
Feingold  married  Joel  Speiller  on 
August  8,  2004.  They  moved  to 
California,  were  she  works  as  an  attorney. 

Julia  Toub 

Cleveland 

Toub  is  completing  her  second-year 

residency  in  neurology  at  the  Cleveland 

Clinic.  She  wishes  she  were  back  in  the 

Boston  area. 

Sara  Kahn  Troster 

New  York  Cit)' 

Troster  writes,  "Since  January  2006,  I've 
been  working  at  the  Jewish  Guild  for  the 
Blind  as  the  research  assistant  to  the 
president.  My  husband,  David 
Freidenreich  '99,  will  be  spending  the 
2007-08  academic  year  as  a  visiting 
assistant  professor  in  Judaic  studies  at 
Franklin  and  Marshall  College  in 
Lancaster,  Pennsylvania. " 

Marina  Voronina 

Jersev  Cir\',  New  Jersey 
Voronina  married  David  Krasnopolsky  at 
Temple  Beth-El  in  Great  Neck,  New 
York,  on  April  21,  2007.  Their  wedding 
was  super  fun,  full  of  upbeat  dance 
music  and  wonderful  friends  and  family. 
Everyone  had  an  amazing  time.  Fellow 
grads  Irina  (Zelenchuk)  Winiarsky,  Rita 
Cherian,  and  Amita  Bharat  were 
bridesmaids.  Also  attending  were  Ronny 
Winiarsky  '99,  Alisa  Hurwitz,  and 
Danielle  Barmash  '02. 

David  Weisz 
Los  Angeles 

'Weisz  married  Julia  Aronson  on  May  27 
in  Dallas.  He  is  completing  the  first  year 
of  an  MBA  program  at  UCLA  Anderson 
School  of  Management  in  Los  Angeles 
and  will  spend  the  summer  in  San 
Francisco  working  as  a  management 
consultant. 

Samantha  Witman 

Los  Angeles 

After  obtaining  a  master's  degree  at  the 
University  of  Tel  Aviv,  Witman  returned 
to  Los  Angeles,  where  she  is  earning  a 
second  master's,  in  Arabic  studies,  at  the 


Fingerhut  School,  University  of  Judaism, 
on  a  Mandel  Scholarship.  She  would  like 
to  integrate  Arabic  studies  into  high 
school  curricula. 

Irina  Zelenchuk 

New  York  City 

Zelenchuk  writes,  "I  wanted  to  share 
the  news  of  my  marriage  to  Ronny 
Winiarsky  '98,  MA'OO,  on  July  4,  2004. 
We  were  married  in  Shelter  Rock  Jewish 
Center,  Roslyn  (Long  Island),  New  York." 

Christa  Zuber 

Sydney,  Australia 
Zuber  is  studying  for  a  master  of 
teaching,  drama,  and  art  at  the 
University  of  Sydney.  She  is  enjoying  the 
weather,  even  though  winter  has  arrived. 


2002 


Hannah  R.  (Johnson)  Bornstein 

130  Tudor  Street,  Unit  G, 
Boston,  MA  02127 
2002notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

The  Class  of  2002  celebrated  its  first 
class  Reunion  this  summer.  Our  5th 
Reunion  took  place  June  8  to  10.  The 
past  five  years  have  passed  so  quickly!  It 
was  wonderful  to  see  so  many  fellow 
classmates,  and  everyone  had  a  great 
time  catching  up.  If  you  were  unable  to 
attend  Reunion,  we  hope  you  know  that 
you  were  missed,  and  we  hope  to  see 
everyone  in  2012  for  our  10th  Reunion. 

Karen  Thomashow  Eyal 

Cincinnati 

Eyal  writes,  "I  married  Yonatan  Eyal  on 
September  3,  2006,  in  Worcester, 
Massachusetts.  I  completed  my  rabbinical 
ordination  in  June.  Yonatan  is  a  history 
professor  at  the  University  of  Cincinnati." 

Kerry  Israel 

Cambridge,  Massachusetts 

Israel  writes,  "Girls  on  Film:  Drag 

Photography  by  Kerry  Israel  was  on 

display  at  the  Paradise  Lounge  Gallery 

during  January  and  February.  The  show 

was  a  success,  receiving  a  great  deal  of 


Siiriitiii-i    ()"'  I  liiiiiMii-is  I  iii\rr?,il\    M;i(;;izinc 


105 


iOlCS 


alumniproiile    Russ  Gooberman  '01, 

Storey  Clavton  '02, 


press.  The  work  was  called  'captivating' 
by  the  Boston  Globe  and  'museum- 
worthy'  by  Stuff  at  Night.  " 

Ehren  Newman 
Princeton,  New  Jersey 
Newman  is  completing  a  PhD  at 
Princeton  University.  He  is  engaged  to 
Birgir  Meiser. 

Michael  Phillips 

Philadelphia 

Phillips  was  named  an  associate  in  the 
litigation  department  at  Obermayer 
Rebmann  Maxwell  &  Hippel.  He 
concentrates  his  practice  in  the  areas  of 
civil  litigation,  commercial  litigation, 
election  law,  and  sports  and  entertain- 
ment law. 

Robyn  Schneider 
Venice,  California 
Schneider  writes,  "After  working  in 
Washington,  D.C.,  for  two  years  after 
graduation,  I  lived  in  Israel  for  two  years. 
1  am  now  pursuing  a  master's  in  Jewish 
communal  service  at  Hebrew  Union 
College  and  an  MBA  from  USC." 

Rebecca  Wolf 
Washington,  D.C. 

Wolf  has  been  busy  traveling  the  world 
and  pursuing  a  wide  variety  of  endeavors. 
After  participating  in  Otzma  and  Avodah 
following  graduation,  she  founded  and 
directed  a  medical  fellowship,  which 
brings  Israeli  physicians  to  Uganda  to 
volunteer.  In  this  capacity,  she  was  fortu- 
nate to  live  in  Israel  for  a  year  and  a  half 
and  travel  to  Uganda  on  several  occasions. 
Wolt  plans  to  continue  to  pursue  a  career 
in  international  health  and  is  currently  a 
first-year  law  student  at  American 
University's  Washington  College  of  Law  in 
Washington,  D.C.  She  was  unable  to 
attend  Reunion  because  she  is  spending 
the  summer  interning  at  the  World 
Health  Organization  in  Geneva, 
Switzerland.  Her  extracurricular  activities 
include  playing  piano,  running,  bike 
riding,  and  teaching  Yoga  Meets  Dance. 
She  is  still  in  touch  with  many  friends  and 
professors  from  Brandeis  and  has  fond 
memories  of  the  time  she  spent  there. 
Wolf  hopes  to  see  you  at  next  Reunion. 


Greg  Wilson,  PhD'02 


Makiiifij  Conversation 


Every  Wednesday,   three   Brandeis   friends  "Winning  the  Cast  Wars  was  a  big  step 

spend  an  hour  catching  up  on  each  other's      in  getting  the  word  out,  and  we've  been 

lives.      The      weekly      chat      ot      Russ      able  to  get  a  lot  of  word-of-mouth  momen- 

Gooberman       '01,       Storey 

Clayton      '02,      and      Greg 

Wilson,    PhD'02,    is   packed 

with    humorous    things    that 

happen    to    each    of   them, 

along   with    sports,    politics, 

and  anything  else  you  would 

normally    talk    about    with 

good  friends.  They,  however, 

share  this  talk  with  the  test  of 

the  world — and  have  received 

an  award  for  their  efforts. 

The   trio,    ranging   in   age 
from  rwenty-six  to  thirty-four, 
met   while   on   the   Brandeis 
debate  team.  Determined  to  keep  in  touch 
after  graduation  despite  the  3,000  miles  that 
separated    them,    they    began    bantering 
through    voice-over    technology    offered 
online  by  TeamSpeak.  Before  long,  they  dis- 
covered they  could  be  pretty  entertaining. 

"As  debaters,  we  were  used  to  riffing  oft 
of  each  other  and  making  each  other  crack 
up,"  Wilson  says,  adding  that  Gooberman 
even  works  as  a  comedian  in  Los  Angeles. 

Confident  they  could  amuse  others  as 
well,  they  started  a  podcast  called  the  Mep 
Report  in  2005.  Each  week  they  tape  their 
conversation  from  their  homes  in  different 
areas  of  the  country,  including  California 
and  New  York.  The  finished  product  is 
available  at  http://mepreport.com. 

They  were  rewarded  tor  this  effort  in 
2006  when  the  Mep  Report  beat  out  about 
8,000  other  podcasts  to  be  named  Best 
Podcast  in  the  "Cast  Wars,"  an  online  com- 
petition held  by  Podcast  Pickle. 


tum  from  listeners,"  Clayton  says.  The 
podcast  team  works  about  ten  hours  a 
week  to  tape  and  edit  the  show  and  update 
the  Web  site. 

The  Alep  Report's  name  originates  in  a 
bit  ot  Brandeis  trivia.  During  one  debate 
tournament  in  which  Gooberman  and 
Clayton  were  paired  up,  Clayton  delivered 
an  unusual  "off"  performance,  causing 
them  to  be  eliminated  from  the  competi- 
tion. Clayton  told  Gooberman  that  he 
"would've  been  better  off  debating  with  an 
emu"  and  began  imitating  the  bird  with  its 
signature  "mep"  sound.  When  it  came  time 
to  name  the  podcast  years  later,  it  took 
only  seconds  to  pick  the  title. 

Looking  to  the  future,  the  group  hopes 
to  see  the  Mep  Report  p\c\!xA  up  by  radio  or 
television  outlets.  Who  knows?  they  ask. 
Perhaps  some  day  you'll  hear  them  on 
Comedy  Central. 

— Marsha  MacEachern 


^Sm^t 


in 


Kit; 


Caroline  Litwack 

325  Summit  Avenue,  #6 
Brighton,  MA  02135 
2003notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


Shannon  Baker  and  Erik  Jenson 
Philadelphia 

Baker  and  Jenson  are  getting  married  on 
August  5  in  southern  New  Hampshire. 
Matt  Harris  '04  is  going  to  be  in  the 
wedding  party.  Jenson  is  working  toward 
a  medical  degree  at  Rush  Medical 
College  in  Chicago.  Baker  graduated 
with  a  physician's  assistant  graduate 


liijMiIri~  I  iii\i'r>,ily  Mjijraziiic  |  Siiniiin-i- '07 


Il(i 


degree  from  Arcadia  Universirv  in 
Philadelphia. 

Joseph  Ediow 

Pikesvillc,  Maryland 
Ediow  graduated  from  Case  Western 
Reserve  University  School  of  Law  in 
May  2006  and  passed  the  Maryland 
Bar  exam  two  months  later.  He  spent 
the  fall  as  political  director  for  Scott 
Rolle's  campaign  for  Maryland  attorney 
general.  He  is  now  an  associate  with 
the  Law  Offices  of  Scott  L.  Rolle  in 
Frederick,  Maryland,  which  concen- 
trates mostly  on  criminal-defense  work 
bur  also  does  family  law  and  represents 
small  businesses. 

Jeremy  Goren 

Brooklyn,  New  York 
Goren  is  a  film-section  editor  and  a 
contributing  writer  for  NY  Mosaico 
{www.nymosaico.com),  a  New  York- 
based  bilingual  webzine  focusing  on 
Latin  America  and  Latino-related  issues. 

Aaron  Harris 
Medford,  Massachusetts 
Harris  is  in  medical  school  at  Tufts 
University.  He  received  a  one-year  fellow- 
ship from  Fogarty  Ellison  International 
Center  to  pursue  a  research  project  next 
year  on  cholera  in  Dhaka,  Bangladesh. 

Heather  Henckler 

Great  Neck,  New  York 

Henckler  graduated  from  Columbia 

University  School  of  Social  Work  on 

May  16.  Also,  her  chorus  sang  at 

Carnegie  Hall  on  May  19,  which  was  a 

very  exciting  opportunity. 

Dana  LeWinter 
Somcrville,  Massachusetts 
LeWinter  is  getting  married  on 
September  1  to  Ben  Bradley. 

Jacqueline  Marcus 

Atlanta 

Marcus  graduated  from  Emor)'  University 

School  of  Medicine  this  spring  and  will 

do  her  neurology  residency  at  the 

University  of  California-San  Francisco. 


Eliza  Agrest  Varadi 
C^harleston,  South  Carolina 
Varadi  and  her  husband,  Vladimir, 
celebrated  the  birth  of  a  son,  Daniel, 
who  was  born  very  conveniently  the  day 
after  the  second  Passover  seder. 


2004 


Class  of  2004 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

2004notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Meredith  Bodgas 

Long  Island  City,  New  York 

Bodgas  will  have  an  article  published  in 

the  August  issue  of  GLmwiir  magazine.  She 

is  an  associate  editor  at  Parenting  magazine. 

Alyson  Decker 
Los  Angeles 

Decker  writes,  "I  was  recently  published 
in  Volume  16,  Issue  1,  of  the  Southern 
California  Interdisciplinary  Lau'  Journal. 
My  note  is  titled  "Save  the  Whales — Save 
the  Whalers — Wait,  Just  Save  the  Inter- 
national Whaling  Commission:  A  Fresh 
Look  at  the  Controversy  Surrounding 
Cultural  Claims  to  Whale.'  This  should 
be  available  in  hard  copy  in  most  law 
libraries  within  a  month  or  so  and  on 
Westlaw  and  LexisNexis  within  the  year. 
This  is  an  unusual  legal  note  in  that  it 
does  not  require  a  background  in  the  law 
to  imderstand.  In  fact,  no  cases  are  cited. 
The  note  begins  by  discussing  the  cur- 
rent international  unrest  caused  by  the 
whaling  debate  and  then  delves  into  the 
ditterent  cultural  whaling  practices  ot 
Japan,  Norway,  and  Iceland.  The  note 
goes  on  to  discuss  the  current  cLiltural 
exceptions  to  the  whaling  moratorium 
and  proposes  a  compromise  to  the  out- 
right ban  on  commercial  whaling.  The 
note  suggests  that  this  compromise 
would  satisfy  both  whalers  and  whale 
protectionists,  thereby  strengthening  the 
International  Whaling  Commission  and 
ensuring  that  whaling  will  continue  to 
be  monitored  by  an  experienced  interna- 
tional organization." 


Sarah  Ferri  and  Thaddeus  Kolwicz 

Scranton,  Pennsylvania 
Ferri  and  Kolwicz  became  engaged  on 
March  27  while  vacationing  in 
California.  The  couple  met  during  their 
freshman  year  and  have  been  together 
since.  Kolwicz  is  a  substance-abuse 
treatment  specialist.  Ferri  is  a 
polysomnogram  technologist  performing 
clinical  sleep  studies  research  and  still 
participates  in  ongoing  neurogenetic 
research  at  Brandeis,  where  she  wotked 
for  two  years  after  graduation.  They 
hope  to  marry  next  summer. 

Paula  Schreiber  Landau 
and  Adam  Landau 

Palatine,  Illinois 

The  Landaus  have  been  happily  married 
since  2005.  They  bought  a  house  in  the 
Chicago  suburbs.  Adam  is  a  financial 
analyst  for  Citigroup.  Paula  earned  a 
doctorate  in  physical  therapy  trom 
Northwestern  and  is  a  licensed  physical 
therapist  at  Evanston  Northwestern 
Hospital.  They  hope  all  their  classmates 
are  doing  well. 


2005 


Judith  Lupatkin 

200  W.  82nd  Street,  #5W 
New  York,  NY  10024 
2005notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Rachel  Kramer 
Antananarivo,  Madagascar 
Kramet  is  a  Peace  Corps  volunteer  in 
northeastern  Madagascar.  She  is  involved 
in  environmental  education  for  students 
and  teachers  in  the  schools  in  and 
around  her  village.  She  al.so  accompanies 
Wildlife  Conservation  Society  transect 
expeditions  that  identify  and  inventory 
trees  in  primary  and  secondary  rain- 
forests in  nearby  national  parklands. 
Kramer  continues  to  dabble  in 
photography.  Photographs  she  has  taken 
of  her  village  and  beyond  can  be  found 
at  www.rachelinafrica.com,  a  site 
maintained  by  Kevin  Grinberg  '04. 


SiiMiirii-f   ()~  I  li]';inilri^  I  )ii\i-isil\    \l;ii:ji/iiii 


107 


class  notes 


Tobias  Loss-Eaton 

Lexington,  Massachusetts 
Loss-Eaton  has  been  admitted  to 
Harvard  Law  School  for  the  falL 


2006 


Class  of  2006 

MS  124  Brandels  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

2006notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Ediyn  Hernandez 

Fort  Lauderdale,  Florida 
Hernandez  was  awarded  Buckingham, 
Doolittle  &  Burroughs's  second  annual 
Diversity  Scholarship.  She  is  a  first-year 
law  student  at  the  University  of  Miami. 

Rachel  Present 

Jerusalem 

Present  is  one  of  hundreds  of  North 
American  volunteers  who  are  helping  to 
complete  the  next  chapter  of  recovery 
in  Israel's  war-torn  northern  region  by 
directly  assisting  residents  in  need.  She 
went  as  part  of  the  Jewish  Agency's 
MASA/Israel  Journey  program  that  pro- 
vides young  Jewish  adults  the  opportu- 
nity to  participate  in  a  long-term 
volunteer  and  educational  program  in 
Israel.  She  volunteers  in  the  pediatric 
oncology  ward  of  Rambam  Hospital. 
She  plays  with  the  children,  entertain- 
ing them  as  they  undergo  chemothera- 
py treatments,  as  well  as  helping  the 
children  keep  up  with  their  schoolwork. 
"I  love  what  1  do  there.  You  would 
think  a  cancer  ward  would  be  the  most 
depressing  place  on  earth,  but  most 
days  it  inspires  me,"  she  says.  "There  is 
nothing  like  a  child  with  cancer  to  give 
you  some  perspective  on  what  you 
think  is  a  bad  day."  When  she  finishes 
her  volunteer  work  in  the  North, 
Present  will  go  to  Jerusalem's  Pardes 
Institute  of  Jewish  Studies  and  then 
intern  at  the  Forum  to  Address  Food 
Insecurity  and  Poverty  in  Israel. 


Talia  Sturgis  and  Jeremy  Manning 
Philadelphia 

Sturgis  and  Manning  became  engaged  on 
November  22,  2006.  The  couple  met 
during  Orientation  2002.  Manning 
attends  graduate  school  in  the  neuro- 
science  program  at  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania,  and  Sturgis  works  at  the 
Jewish  National  Fund's  Philadelphia  office. 
They  plan  an  August  wedding  in  Sturgis's 
home  state  of  Vermont. 


GRAD 


Loren  Fisher,  PhD'59 

Willits,  Calitornia 

Fishers  three  most  recent  books  on  the 
Book  ol  Job,  Who  Hears  the  Cries  of  the 
Innocent?,  The  Minority  Report,  and  The 
Rebel  Job,  were  reviewed  at  a  Colloqium 
of  Job  on  March  19  at  the  Process 
Studies  Center  in  Claremont,  California. 

Steve  Andreas,  MA'61 
Boulder,  Colorado 
Andreas  recently  published  his  sixth 
book.  Six  Blind  Elephants:  Understanding 
Ourselves  and  Each  Other,  a  practical  and 
comprehensive  book  about  cognitive 
psychology,  meaning,  and  personal 
change.  He  taught  psychology  from 
1963  to  1970  at  Diablo  Valley  College 
in  Pleasant  Hill,  California,  and  is  a 
regular  presenter  at  the  annual 
Psychotherapy  Networker  Symposium 
and  the  Milton  Erickson  Brief  Therapy 
Conference.  Since  1977,  he  has  been 
training  and  developing  methods  in  the 
field  of  neurolinguistic  programming 
(NLP),  a  set  of  understandings  and 
change  processes  initially  developed  by  a 
mathematician  and  a  linguist.  A  previous 
book.  Transforming  Your  Self  Becoming 
Who  You  Want  to  Be,  explored  the  struc- 
ture of  self-concept  and  how  to  use  those 
understandings  to  rapidly  change  how 
you  think  of  yourself  Andreas  has  pro- 
duced more  than  fifty  videotaped 
demonstrations  of  NLP  processes  and 
written  more  than  fifty  articles  and  book 
chapters,  many  of  which  can  be  found  at 
www.stcveandreas.com.  His  primary 
hobby  is  collecting  and  researching  the 


paintings  of  Charles  Partridge  Adams, 
an  early  Colorado  impressionist. 

Nina  Alonso  Hathaway.  MA'63,  PhD'70 
Cambridge,  Massachusetts 
Hathaway  writes,  "In  February,  my 
daughter  Lara,  fifteen,  had  her  bat 
mitzvah  at  Beth  El  Temple  Center  in 
Belmont,  Massachusetts,  which  was  a 
great  joy  and  brought  the  family  closer 
to  Jewish  ttaditions.  It  was  entirely  her 
choice  (pretty  unique,  I  hear)  as  well. 
Her  ninety-rwo-year-old  maternal 
grandmother  was  in  attendance,  and  it 
was  a  wonderful  event.  My  ballet  school 
in  Cambridge,  Fresh  Pond  Ballet,  is 
approaching  its  rwenty-year  anniversary, 
so  it's  been  a  great  year." 

Jane  Gentry  Vance,  MA'66 

Versailles,  Kentucky 
Vance  has  been  appointed  the  2007-08 
Kentucky  poet  laureate  by  Governor 
Ernie  Fletcher.  The  poet  laureate,  the 
highest  state  honor  bestowed  upon  a 
writer,  promotes  literary  arts  and  leads 
literary  events  for  two  years.  Vance's 
work,  published  under  her  family  name, 
Jane  Gentry,  has  appeared  in  the 
Sewanee  Review,  Harvard  Magazine, 
Southern  Poetry  Review,  the  American 
Voice,  and  Humanities  in  the  South.  She 
has  been  awarded  a  Yaddo  Fellowship 
and  a  Voices  and  Visions  grant  from  the 
National  Endowment  for  the  Humani- 
ties and  the  American  Library  Associa- 
tion. She  also  received  an  Al  Smith 
Individual  Artist  Fellowship  from  the 
Kentucky  Arts  Council  in  1 992  and 
2003.  Vance  is  a  professor  in  the  honors 
program  and  on  the  English  graduate 
faculty  at  the  University  of  Kentucky. 

Karen  Uhlenbeck,  MA'67.  PhD'68 

Austin,  Texas 

Uhlenbeck,  professor  and  Sid  W. 
Richardson  Foundation  Regents  Chair 
in  Mathematics  at  the  University  ot 
Texas-Austin,  was  elected  to  the  American 
Philosophical  Society  in  April. 

David  Macarov,  PhD'68 

Jerusalem 

Macarov  is  a  professor  emeritus  at 

Hebrew  University.  He  is  an  author  or 


lir;iriili-i-  lHiM-i>ily  Magazilic  |  Sii 


■\r 


classnotes 


coauthor  of  thirteen  professional  books; 
one  has  been  translated  into  Chinese,  the 
others  into  Spanish.  He  is  the  founding 
director  of  the  Schwartz  graduate  pro- 
gram for  training  international  senior 
personnel  and  a  consulting  editor  for  the 
International  Encyclopedia  of  Social  Policy. 

William  Bicksler,  MA72,  PhD73 

Indianapolis 

Bicksler  retired  from  teaching  at  China 

Evangelical  Seminary  in  2003  and 

published  commentaries  on  Ecclesiastes, 

Psalms,  Jeremiah,  Hebrews,  Romans, 

and  Galatians. 

Fernando  Torres-Gil,  MSW72,  PhD76 
Los  Angeles 

Torres-Gil,  associate  dean  of  academic 
affairs  at  the  UCLA  School  of  Public 
Affairs,  was  appointed  to  the  board  of  the 
American  Association  ot  Retired  Persons 
Foundation.  An  expert  in  the  fields  of 
health-  and  long-term  care,  the  politics  ot 
aging,  social  policy,  ethnicity,  and  disabil- 
ity, Torres-Gil  has  authored  more  than 
eighty  articles  and  book  chapters,  as  well 
as  six  books,  including  77?^  New  Aging: 
Politics  and  Change  in  America. 

Duncan  Harris,  PhD73 

Laramie,  Wyoming 

Harris  has  been  awarded  the  Universit)'  of 
Wyoming's  Ellbogen  Lifetime  Teaching 
Award.  He  is  a  Shakespearean  scholar  in 
the  English  department  and  director  of 
the  University  Honors  Program  and 
Summer  High  School  Institute. 

James  Kelly,  PhD75 
Laguna  Beach,  California 
Kelly  is  the  new  provost  and  executive 
vice  president  of  Menlo  College  in 
Atherton,  California.  He  comes  to 
Menlo  after  a  twenty-three-year  career  in 
the  California  State  University  system 
where,  for  the  past  six  years,  he  has 
served  as  associate  vice  president  of  con- 
tinuing and  international  education  at 
California  State  University-East  Bay. 

Mary  Clifford,  MFA77 
Highland  Lakes,  New  Jersey 
Clifford,  associate  professor  of  commu- 
nication arts  at  Bergen  Community 


College,  was  selected  to  receive  a  2007 
Excellence  Award  from  the  National 
Institute  for  Staff  and  Organizational 
Development.  She  has  taught  at  Bergen 
for  sixteen  years.  As  founder  of  the 
Bergen  County  Young  Playwrights 
Festival  and  cofounder  of  the 
Psychodrama  Workshop,  Clifford  has 
been  instrumental  in  enhancing  the 
college's  theater  department  through 
extracurricular  activities  that  develop 
participants'  understanding  of  theater 
and  performing  arts. 

Lynn  Hazan,  MJC'80 

Chicago 

Hazan  celebrates  twent)'-two  years  as  an 
executive  recruiter  and  eight  years  as 
proprietor  ot  Lynn  Hazan  &  Associates, 
a  recruiting  firm  for  communications  and 
marketing  professionals.  She  loves  rein- 
venting the  business.  Hazan  also  teaches 
in  Jewish  education  and  performs 
globally  as  a  storyteller,  including  many 
visits  to  Racho  La  Puerta  in  Mexico. 

Linda  Simon,  PhD'83 
Saratoga  Springs,  New  York 
Simon  chairs  the  English  department 
at  Skidmore  College.  Her  latest  book. 
The  Critical  Reception  of  Henry  James: 
Creating  a  Master  (Camden  House, 
2007),  is  due  out  in  fall. 

Daniel  Morris,  MA'88,  PhD'92 

Indianapolis 

Morris,  a  professor  of  English  at  Purdue 

University,  published  The  Poetry  of  Louise 

Gliick:  A  Thematic  Introduction  with 

University  of  Missouri  Press  in  2006. 

Llqun  Luo,  MA'92,  PhD'93 
Palo  Alto,  California 
Luo  was  awarded  the  American 
Association  of  Anatomists'  2007 
Harland  Winfield  Mossman  Award  in 
Developmental  Biology.  He  gave  an  award 
lecture,  "Exploring  Neural  Circuit 
Organization  and  Assembly  Using  Genetic 
Mosaics,"  at  the  group's  annual  meeting  in 
May.  1  he  award  recognizes  Luo  for 
inventing  new  techniques  to  address 
fundamental  issues  in  developmental 
neurobiology,  such  as  molecular  mecha- 
nisms of  axon  and  dendrite  pruning  and 


the  logic  of  wiring  specificity  of  neuronal 
circuits. 

Beth  Ingle,  MA'95,  PhD'OO 

Battle  Creek,  Michigan 
Ingle  was  named  Rock  Valley  College 
faculty  member  of  the  year.  She  was  one 
of  eighty-one  instructors  nominated  by 
students.  A  faculty  committee  chose  her 
after  narrowing  the  field  to  ten  finalists  by 
reviewing  nomination  papers  and  essays. 
The  vice  president  of  academic  affairs  said 
Ingle  "displays  an  exceptional  work  ethic 
and  works  weekends  and  holidays. "  She  is 
active  in  working  to  promote  human 
rights  locally  and  globally. 

Gabriel  Robles-De-La-Torre,  MS'96, 

PhD'99 
Mexico  City 

Robles-De-La-Torre,  a  neuroscientist  and 
computer  engineer,  gave  an  invited  talk 
about  his  research  at  the  New  York 
Academy  of  Sciences  on  April  14. 

Martin  Brueckner,  PhD'97 
Philadelphia 

Brueckner,  associate  professor  of  English 
at  the  University  of  Delaware,  was  named 
winner  of  the  Louis  Gottschalk  Prize  of 
the  American  Society  for  Eighteenth- 
Century  Studies  for  his  book  The 
Geographic  Revolution  in  Early  America: 
Maps,  Literacy,  and  National  Identity 
(University  of  North  Carolina  Pres.s). 

Amy  Bird,  CER'OO 

Providence,  Rhode  Island 

Bird  exhibited  a  show  of  her  paintings, 

Californian  Idyll,  at  Milo  Gallery  in  Los 

Angeles  in  January  and  February. 

Lawrence  Sticca,  MA'Ol 

St.  George's,  Bermuda 

Sticca  is  publisher  of  a  new  wellness 

magazine.  New  Horizons,  which  covers 

all  the  wellness  news  of  Bermuda.  Visit 

www.newhorizonsmag.net. 

Brent  Starace,  MBA'04 

Seattle 

Starace  is  enjoying  the  Pacific 
Northwest  with  his  wife  and  eighteen- 
month-old  daughter.  He  is  a  program 
manager  at  Microsoft. 


SuiiitiiiT  O^  I  lir.inili-i-  I  iii\i-i-il\    \litt:ii/iri 


109 


Let  us 


,  know 

where  you 

land 


Congratulations, 
Class  of  2007. 

Please  drop  us  a  class  note  and  tell 
us  what  you're  up  to,  post-Brandeis. 

Send  to:  2007notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


Brandeis 

university    magazine 


ainea 

double  crostic 


#4:  Lonoshot* 


Bv  Sue  GIriisdii 


1      Q 

2       N 

3 

A^^H4       N  5 

6       D 

7        L 

8        R  9        X  10     W 

11      U 

12      B 

13       J 

14      0 

1 

15 

V 

16      N 

17      C 

18      0 

1 

19 

T 

20     X 

21      V 

^H22     H 

23       1 

24      K^^H25      B 

26      E 

27      N 

28     aHH29     S 

30     A 

31      Q 

32      L 

33      0 

34 

G 

35      X 

36     H 

37      M 

38 

U 

39     C 

40      V 

41      B 

42      P 

43 

Q 

44      H  4^E^^B45     0 

1 

47      U 

48      J 

49     0 

50    W 

51      N 

52      R^^H53     G  54 

D^^H55      D 

56      N 

57      C 

58 

E 

59     U 

■ 

60       1 

61      A 

62 

S 

63      jHH6^H 

65      T 

66      E 

67     0 

68     D 

69     K 

70      B^^H71      D 

„     1 

■^C 

74      0 

75       J 

76      R 

77 

B 

78      V  79     W 

■ 

80      L 

81 

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83      D 

84      F85     Q86      T 

87      A 

1 

88     B 

89      Q 

90     M 

91      R 

92     W 

93 

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94     C 

95       1 

■ 

96      D 

97 

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98     P 

■ 

99      F 

100    D 

101 

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102    R 

103    S 

104    K 

105    EHHlOb   H 

107    Q 

108   D 

109    R 

110    H 

111     C 

112      1 

113 

P 

114     J 

115    V  116     E 

117     T 

1 

1 

118    C 

119     K 

120    E 

121     T 

122 

Q 

123    V 

124    X 

■ 

125    M 

126    K 

127    U 

128    S 

129    T 

130    X 

131    N 

132    Q 

133    A 

134   G 

135 

F 

136    L^H 

137    K 

138    T 

139   0 

140    J 

141      1 

1 

142 

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143    R 

144    S 

145    F 

146  M 

147      1 

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149    N 

150    K 

151    D 

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152    R 

153    P 

154    G 

155 

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156    H 

157   W 

158    A 

159    H 

160    V 

151    C 

162 

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164   M 

165    A 

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170    A 

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173    U 

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175    0 

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Solve  the  answers  to  the  clues  below,  and  place  each  letter  in  its  corresponding  numbered  square  in  the  grid  above.  When  complete,  the  grid  will  reveal  a 
quotation  (words  can  turn  corners:  black  squares  indicate  word  breaks).  The  first  letter  of  each  answer  word  below,  when  read  alphabetically,  will  spell  out 
the  author  and  published  source  of  the  quotation.  The  solution  appears  at  the  bottom  of  Page  102, 


A.  Gullet 


L,  More  than  a  penny 


158      3       30     165     61     133     28    170     87 


B.  Knighted;  nicknamed 


97     80      7      185   136    32 
M.  Joined  together,  hitched 


70     88      12      25      77      41 


C.  Outside  layers 


184    164    146    90     177     37     125 
N.  Clear-cut:  hard-hitting 


161    39      17     118     73     111     57     94 


D.  Forgiveness:  acquittal 


149    93     131     27       4       16      56      51       2 
0.  Netherlands  metropolis 


96     71     151    54     55     68    108  100    83      6 


E.  Hayfever  trigger 


49     67      18     139     14      74      33     46    175 


P.  Out  of  favor  (2  wds.) 


F.  Look  into:  turn  over 


G.  First  electricity  lighted  city 


H.  Not  capable  of  survival 


I,  Broadcast 


J.  Choke 


K.  Single;  qualified 


120     26 

58 

65 

105 

116 

45 

84    183 

135 

99 

145 

;d  city 

180   154 
val 

134 

163 

53 

34 

64    159 

36 

loe 

156 

22 

110 

44 

60     72 

147 

95 

182 

23 

112 

141 

155    140 

178 

114 

63 

48 

13 

75 

148    167     98     42     82     113    153 


150   104    126     24    166    137     59     119 


•  Because  this  puzzle  contained  errors  iast  issue,  we  are 
reprinting  it  here. 

Sue  Gleason,  the  mother  of  two  Brandeis  graduates,  runs  the 
Web  site  www.doublecrosticcom.  She  publishes  acrostic  and 
sudoku  puzzles  to  play  online  daily. 


Q.  Managuan,  maybe 


R.  Pregnant 


S.  Nicotine  container 


107      1       43     181    132    122    168     31     85     89 


52    109    76     152    143    171    102     91       8 


144    169    103     62     29    128    179 
T.  Just  right;  perfect  (hyph.;  1920s  term) 


U.  Highlight;  stress 


121      5      172    142   138     19     129     65     117     86 


59    162     38     173     U      47     176    127 


V.  Competitors;  rivals 

160    123    115     40     81      21      78      15     101 
W.  Decorative  denim  fastener 


157    50      10     92     79 


X.  Talmudic  academy 


186    174    124    20      9     130     35 


photofinish 


Small  Wonder  By  Mike  Lovett 

A  word  you  hear  a  lot  on  college  campuses  these  days  is  nanotechnology — the  art  of  manipu- 
lating materials  on  an  atomic  level.  My  own  version  of  this  might  be  called  nanophotography — 
the  art  of  taking  close-up  pictures  of  extremely  small  items.  Staring  down  the  barrel  of  my 
camera's  macro  lens,  I'm  transported  to  another  world — a  sort  of  Lilliput — where  mundane 
objects  are  transformed  into  extraordinary  ones.  So  it  was  on  a  recent  summer  afternoon  when 
I  happened  by  a  piece  of  broken  glass  that  lay  near  the  Castle.  I  fixed  my  focus,  framed  the 
object,  and  shot  off  a  few  frames.  Not  much  here  this  time,  I  thought.  'VC'hen  I  downloaded  the 
images  a  bit  later,  I  was  amazed  by  the  amount  of  detail  that  had  been  revealed.  My  naked  eye 
hadn't  seen  the  bits  of  sand  or  the  colorful  curved  lines  where  the  glass  had  scalloped.  And  I 
certainly  hadn't  noticed  the  tiny  rainbow  at  the  center.  Ah,  small  wonders. 


112 


Bliuulcis  I  iiiviTsily  Magazine  |  Siiiliilic-f   (I? 


..;JS^,Jk.<^u 


i^iJ mHOIiHk 


Show  your  support,  earn  points  and  get  rewarded!  Introducing  the  No  Annual  Fee  Brandeis 
University  Platinum  Plus"  MasterCard"  credit  card,  now  with  WorldPoints "  rewards  .  Every 
time  you  use  this  card  to  make  a  purchase,  Bank  of  America  makes  a  contribution  to  Brandeis 
University— at  no  additional  cost  to  you!  You  also  earn  one  point  for  every  net  retail  dollar 
spent  that  can  be  redeemed  for  travel  rewards  with  no  blackout  dates,  gift  cards,  brand-name 
merchandise  and  even  cash  rewards^.  Get  an  instant  decision  by  calling  Monday-Friday,  9 
a.m.-9  p.m..  Eastern  Standard  Time.  Please  reference  priority  code  FABFTR.  Thank  you  for 
your  continued  support  of  Brandeis  University! 


V\  J  J  \k  0]  »7i\ 


I     Call  1.800.932.2775 

mention  priority  code  FABFTR. 


f  For  information  about  the  rates,  fees,  other  costs,  and  benefits  associated  with  the  use  of  the  WorldPoints  Platinum  Plus  and  Preferred  credit  cards,  or  to  apply, 
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♦Terms  apply  to  program  features  and  credit  card  account  benefits.  For  more  information  about  the  program,  visit  bankofamerica.com/worldpoints.  Details 
accompany  new  account  materials.  This  credit  card  program  is  issued  and  administered  by  FIA  Card  Services,  N.A.  MasterCard  is  a  federally  registered  service/ 
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©  2007  Bank  of  America  Corporation.  ,,,,,. 


Brandeis  University 


and 


Golf 

Tenni 
Outing 


Monday,  August  13, 2007 

Old  Oaks  Country  Club, 
Purchase,  New  York 

Proceeds  from  the  outing 

will  go  toward  an  undergraduate 

student  scholarship. 

Register  online  for  golf  or  tennis 
alumni.brandeis.edu/golfandtennis 

For  more  information/sponsorship 

opportunities: 

Robyn  Hartman 

212-472-1501,  Ext.  232 

hartman@brandeis.edu 


Sponsored  By 


VLl'LNE  Cy\PITAL  BANK 


Golf 

Tennis  Clinics  and  Tournament 

Brunch 

Raffles 

Contests 

Cocktail  Reception,  Awards 

and  Banquet  Dinner 

Refreshment  on  the  course 

and  by  the  tennis  courts 

Use  of  driving  range,  putting  greens 

and  locker  rooms 

Great  giveaways 


:^":-,r«r-i3«»^->!:->-i-5 


m,i-"-^ 


university    magazine 


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.Snquer 

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GOLDFARB  LIBRARY  MS045  BRANDEIS  UNIVERSI 

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Strange  Matter      The  Other  Dr.  Ruth       Post  Cards  from  the  Past 


Henderson  House 


A  Conference  Center  of  Northeastern  University 


,% 


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The  staff  of  the  Henderson  House  Conference 
Center  wishes  you  a  happy  holiday  season  and 
A  BRIGHT  New  Year. 


99  Westcliff  Road,  Weston,  MA  02493 
781.235.4350  781.235.8517  Fax 
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contents 


Fall  2007       Volume  27,  Number  3 


departments 

3     Mail  Call 
5    Take  5 

Gregory  Freeze,  dean  of  the 
Graduate  School  ot  Arts  and  Sciences. 

Ruminations 

Hope  is  a  thing  with  feathers. 

8     Innermost  Parts 
29     Fieldwork 

Post  cards  from  the  past. 

31  Arts 

Four  for  the  road. 

32  Sports 

New  balance. 

33  Books 

58     Class  Notes 

Alumni  profiles,  births/adoptions, 
marriages/unions,  in  memoriam. 

96     Photo  Finish 

Private  screening. 


10 


18 


24 


41 
49 


features 


Selling  the  Shirt  and  Bullshirt 

whether  the  product  is  kosher  chicken,  a  U.S.  first  lady,  or 
thoroughbred  racing,  you  can't  get  it  ouf  your  mind  when 
Ellis  Verdi  '77  whispers  the  message. 
By  David  E.  Nathan 

Strange  Matter 

After  thirty  years  of  research,  internationally  famous  MIT 
theoretical  physicist  Eddie  Farhi  '73,  MS'73,  still  gets  a 
charge  out  of  solving  quantum  riddles. 
By  Tom  Nugent 

The  Other  Dr.  Ruth 

BOLLI's  senior  course  leader  is  audacious,  courageous,  and — 
she  wants  the  world  to  know — utterly  outrageous. 
By  Theresa  Pease 


special  sections 

Development  Matters 
Alumni  News 


Cover  photograph  of  F.Uis  Verdi  by  Eric  Weeks. 


Justice  Louis  Dembitz  Brandeis:  Guided  by  the  Light 

of  Reason,  the  only  biography  of  the  university's 

namesake  still  in  print,  is  now  available  through  the 

Brandeis  Bookstore  for  $18.95. 


^^e^y  ^'"H^x^^, 


/ 


^^^x. 


Winner  of  the 
2007  MarCom 
Platinum  Award 


The  96-page,  scrapbook-style  book  was 
commissioned  by  the  university  to 
commemorate  the  late  Supreme  Court 
justice's  150th  birthday. 

Each  book  includes  a  DVD  of  the  new 
PBS  documentary  Justice  Louis  D. 
Brandeis:  The  People's  Attorney, 
produced  by  award-winning  filmmaker 
Charles  Stuart. 

To  order,  call  781-736-4272.  All  major 
credit  cards  are  accepted.  Ground 
shipping  is  $6.95  for  the  first  book 
and  $1.95  for  each  additional  book. 


BRANDEIS 


UNIVERSITY 
BOOKSTORE 


WE  VE  GOT  THE 

•J  I  f  i\-  \  I 


'^'.[11 


JJiljJ. 


J 


/OU  RE  LOOKING  FOR 

Shop  online  at  http://brandeis.bkstore.coni/ 

Located  inside  the  Shapiro  Campus  Center  •  781-73G-4272 
bksbrandeis@bncoUege.coni 


Branclfis  rnivoisity  Maji.-iziiic  |  Fall  "(1^ 


Brandeis 

11  n  i  V  e  r  s  i  t  V    m  a  j^  a  z  i  n  e    I 


Senior  Vice  President 
for  Communications 

Lorna  Miles 
lorna@brandeis.edu 

Publisher 

Ken  Gornstein 
keng@brandeis.edu 

Editor 

Theresa  Pease 
tpease@brandeis.edu 

Art  Director 

Eson  Chan 

Science  Editor 

Laura  Gardner 
gardner@brandeis,edu 

Staff  Writer 

Marjorie  Lyon 
lyon@brandeis.edu 

Production  Manager 

Audrey  Griffm-Goode 
griffin@brandeis.edu 

Photographer 

Mike  Lovett 
mlovett@brandeis.edu 

Class  Notes  Editor 

Lauren  Stefano  '04 
lstefano@brandeis.edu 

Contributing  Writers 

Adam  Levin  '94,  Marsha  MacEachern- 
Murphy.  Dennis  Nealon,  MA'95,  Carrie 
Simmons 

Send  letters  to  the  editor  to: 

Brandeis  University  Magazine 
MS  064,  Brandeis  University 
415  South  Street 
Waltham.  MA  02454-9110 
magazine@brandeis,edu 

Postmaster: 

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PC  Box  549110 
Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

Opinions  expressed  in  Brandeis 

University  Magazine  are  those  of 
the  authors  and  not  necessarily  of 
the  editor  or  Brandeis  University 

Office  of  Communications©2007 
Brandeis  University 


mailcall 


Treasured  Keepsake 


Thank  you  so  much  for  the  wonderful  teature  on  Commencement 
and  the  Class  of  1957  50th  Reunion  [Summer].  We  were  honored 
to  be  included  in  the  Commencement  activities;  leading  the 
procession  was  a  highlight  of  the  weekend  and  a  moving  experience 
for  many  of  us. 

How  Brandeis  has  grown  in  the  fifty  years  since  we  last  marched 
together  as  a  class!  We  are  amazed  and  proud.  This  issue  will  be  added 
to  my  collection  oi  treasured  memories  from  our  special  weekend. 

Wynne  Wolkenberg  Miller  '57 

Bwokline,  Massachusetts 


Hitting  the  Jackpot 

My  wife,  Caroline,  and  I  visited  the 
Brandeis  campus  in  September.  We  tiior- 
oughly  enjoyed  wali<ing  tlie  grounds,  seeing 
some  wonderl'ul  sculptures,  and  chatting 
with  a  few  students,  some  of  whom  were 
rushing  to  attend  Yom  Kippur  services. 

Since  1984,  when  Caroline  and  I  cele- 
brated our  honeymoon  by  flying  to  Boston, 
attending  a  Red  Sox  game,  and  touring 
Massachusetts,  New  Hampshire,  and  Ver- 
mont to  experience  the  fall  color  change, 
we  have  made  it  a  point  to  visit  colleges  in 
the  areas  where  we  travel.  To  date,  I  have 
been  to  453  universities  and  colleges,  which 
includes  both  the  United  States  and 
Canada  as  well  as  a  few  schools  overseas. 

Our  goal  is  to  visit  a  total  of  500  colleges, 
which  we  hope  to  complete  some  time 
during  the  fall  of  2008.  During  our  visits, 
we  typically  pick  up  a  campus  newspaper  or 
magazine,  a  T-shirt,  or  a  notebook. 

I  must  commend  the  staff  of  Brandeis 
University  Magazine.  I  can  say  without  a 
doubt  that  your  publication   is  the  finest 


and  best-written  university  magazine  that  1 
have  had  the  pleasure  to  read  during  my 
college  visits  of  the  past  fwent)'-three  years. 
I  read  the  publication  from  cover  to  cover 
and  would  really  love  to  receive  it  on  a  con- 
tinuous basis — it  is  that  good. 

From  a  personal  background,  I  was  born 
in  Montreal,  where  I  attended  a  Jewish 
parochial  school.  I  graduated  from  Concor- 
dia University  in  1970.  My  wife  and  I  have 
lived  in  the  Southwest  tor  the  past  thirty 
years,  mostly  in  Las  Vegas  but  almost  ten 
years  in  Phoenix.  I  work  at  Caesars  Palace 
as  a  pit  boss  and  also  have  my  own  public- 
relations  firm. 

Wishing  you  continued  success  with 
your  top-notch  publication. 

— Steve  Lake 
Las  Vegas 

What  Really  Matters  in  Life 

I  want  to  thank  Terrie  Williams  ["Peeling 
Off  the  Mask,"  Summer]  for  both  her 
courage  and  openness  in  regard  to  an  all- 
too-common  but  also  all-too-hidden  issue: 


depression.  Not  only  is  Ms.  Williams  a 
superb  writer  and  storyteller,  but  she  is  also 
brave  and  generous  to  share  her  story  with 
Brandeis  alumni  all  over  the  world. 

Her  portrayal  of  society's  obsession  with 
"success,  money,  and  access"  is  unfortu- 
nately accurate,  and  it's  good  to  know  that 
someone  out  there  is  willing  to  speak  the 
truth  and  explain  why  there  is  more  to  life 
than  work  and  sleep.  Excellent  article! 

—Daniel  Baron  '09 
Las  Vegas 

Terrie  Williams's  account  of  her  time  at 
Brandeis,  her  tall  into  depression,  and  her 
subsequent  recovery  was  fascinating  and 
uplifting,  and  I  wish  her  continued  success- 
ful coping. 

I  am  sure  the  extensive  attention  she  paid 
to  her  brilliant  rise  in  the  public-relations 
world  was  intended  to  show  that  high  tal- 
ent is  not  a  vaccination  against  depres- 
sion— a  valuable  observation. 

It  reminded  me  of  a  passage  I  had  read  just 
a  few  weeks  before,  with  a  slightly  different 


Fiill  ■()"  I  liranilri--  I  iii\iT-il\   \\:\'Siy/AUi 


CLASS  OF  1960  GRADUATE 
INFORMATION  INQUIRY 

I  am  seeking  information  concerning  the 
passing  of  Lois  Fierstein  Kaplan. 

The  Louie-Net  Online  Directory  indicates 

"Deceased."  Her  last  known  address 

was  in  Tarpon  Springs,  Florida. 

All  Brandeis  and  Tarpon  Springs 

contacts  have  been  to  no  avail. 

Thank  you. 

Robert  N.  (Robin)  Brooks  '57 
RNB@BrooksMall.com 


take  on  the  same  issue,  by  a  writer  who 
described  the  depressive  pits  to  which  he  had 
fallen  in  pre-antidepressant  days  after 
reaching  the  heights  of  his  profession.  "I  tool; 
myself  in  hand,  I  made  myself  healthy  again: 
the  condition  for  this  is  that  one  be  healthy 
at  bottom.  A  typically  morbid  being  cannot 
become  healthy,  much  less  make  himself 
healthy."  Thus  wrote  Friedrich  Nietzsche. 

Can  any  of  you  mental-health  people  out 

there  tell  me  if  the  outcomes  are  less  good 

for   depressives    who    are    ordinarily — not 

exceptionally — talented  people  "at  bottom"? 

— Stephen  N.  Miller  '59 

Waban,  Masiachusetts 

Unpossessive  Justice 

The  material  in  the  university  magazine  is 
pretty  good  for  such  a  publication,  tor 
which  I  congratulate  you.  Small  point:  on 
page  8  ot  the  Summer  issue,  it  says,  "The 
relationship  between  art  and  social  justice  is 


of  special  interest  at  the  university  named 
for  Louis  Brandeis,  who  spent  his  life  in 
social  justice's  pursuit."  Although  such 
usage  is  now  common  in  the  lower-order 
newspapers,  inanimate  objects  or  concepts 
do  not  properly  use  's  for  the  possessive.  It 
should  be  "in  the  pursuit  of  social  justice." 
— Steve  Lisansky  '68 
Reading.  United  Kingdom 


Brandeis  University  Magazine  welcomes 
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them  for  space  and  clarity. 

MAIL  OR  E-MAIL  THEM  TO: 

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MS  064 

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415  South  Street 

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magazine@brandeis.edu 


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www.bostonwalthanisuites.doubletree.coni 


ilcis  L'uivorsilv  Mag:azini'  j  l-iill  '07 


take 


Gregory  Freeze 

Dean,  Graduate  School  of  Arts  and  Sciences 


Gregory  Freeze,  the  Victor  and 
Gwendolyn  Beinfield  Professor  of 
History,  has  served  as  dean  of  the 
Graduate  School  ol  Arts  and  Sciences 
(GSAS)  since  July  2006.  An  expert  on 
modern  Russian,  Soviet,  and  post-Soviet 
history,  he  holds  master's  and  doctoral 
degrees  from  Columbia  University. 

1.  What  are  the  top  selling  points  of  a 
Graduate  School  of  Arts  and  Sciences 
education?  First,  I  would  say  the  small 
size.  You  have  much  more  of  a  mentoring 
atmosphere  here,  where  faculty  are  engaged 
with  the  graduate  students,  than  you'll  find 
at  many  of  the  large  Ivy  League  schools. 
Second,  Brandeis  emphasizes  not  only 
cutting-edge  research,  but  also  effective 
teaching — another  element  you  don't  find 
at  most  research  universities.  And  third, 
because  we're  small,  there's  much  more 
cross-fertilization  or  interdisciplinarity.  In 
the  large  graduate  programs,  there's  often  a 
herd  instinct  to  stay  within  your  field. 

2.  You  have  launched  a  number  of 
intiatives  at  the  Graduate  School.  What 
would  say  is  your  top  priority?  Without 
question,  we  need  to  increase  the  funding 
for  graduate  fellowships.  In  the  past  few 
years,  our  competitors  have  significantly 
increased  the  amount  of  stipends,  added 
summer  funding,  and  created  special  funds 
to  help  graduate  students  finish  their  dis- 
sertations. We  have  made  some  progress, 
but  must  do  much,  much  more  if  we  are 
to  be  competitive. 

3.  You've  been  teaching  at  Brandeis  for 
some  thirty-five  years.  How  have  things 
changed  since  the  seventies?  The  seven- 
ties was  such  a  depressing  time;  there  were 
no  academic  jobs  out  there.  Now,  there  are 
all  Types  of  academic  opportunities,  and 
there  is  much  greater  receptivity  among 


students  to  nonacademic  career  lines.  The 
majority  of  our  students  do  not  go  into 
academic  jobs.  They  go  into  government, 
the  private  sector,  such  as  pharmaceutical 
companies,  and  the  like. 

4.  As  an  expert  on  modern  Russia, 
what  do  you  make  of  President  Putin's 
efforts  to  consolidate  power?  He  didn't 
have  to  consolidate  power — he  had  to 
create  it.  The  nineties  was  basically  the 
Wild  West;  the  government  ceased  to 
exist.  Putin  had  to  rebuild  the  court  sys- 
tem, fight  corruption,  finance  institutions. 
And  he's  done  that  rather  effectively.  Of 


course,  there  has  been  a  negative  side. 
He's  succeeded  partly  through  extralegal 
methods,  by  controlling  the  electronic 
media,  and  by  infringing  on  free  speech. 

5.  Aside  from  Red  Square,  what's  a 
must-see  destination  for  someone 
traveling  to  Russia?  I'd  recommend  going 
through  the  Golden  Ring,  which  includes 
such  provincial  towns  as  Vladimir, 
Yaroslavl,  and  Suzdal.  These  have  not  been 
greatly  affected  by  the  Soviet  period.  I  was 
there  in  the  late  1980s,  and  life  wasn't 
much  different  than  it  was  in  the  1880s. 

— Ken  Gornsteiu 


ViiW  '()''  I  Rrnnrlri^  1  ni\iTsiiv  \Ia(;jiziiip 


We'll  be 


on 


Danielle  Hollenbeck-Prlngle  '10 

Hometown:  Carson  City,  Nevada 
Majors:  International  Global  Studies 
and  Health:  Society,  Science,  and  Policy 


You  will  soon 

receive  a  phone  call 

from  one  of  us  or 

a  fellow  student 

on  behalf  of  the 

BRANDEIS 
PHONATHON! 


The  call  will  be  a  great  opportunity  for  you  to: 

Hear  about  what's  happening  on  campus 

Get  to  know  current  Brandeis  students 

Share  memories  of  your  Brandeis  experiences 

Let  us  know  how  Brandeis  made  a  difference  in  your  life 

Inquire  about  a  former  Brandeis  professor 

Tell  us  about  a  promising  high  school  student 
who  might  be  a  future  Brandeisian 

Update  your  contact  information 

Join  other  supporters  of  the  University  by  making 
a  gift  to  the  Annual  Fund 


The  Annual  Fund  provides  crucial  resources  so  Brandeis  can 
continue  to  attract  the  best  students  regardless  of  their  ability 
to  pay,  retain  world-class  faculty,  offer  dynamic  extracurricular 
programming,  and  construct  state-of-the-art  facilities. 

Please  answer  the  call  to  help  Brandeis! 
Gifts  of  all  sizes  are  appreciated! 


Nadir  Oaudi  '10 

Hometown:  Karachi,  Pakistan 
Majors:  Mathematics  and  Economics 


■■»■ 


Vl'^u 


ruminations 


Hop 


e  Is  a  Thing  with  Feathers 


Even  to  strangers,  a  parrot  who  counts,  counts. 


By  Laura  Gardner 


Like  all  great  love  affairs,  this  one  involved  heroism,  seduc- 
tion, loyalty,  and  more  than  a  dollop  of  enigma,  leathered 
with  occasional  yet  charming  petulance.  But  no  pouting; 
that  would  be  impossible  with  a  beak. 

When  Alex  the  African  Grey  parrot  died  unexpectedly  at  age 
thirty-one  on  September  6,  2007,  in  his  Brandeis  lab,  the  world 
swooned  as  surely  as  he  did.  He  had  become  an  avian  hero  to 
many,  earning  iconic  status  and  turning  the  phrase  "bird  brain" 
on  its  head. 

For  years,  Alex  had  been  the  subject  of  steadily  mounting  popu- 
lar interest  as  his  trainer  and  lifelong  confidante,  comparative  psy- 
chologist Irene  Pepperbcrg,  painstakingly  built  a  case  for  research 
into  avian  cognition  around  his  fascinating  accomplishments. 
Media  from  all  over  the  world  regularly  visited  her  Brandeis  lab  to 
see  Alex  strut  his  stuff.  His  identifications  of  colors,  shapes,  and 
numbers  were  often  punctuated  by  this  simple  request:  "want  nut." 
Naturally,  like  any  celebrity,  Alex  was  not  above  spoiling  a  session 
every  now  and  then  by  sitting  tight-beaked  and  slanty-eyed  on  his 
perch,  the  picture  of  amused  self-satisfaction. 

But  most  of  the  time  he  amazed  and  even  inspired  visitors.  Perhaps 
his  crowning  achievement  occurred  last  year,  when  he  seemed  to  grasp 
a  zero-like  concept — an  abstraction  that  takes  children  several  years  to 
fathom.  His  understanding  of  absence  only  made  our  hearts  grow 
fonder.  With  his  untimelv  death  (African  Greys  can  live  to  fifty),  the 
public  adoration  of  this  bird  brainiac  fijeled  a  media  frenzy,  prompted 
thousands  of  mournhil  e-mails,  and  led  to  coundcss  Internet  postings. 

Almost  certainly,  Alex  is  the  only  bird  (though  not  bird  brain)  to 
appear  in  Time  magazine's  "Milestones,"  People  magazine's  "Passages," 


and  three  substantive  articles  in  the  Neiv  York  Times,  including  the 
front  page  of  the  "Sunday  Week  in  Review." 

Yet  despite  thousands  of  stories  about  his  lite  and  death,  the  bird 
remains  inscrutable.  Was  he  just  a  mimic  who  squawked  condi- 
tioned responses,  as  his  detractors  suggest?  Or  was  he  the  tuiest 
example  of  how  much  smarter  animals  are  than  we  give  them 
credit  for?  Further  research  will  undoubtedly  give  us  more  than  just 
a  bird's-eye  perspective  on  these  questions. 

For  now,  what  seems  inescapable  about  the  popular  response  to 
his  demise  is  this:  Alex  possessed  qualities  we  most  treasure  in 
humans,  but  don't  encounter  often  enough  these  days.  His  loyalty, 
affection,  smarts,  and  becoming  modesty  about  his  accomplish- 
ments were  nothing  if  not  seductive. 

Who  needs  scientific  proof  of  these  qualities?  You  could  see  how 
much  affection  he  had  for  Pepperberg  by  the  way  he  clasped  her, 
well,  beak,  in  his — squeezing  her  nose  just  enough  to  get  the  mes- 
sage across.  As  for  loyalty,  Alex  always  perched  by  his  trainer,  clearly 
preferring  her  over  others  and  certainly  over  strangers. 

To  listen  to  Alex  talk  was  a  treat,  not  only  because  he  appeared 
to  concentrate,  often  tilting  his  head  thoughtfully  to  one  side  and 
getting  a  better  look  at  the  object  before  naming  it,  but  because  his 
voice  had  an  unforgettable  cadence.  Pearl  grey  with  a  brilliant  streak 
of  red  in  his  tail  feathers,  Alex  was  an  understated,  winged  superstar. 
Had  he  known  his  death  would  generate  a  media  tsunami  and  a 
global  wave  of  emotion,  he  probably  would  have  advised  everyone 
to  "Calm  down!"  before  making  a  simple  appeal:  "Wanna  go  back!" 

Laiim  Ciiirdiier  is  the  university's  science  eflitnr. 


VM  d"  I  liinn.liis  I   iiiM-rsily  Vlli-a/inc- 


JVN^'^ 


inner 


Scholarship  program  to  mark  fiftieth  year 

Weins  Are  Family 


Next  spring,  Shranutha  Reddy  '09  of  India 
will  finally  get  to  meet  members  of 
the  extended  "family"  she  has  heard  so 
much  about. 

Her  opportunity  will  come  when  the 
worldwide  family  of  Wien  Scholars  gath- 
ers at  Brandeis  April  11  to  13,  2008,  to 
mark  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  pio- 
neering Wien  International  Scholarship 
Program. 

"Meeting  all  the  Wien  alumni — hearing 
about  what  they  did  in  school  or  what  they 
are  doing  now — will  be  an  incredible  expe- 
rience," said  Reddy,  who  hails  from 
Bangalore.  "It  will  be  a  highlight  of  my 
time  at  Brandeis." 

Dozens  of  Wien  Scholars  from  both  near 
(Boston,  New  York,  and  Washington,  D.C.) 
and  far  (Japan,  Nigeria,  the  Philippines, 
and  Iceland)  are  planning  to  attend  the 


Shranutha  Reddy 


three-day  event,  which  will  include  panel 
discussions  with  current  and  past  Wien 
Scholars,  a  meet-and-greet  with  faculty,  and 
opening  and  closing  gala  dinners. 

Reddy  is  well-versed  in  the  rich  history 
of  the  Wien  program  and  knows  about 
the  impressive  roster  of  world  leaders  it 
has  produced. 

"It  was  an  honor  to  be  chosen  to  be  a 
Wien  Scholar  and  join  this  group  of 
inspiring  people,"  said  Reddy,  who  is 
majoring  in  both  biology  and  economics. 
"When  you  become  a  Wien  Scholar,  you 
have  the  sense  that  you  are  part  of  some- 
thing very  special." 

In  addition  to  Wien  Scholars  past  and 
present,  many  members  of  program 
founders  Lawrence  and  Mae  Wien's 
family  will  be  on  hand  to  bask  in  the  re- 
flected glory  of  a  program  that  has  helped 
both  its  participants  and  the  world  at  large. 

"I  think  they  would  be  absolutely  thrilled 
(with  the  program),"  said  Lester  Morse,  a 
son-in-law  of  the  Wiens.  "You  can't  help 
but  be  impressed  when  you  see  some  of  the 
names  and  positions  of  responsibility  that 
Wien  Scholars  now  hold — whether  it's 
prime  minister  of  Iceland  or  Turkish 
ambassador  to  the  United  States  or  a  dele- 
gate to  the  United  Nations — in  part 
because  of  the  education  they  received  at 
Brandeis.  They  would  be  pleased  that  so 
many  Wien  Scholars  have  had  such  a  signif- 
icant impact  upon  their  countries." 

For  more  information  about  the  Wien  fifiieth 
anniversary  celebration,  visit  brandeis.edu/wie)2 
or  contact  Karen  Rogol  '98.  associate  director 
of  alumni  and  university  relations,  at  212- 
472-1501,  ext.  235,  or krogol@brandeis.edu. 


Peter  French 


Call  to  Arms 

University  safety  officers 
get  OK  to  carry  firearms 

The  university  has  announced  that  it  will 
begin  arming  its  public  safety  officers  as  part 
ot  a  larger  campus  safety  plan  aimed  at  com- 
batting tragedies  such  as  the  shooting 
attacks  that  occurred  at  Virginia  Polytechnic 
Institute  and  State  University  last  spring. 

The  plan  was  backed  by 
the  police  union  and  a  spe- 
cial committee  convened 
by  President  Reinharz  to 
study  the  issue. 

"We  all  feel  the  pressure 
to  provide  a  safer  environ- 
ment as  quickly  as  possible 
for  our  university,"  the  committee,  chaired 
by  Executive  Vice  President  Peter  French, 
wrote  in  its  recommendation  to  Reinharz. 

Until  now,  campus  police  have  been 
equipped  only  with  clubs  and  mace.  Com- 
mittee members  said  firearms  would  give 
safety  officers  "an  important  tool  to 
respond  to  crisis  situations"  and  put 
Brandeis  on  a  par  with  the  overwhelming 
number  of  institutions  in  the  Association 
of  American  Universities. 

Before  being  armed,  all  Brandeis  officers 
will  undergo  extensive  training,  testing, 
and  certification,  university  officials  said. 

In  the  meantime,  Brandeis  recently 
added  several  new  tools  to  its  emergency 
preparedness  process,  including  an  outdoor 
siren  system,  broadcast  e-mail  alerts,  and 
voice  and  text  messaging  for  office  phones 
and  personal  cell  phones. 

In  the  wake  of  the  Virginia  Tech  tragedy, 
the  university  also  has  updated  its  emer- 
gency preparedness  master  plan  to  address 
a  wide  range  of  crises,  whether  man-made 
or  natural. 


ruiri-,  I  iiivorsiiv  Majiii/iiif  |  I'^ill  "07 


mostpart 


Cited  for  pioneering  college-prep  program 

Grad  Wins  ^^ Genius'^  Award 


Deborah  Bial  '87,  whose  pioneering  Posse  Foun- 
dation has  helped  nearly  two  thousand  students 
attend  college,  was  named  one  of  twent)'-four  win- 
ners of  a  MacArthur  Founda- 
tion "genius"  grant. 

Bial,  fort)'-two,  who  received 
the  Brandeis  Alumni  Achieve- 
ment Award  in  May,  will 
receive  a  $500,000  fellowship 
to  use  as  she  wishes.  The  latest 
MacArthur  Fellows  were 
named  by  the  Chicago-based 
John  D.  and  Catherine  T.  MacArthur  Foundation, 
which  has  been  awarding  the  grants  since  1981. 

"It's  an  incredible  gift, "  Bial  said.  "It  will  change 
niv  life,  and  I  hope  it  will  change  Posse's  life. " 

Bial  founded  and  serves  as  president  of  the  Posse 
Foundation,  which  identifies,  recruits,  and  trains 


Deborah  Bial 


student  leaders  from  public  high  schools  to  form 
multicultural  teams  called  "posses,"  and  then  pre- 
pares the  students  to  enroll  at  top-tier  universities, 
including  Brandeis. 

An  English  and  American  literature  major  at 
Brandeis,  Bial  started  Posse  in  New  York  twenty 
years  ago  after  watching  talented  inner-city  stu- 
dents drop  out  of  college  at  alarming  rates.  She 
remembered  one  student  saying  that  if  he  had  had 
his  "posse" —  his  group  of  friends — with  him,  he 
would  not  have  left  school. 

Three  members  of  the  Brandeis  faculty  have 
been  named  MacArthur  Fellows  in  recent  years: 
biology  professor  Gina  Turrigiano,  in  2000; 
Jacqueline  Jones,  the  Truman  Professor  of 
American  Civilization,  in  1999;  and  Bernadette 
Brooten,  the  Myra  and  Robert  Kraft  and  Jacob 
Hiatt  Professor  of  Christian  Studies,  in  1998. 


Brandeis  wins  top  athletic  award 

Brains  and  Brawn 


Striking  the  appropriate  balance  between  student 
and  athlete  in  the  student-athlete  equation  is  a 
problematic  endeavor  at  many  institutions.  Not 
at  Brandeis. 

Brandeis  was  named  the  2007  Jostens  Institu- 
tion of  the  Year  by  the  Eastern  Collegiate  Athletic 
Conference  for  exemplifying  the  highest  standards 
of  collegiate  academic  and  athletic  performance. 

"We  are  proud  of  the  accomplishments  of  our 
student-athletes,  both  on  the  field  of  play  and  in 
the  classroom,"  said  Brandeis  Director  of  Athlet- 
ics Sheryl  Sousa  '90.  "To  be  recognized  for  our 
success  is  a  tribute  to  our  dedicated  staff  of 
coaches  and  administrators." 

The  ECAC  comprises  318  institutions  from 
Maine  to  Georgia  and  west  to  Illinois. 


In  its  third  year  of  Sousa's  leadership,  Bran- 
deis enjoyed  one  of  the  most  successful  athletic 
campaigns  in  school  history.  Four  Brandeis 
teams  reached  the  semifinals  of  ECAC  tourna- 
ments, and  the  volleyball  and  men's  soccer  cap- 
tured titles.  Additionally,  the  fencing  team 
excelled  at  the  ECAC-affiliated  Intercollegiate 
Fencing  Association  Championships  and  the 
men's  and  women's  basketball  teams  qualified 
for  NCAA  play 

In  the  classroom,  156  Brandeis  student-ath- 
letes were  named  to  the  University  Athletic  Asso- 
ciation All-Academic  team  and  three  were 
selected  to  the  College  Sports  Information  Direc- 
tors Association/ESPN  The  Magazine  Academic 
All-District  teams. 


Students  can  now  major 
in  environmental  studies 

In  response  to  growing  interest  among 
students  to  study  critical  environmental 
issues  facing  the  world  today,  Brandeis 
undergraduates  can  now  major  in  envi- 
ronmental studies. 

"The  students  were  clamoring  for  it," 
said  biology  professor  Dan  Perlman,  chair 
of  the  environmental  studies  program. 
"One  of  the  hallmarks  of  Brandeis  is  stu- 
dents who  are  deeply  involved  in  social 
action  of  one  type  or  another,  and  that's 
absolutely  true  of  those  in  our  program." 

Environmental  studies  majors  are 
required  to  take  thirteen  courses  in  a  vari- 
ety of  related  disciplines — environmental 
science,  social  science,  humanities,  eco- 
nomics, law,  and  history. 

In  addition  to  coursework,  environmen- 
tal studies  majors  are  encouraged  to  pursue 
field  study  through  a  semester-abroad  pro- 
gram or  the  pioneering  Environmental 
Field  Semester  (EFS).  The  EFS  uses  local 
communities  as  living  laboratories  to  give 
students  experience  in  the  conservation 
and  stewardship  of  the  land. 

"Students  need  to  get  hands-on  experi- 
ence and  see  things  in  all  their  complexity," 
Perlman  said.  "Addressing  real-world  prob- 
lems and  learning  from  practicioners  in 
different  fields  gives  the  students  a  far 
richer  education  than  any  classroom  expe- 
rience could." 

Weizmann  Institute  awards 
Reinharz  honorary  degree 

President  Reinharz  this  month  was  awarded 
an  honorary  doctor  of  philosophy  degree 
from  the  Weizmann  Institute  of  Science  in 
Israel.  Reinharz  is  a  leading  historian  of 
Chaim  Weizmann,  the  first  president  of 
Israel  and  founder  of  the  science  institute. 


I 


I'all   07  I  Biniiik'is  I'nivprsily  Magazine 


SELLING 


THE 


SHIRT 


AND 


BULLSHIRT 


The  workplace  of  Ellis  Verdi  has  no  pictures  of  Hillary  Clinton 
or  other  high-profile  clients  on  the  walls.  There  are  no 
ADDYs  and  Clios,  the  cutesy  trophies  emblematic  of  adver- 
tising greatness.  No  framed  magazine  feature  stories  or 
collages  of  memorable  print  ads,  either.  And,  as  for  client  gifts,  there's 
not  a  bottle  of  Grey  Goose  vodka  or  a  matchbox-sized  BMW  in  sight. 

The  space  lacks  the  conspicuous  signs  of  success  you  would  expect 
in  the  office  of  the  president  and  founder  of  DeVito/Verdi,  a  New  York 
advertising  powerhouse  with  $200  million-plus  in  annual  billings,  140 
employees,  a  client  roster  that  is  the  envy  of  the  industry,  and  a  repu- 
tation for  smart,  edgy,  forward-thinking  ads  that  resonate. 

But  this  is  Verdi's  office — and  the  decor  is  just  the  wav  he  wants  it. 
His  design  choices  reveal  much  about  the  man  and  the  way  he  runs 
his  company. 

"I  try  to  focus  on  the  issues,  problems,  and  challenges  in  front  of  me, 
not  what  we  did  in  the  past,"  the  fifty-two-year-old  explains.  "You  can 
always  do  better.  I  don't  want  to  get  too  cozy  or  too  comfortable  about 
where  we  are. " 

Verdi  would  need  to  double  the  size  of  his  office  to  display  properly 
all  the  hardware  his  agency  has  collected  in  the  last  decade  and  a  half 
The  American  Association  of  Advertising  Agencies  has  named  D/V  the 


few  summers  ago,  the  One  Club  Gallery  in  New  York  hosted  a  retro- 
spective of  the  advertising  agency's  work  in  honor  ol"  its  first  ten  years. 
"If  you're  not  being  smart  and  there's  no  surprise,  there's  no  reason 
to  advertise,"  Verdi  says.  "We  believe  in  advertising  that  has  a  strong 
point  of  view  and  gets  to  the  heart  of  the  issue." 

GUTSY  FROM  THE  GET-GO 

Just  as  his  agency  specializes  in  bucking  standard  practice,  Verdi  himself 
prefers  the  nontraditional  route.  Throughout  his  life,  he  has  relied  on  his 
instincts  rather  than  convention — and  they  have  rarely  failed  him. 

After  graduating  from  Brandeis  High  on  New  York's  Upper  West 
Side  in  1973,  Verdi  left  the  city,  where  he  had  lived  most  of  his  life,  for 
Brandeis  University.  The  tree-lined  suburban  campus  was  worlds  away 
from  the  gritty,  urban  neighborhood  he  had  always  known. 

"After  high  school,  I  felt  1  was  ready  to  go  out  on  my  own  in  the 
world  and  leave  New  York,"  he  says.  "I  was  ready  to  challenge  myself 
in  a  different  environment." 

At  Brandeis,  Verdi  majored  in  political  science.  Outside  the  class- 
room, he  joined  some  friends  to  organize  on-campus  screenings  of  first- 
run  movies.  Verdi  was  also  a  bit  of  a  legend  at  the  Castle  for  his  unusual 
hobby — he  kept  two  tropical  fish  tanks  stocked  with  baby  piranhas. 


OAfFTS 


country's  most  creative  agency  six  times  in  the  last  ten  years.  D/V  has 
won  all  the  big  industry  awards — ADDY,  Clio,  ANDY,  Radio  Mer- 
cury, Cannes,  and  One  Show — many  times  over. 

Verdi  chooses  to  display  the  awards  in  the  lobby,  where  they  fill  sev- 
eral shopping  carts  provided  by  a  client,  the  large  Midwest  grocery 
chain  Meljer.  The  message  is  unmistakable:  Without  the  clients,  there 
would  be  no  awards. 

D/V  recently  added  Sports  Authority  to  a  list  of  clients  that  over 
the  years  has  included  BMW,  Grey  Goose,  the  American  Civil 
Liberties  Union,  Office  Depot,  Legal  Sea  Foods,  Mount  Sinai 
Medical  Center,  National  Association  of  Broadcasters,  Sony,  Canon, 
Circuit  City,  People,  Esquire,  Jackson  Hewitt,  Hotwire.com, 
CarMax,  and  many  more. 

The  agency's  work  is  considered  so  pioneering  that  some  observers 
credit  D/V  for  establishing  a  new  genre  of  in-your-face  advertising.  A 


"I  grew  up  as  a  student,  and  I  grew  up  socially,"  he  recalls.  "I  found 
myself  at  Brandeis.  " 

Verdi  graduated  without  a  clear  sense  of  what  he  wanted  to  do, 
although  he  had  a  notion  to  go  to  law  school.  He  moved  back  to  New 
York,  found  a  cheap  apartment,  and  held  a  succession  of  uninteresting, 
short-term  jobs. 

He  finally  found  something  he  enjoyed  when  he  accepted  a  position 
as  an  assistant  media  planner  at  SSC&B,  an  ad  agenc>'.  He  later  took  a 
job  with  American  Home  Products,  where  he  worked  on  the  Woolite 
and  Black  Flag  brands.  Verdi's  next  move  took  him  to  Pepsi  as  marketing 
director  for  the  company's  diet  brands.  He  later  returned  to  the  agency 
side  at  industry  giant  Grey  Advertising. 

In  1989,  he  made  his  boldest  career  move,  bolting  his  comfortable  job 
as  a  vice  president  at  Grey  for  the  great  unknown.  (In  a  delicious  rwist, 
D/V  just  beat  out  Grey  for  the  $100  million  Sports  Authority  account.) 


12 


Branilcis  University  Manaziric  |  Fall  '07 


m 


wo  Vft, 


SELLING  THE  SHIRTIVND  eULlSHIRT 


"I  did  not  see  myself  progressing  in  that  environment  anymore,"  he 
remembers.  "I  akvays  had  this  feeling  that  1  could  do  better  on  my  own. " 

He  launched  Ellis  Verdi  &  Partners  with  no  partners  (so  much  tor 
truth  in  advertising!),  no  office,  and  no  solid  sales  leads.  Verdi  had 
only  his  stubborn  conviction  that  he  could  marry  the  strategic  and 
creative  sides  ot  the  advertising  business  in  a  way  that  had  not  been 
done  before. 

He  set  up  shop  in  his  one-room  apartment  and  began  contacting 
potential  clients,  making  as  many  as  one  hundred  calls  in  a  day.  He 
blasted  faxes  all  around  town,  once  inadvertently  sending  the  same  fax 
hundreds  of  times  to  the  same  company.  His  girlfriend,  Marcy  (now  his 
wife),  answered  the  phone,  making  it  appear  as  if  Verdi  &  Partners  were 
more  than  a  one-man  operation. 

Finally,  after  eight  months  ot  calling  and  taxing,  he  got  his  first 
nibble.  Allied  Old  English,  a  firm  owned  by  fellow  Brandeis  graduate 
Fred  Ross  '67,  wanted  to  more  aggressively  push  its  line  of  fruit 
spreads.  Verdi  joined  forces  with  creative  director  John  Follis,  they 
developed  some  ideas  the  company  liked,  and  newly  named  Follis  & 
Verdi  had  its  first  client. 

In  a  sign  of  things  to  come,  the  campaign  was  controversial  (it  poked 
fun  at  industry  heavj'weight  Smucker's),  generated  media  attention  (a 


clothier  Daffy's  (memorable  ads  included  "Marry  for  love.  Look  like 
you  married  for  money"  and  "Friends  don't  let  friends  pay  retail ")  and 
Solgar  (a  vitamin  ad  showed  a  che\ved-on  pencil  with  text  that  read, 
"For  too  many  New  Yorkers,  this  is  lunch"). 

Verdi  and  DeVito  are  the  odd  couple  of  New  York  advertising. 
They're  both  natives  of  the  city,  but  the  similarities  end  there.  Verdi  is 
tall,  DeVito  compact.  Verdi  is  easygoing  and  approachable,  DeVito 
combustible  and  intimidating.  Verdi  graduated  from  Brandeis,  DeVito 
from  SUNY-Farmingdale.  Verdi  handles  the  client  side,  DeVito  takes 
care  of  the  creative. 

Since  the  beginning,  the  guiding  principle  of  their  partnership  has  been 
producing  quality  work.  Even  early  in  D/V's  existence,  when  the  agency 
could  have  used  the  business,  Verdi  rejected  a  $16  million  account  because 
the  client  would  not  allow  the  agency  the  freedom  to  develop  the  right  ads. 
"Even  back  when  1  was  making  cold  calls,  I  followed  the  mantra 
'You're  better  defined  by  those  clients  you  reject  than  those  you  take 
on,'  "  Verdi  says.  "We  don't  want  to  sacrifice  our  creative  reputation 
just  to  grow  the  business." 

An  incident  during  the  early  days  of  their  alliance  confirmed  for 
both  Verdi  and  DeVito  that  the  collaboration  would  endure.  After  suc- 
cessful presentations  to  two  groups  from  South  Street  Seaport,  Verdi 


HeyYou,imheTaxi. 

Nice  Shirt  You  CouldVe  Gotten 
It  For  Less  At  Daffy's.  But  You're 
Used  To  Being  Taken  For  A  Ride. 


Daffy's.  17th  &  Chestnut. 


DaHy's 

"It  IS  a  constant  challenge  to  make  sure  ads  transmit  something 
significant  but  also  get  attention  .  .  .  Using  the  actual  strategy 
language  in  an  ad  typically  results  in  very  boring  communications 
.  .  .  This  outdoor  billboard  dramatically  illustrates  the  80  percent 
off  message  ...  It  fulfills  the  challenge  and  furthers  the  ultimate 
goal  of  building  the  client's  business." 


story  in  Forces  on  the  value  of  comparative  advertising),  and  enhanced 
the  product's  visibility. 

"I  realized  then, "  Verdi  says,  "that  I  could  have  an  agency." 

FELIX  FINDS  OSCAR 

Perhaps  the  most  important  call  he  placed  in  those  early  years  was  to 
Sal  DeVito,  a  rough-edged  industry  veteran  who  got  his  start  in  the 
business  designing  matchbook  covers.  After  twenty-five  years  at  ten  dif- 
ferent agencies,  the  out-of-work  creative  director  told  an  Adweek 
columnist  he  was  looking  to  join  up  with  someone  who  had  "brains 
and  balls." 

"Ellis  was  the  only  one  to  call,"  DeVito  says.  "He  called,  we  chatted, 
and  we  gave  it  a  shot." 

In  199,5,  Follis  left  the  firm  and  DeVito/Verdi  was  born.  Soon  after, 
the  new  alliance  developed  award-winning  campaigns  for  discount 


and  DeVito  shared  their  work  with  a  third  set  of  people  representing 
the  potential  client. 

"They  started  rewriting  the  copy  and  suggesting  different  visuals," 
DeVito  says.  "I  looked  at  Ellis  and  we  said,  'Let's  go!'  and  we  left.  I 
knew  then  that  I  could  count  on  him  in  combat.  I  don't  think  he  has 
any  fear.  He'll  do  whatever  has  to  be  done. 

"A  lot  of  guys  in  the  ad  business  can  be  kiss-ass  people,"  DeVito  says. 
"Ellis  won't  do  that,  no  matter  the  client." 

The  story  ended  happily.  A  few  days  later.  South  Street  Seaport 
called  back  and  hired  the  agency. 

D/V's  early  clients  were  located  in  New  York,  so  the  ads  had  a  dis- 
tinct, hard-edged  voice  appropriate  for  a  New  York  audience.  An  ad  for 
TimeOut  magazine,  for  instance,  read,  "Our  magazine  is  a  lot  like  the 
average  New  Yorker.  It'll  tell  you  where  you  can  go  and  what  you  can 
do  with  yourself"  Another  for  Daffy's  had  a  picture  of  two  shirts  with 


I'all  '()"'  I  liraiiilcis  liiivprsity  Magazine 


13 


14 


Biiuideis  rnivcrsiiy  Magazine  |  Fall  Tl^ 


SELLING  THE  SHIRT  AND  BULLSHIRT 


a  child  who 

couldn't  hear  into 

a  typical  2  year 

OLD  WHO  doesn't 
LISTEN. 


A:  Empire  Kosher  Chicken 

"I  was  desperately  looking  for  a  strategy  ttiat  would 
differentiate  tfiis  chicken  from  others  among  'cross- 
over' consumers — those  who  buy  Perdue  and  other 
mainstream  chickens  but  might  be  tempted  by  a  better 
product  and  would  be  willing  to  pay  a  higher  price  .  .  . 
Everyone  loved  the  ad  we  developed,  but  it  was 
difficult  to  sell  the  concept  to  a  committee  of  rabbis." 


B:  The  Sporting  News 

"After  studying  competitors  Sports  Illustrated  and 
ESPN  [The  Magazine]  and  speaking  to  many  readers, 
the  Sporting  News  stood  out  as  authentic  to  us  .  .  . 
We  thought  an  ad  spoofing  the  SI  swimsuit  edition 
was  a  perfect  way  to  juxtapose  the  Sporting  News  and 
Its  mission." 


C:  American  Civil  Liberties  Union 

"What  makes  this  ad  so  effective  is  that  the  argument 
it  makes  is  essentially  'air  tight'  (or  as  close  as  possi- 
ble in  advertising)  .  .  .  Originally,  it  was  presented  to 
[creative  director]  Sal  [DeVitol  as  a  black  person  on 
the  left  and  a  white  person  on  the  right.  Adding  the 
Rev.  Martin  Luther  King  Jr.  and  Charles  Manson  as 
visuals  makes  the  concept  even  more  powerful." 


D:  Legal  Sea  Foods 

"These  street  signs  were  constructed  and  erected  by 
the  agency  next  to  the  New  England  Aquarium  .  .  . 
They  are  an  example  of  the  best  of  'guerilla'  marketing 
because  they  aren't  just  clever  for  the  sake  of  being 
clever,  they  have  a  message:  Legal  Sea  Foods  has  the 
freshest  fish  ...  No  word  yet  on  what  the  Aquarium 
thinks  of  the  street  signs." 


E:  The  Pro-Choice  Public  Education  Project 

"To  some  people,  the  images  of  back-alley  abortions 
are  so  strong  that  they  can  alienate,  but  it's  necessary 
when  the  opposition  has  a  very  simple  argument 
['killing  babies']  and  a  significant  funding  advantage 
.  .  .  Additionally,  kids  today  who  did  not  fight  for 
abortion  rights  take  it  for  granted,  so  it  helps  to 
visualize  the  truth  from  the  not-so-distant  past." 


F:  Mount  Sinai  Medical  Center 

"This  campaign  uses  real  examples  of  successful 
outcomes  to  prove  the  value  of  Mount  Sinai,  which  was 
facing  possible  closure  ...  We  relied  on  print  and 
radio,  mediums  generally  considered  to  be  difficult 
forums  to  deliver  emotional  messages." 


G:  Solgar 

"This  campaign  grew  directly  out  of  life  in  New  York 
and  many  of  the  truths  about  how  we  eat  and 
stress  ...  An  additional  challenge  was  to  develop 
long,  skinny  units  that  would  work  on  the  sides  of 
buses  .  .  .  The  campaign  built  a  sizable  lead  for 
Solgar  versus  all  other  competitors." 


H:  For  Eyes 

"Not  spending  too  much  on  glasses  is  a  common 
theme,  but  when  expressed  in  this  way  in  local  transit 
in  a  number  of  markets  you  have  an  effective  break- 
through .  .  .  The  campaign  helped  boost  business  by 
double  digits." 


I'all  "(r  I  ISraiid.-i-  I   iiivri 


\lai 


15 


different  price  tags.  "Shirt"  appeared  under  the  $20  item,  "Bullshirt" 
below  the  one  costing  $68. 

Over  time,  the  agency  branched  out,  luring  national  accounts  and 
advocacy  organizations,  including  the  ACLU  and  Pro-Choice  Public 
Education  Project.  Now  more  than  three  quarters  of  D/V's  work  is  for 
clients  outside  the  New  York  area. 

A  FIRST  LADY'S  CHOICE 

While  D/V  spent  the  1990s  designing  campaigns  for  companies  that 
sold  everything  from  cars  to  copiers  and  helping  advocacy  groups  refine 
their  messages  for  the  public,  the  firm  had  not  ventured  into  the  ven- 
omous world  of  political  advertising.  That  changed  in  1999,  when 
Verdi  received  a  call  from  Hillary  Clinton's  office.  The  first  lady  was 
planning  a  run  for  the  U.S.  Senate  in  New  York. 

"Can  you  come  to  Washington  to  meet  with  Mrs.  Clinton?"  the 
caller  requested. 

"Sute!  Where  will  we  meet?"  Verdi  asked. 

"The  White  House,"  the  caller  responded. 

Verdi  and  several  of  his  colleagues  headed  to  the  nation's  capital  a 
few  days  later.  After  the  delegation  met  with  some  of  the  first  lady's 
political  team  in  a  White  House  anteroom,  she  joined  the  group  in  the 
cinema  for  D/V's  presentation. 

Verdi  led  the  presentation,  sharing  the  agency's  ideas  about  the  cam- 
paign and  the  candidate.  He  typically  can  gauge  the  effectiveness  of  his 
pitch,  but  he  could  not  get  a  read  on  this  situation. 


"I  felt  very  good  about  it,  but  I  just  wasn't  sure,"  Verdi  recalls.  "We 
weren't  a  political  agency." 

They  were  soon.  With  the  endorsement  of  President  Clinton — 
Verdi  was  told  that  the  president  "absolutely  loved"  D/V's  work — they 
were  hired. 

"We  were  thrilled,  but  at  the  same  time  we  were  very  concerned," 
Verdi  says.  "Political  advertising  is  so  different.  The  daily  strategic  chal- 
lenges are  unique." 

Both  the  candidate  and  the  agency  were  up  to  the  challenges. 
Entrusted  with  developing  ads  to  effectively  position  and  launch  Hillary 
Clinton's  candidacy,  D/V  produced  an  ad  that  portrayed  the  candidate 
as  a  pioneer  with  a  number  of  "firsts" to  her  credit.  It  concluded  by 
saying,  "Not  just  the  first  lady."  D/V  also  created  an  ad  comparing  her 
opponent,  state  senator  Rick  Lazio,  to  an  ostrich  with  his  head  in  the 
sand.  The  ads  were  credited  with  helping  the  candidate  win  support 
among  conservative  upstate  voters  who  traditionally  voted  Republican. 

Clinton,  of  course,  went  on  to  win  the  race,  and  D/V  later  estab- 
lished a  unit  focused  on  political  advertising.  The  agency  worked  on  six 
different  Senate  races  in  2004. 

SAY  WHAT? 

D/V  doesn't  purposely  develop  ads  to  breed  controversy,  but  its  on-the- 
edge  approach  has  put  the  agency  in  the  spotlight  frequently  over  the 
years.  That's  OK  with  Verdi.  He  knows  that  when  an  ad  becomes  the 
story,  both  the  client  and  the  agency  win. 


5^.   i^ 


i?!iii:iiiiiiii! 


In  1997,  playing  on  then  mayor  Rudy  Giuliani's  well-known  pen- 
chant for  self-promotion,  D/V  designed  ads  for  the  sides  of  city  buses 
that  touted  New  York  magazine  as  "possibly  the  only  good  thing  in  New 
York  Rudy  hasn't  taken  credit  for." 

An  infuriated  Giuliani  demanded  that  the  Metropolitan  Transporta- 
tion Authority',  a  quasi-governmental  agency  under  his  control,  remove 
the  ads  immediately.  New  York  magazine  sued  to  have  the  ads  restored, 
and  lawyers  argued  the  case  all  the  way  to  the  state  Supreme  Court.  In 
a  landmark  decision  affirming  that  advertising  was  covered  under  the 
free  speech  provisions  of  the  First  Amendment,  New  York's  highest 
court  ordered  Giuliani  to  put  the  ads  back  up. 

Newspapers  and  TV  stations  latched  onto  the  story  of  the  tough- 
talking,  thin-skinned  mayor  of  the  nation's  largest  city  going  to  court  to 
protect  his  carefully  crafted  image.  In  the  middle  of  it  were  Verdi  and  his 
up-and-coming  agency  that  had  the  temerity  to  take  on  mighty  Rudy. 

Giuliani's  loss  proved  to  be  a  win  for  everyone  else  involved:  New 
York  magazine's  newsstand  sales  jumped  significantly  and  advertising 


ultimate  sign  of  respect  in  the  ad  world,  D/V  does  not  need  to  show 
work  in  advance  and  gets  hired  based  on  its  reputation  alone. 

Clients  seek  out  D/V  not  only  because  of  the  agency's  ability  to  pro- 
duce a  compelling  message,  but  also  tor  its  knack  ot  devising  creative 
ways  to  deliver  it. 

"Today  there's  a  broader  mix  of  ways  to  get  to  the  customer,"  Verdi 
says.  "People  talk  about  'new  media.'  Even  'old  media'  can  be  new  again 
it  used  in  the  right  way." 

D/V  produced  an  award-winning  ad  for  thoroughbred  racing  for 
radio,  an  often-overlooked  medium.  In  the  spot,  a  voice  mimicking  a 
race  call  started  by  saying,  "And  they're  off.  Out  of  the  gate  is  Dinner 
Date.  Dinner  Date  starts  strong.  But  here  comes  No  Reservation,  fol- 
lowed by  Hours  of  Waiting. "  The  spot  concluded  with,  "For  a  better 
time,  go  to  the  track." 

To  promote  a  client's  one-day  holiday  sale,  D/V  dropped  hundreds  of 
wallets  outside  a  competitor's  store.  When  curious  shoppers  picked  up  the 
wallets,  they  found  nothing  inside  but  a  message  on  a  slip  of  paper:  "This 


iapS^- 


Possibly  the  only  good  thing  in  New  York  jft^  j^^ork. 
!         Rudy  hasn't  taken  credit  for.     I W  %      --——■- 


reached  an  all-time  high,  while  D/V  reaffirmed  its  position  as  a  brassy, 
provocative  firm  that  delivered  for  its  clients. 

"Hitting  a  nerve  with  people  is  our  job,"  Verdi  says.  "Sometimes  it 
hits  different  people  differently." 

Several  years  earlier.  Perdue  Farms  sued  Empire  Kosher  Poultry, 
claiming  trademark  infringement  after  Verdi's  agency  designed  an  ad 
that  tweaked  Perdue  pitchman  Frank  Perdue's  trademark  line  "It  takes 
a  tough  man  to  make  a  tender  chicken." 

Empire's  ad  showed  Moses  holding  up  a  tablet  above  text  that  read, 
"It  takes  an  even  tougher  man  to  make  a  kosher  chicken. " 

'A  lot  of  guys  in  the  ad  business 
can  be  kiss-ass  people.  Ellis  won't 
do  that,  no  matter  the  client." 

Mental  health  advocates  failed  to  find  the  humor  in  one  of  D/V's  ads 
for  Daffy's.  The  print  piece  featured  a  picture  of  a  straitjacket.  The  text 
read,  "If  you're  paying  over  SI 00  for  a  shirt,  may  we  suggest  a  jacket  to 
go  with  it? " 

Charging  that  the  ad  stigmatized  the  mentally  ill,  mental-health  pro- 
fessionals demonstrated  outside  Daffy's  stores  and  D/V's  office. 
Demonstrators  also  filled  a  city  block  outside  a  New  York  industry 
awards  show  at  which  D/V  captured  several  awards. 

"What  an  entree  that  turned  out  to  be,"  Verdi  says.  "We  were 
instantly  the  most-talked-about  agency  around." 

A  DIFFERENT  DRUMROLL 

Gone  are  the  days  when  Verdi  placed  hundreds  of  cold  calls  a  week  to 
land  customers.  He  receives  the  calls  now,  from  potential  clients  wanting 
D/V  to  compete  with  other  agencies  tor  their  business.  Sometimes,  in  the 


is  how  much  money  you  need  to  walk  out  with  new  fiarniture  today."  The 
flip  side  of  the  paper  promoted  the  client's  deferred  payment  schedule. 

As  part  of  a  campaign  tor  Mount  Sinai  Medical  Center,  D/V  devel- 
oped print  ads  telling  the  story  ot  a  patient  who  was  running  in  the 
New  York  Marathon  a  year  after  undergoing  life-changing  heart  sur- 
gery. But  instead  of  relying  on  traditional  print  vehicles,  the  agency 
placed  posters  in  bus  shelters  along  the  marathon  route.  The  accompa- 
nying copy  made  for  a  forceful  message:  "If  you  want  to  see  what  a 
repaired  mitral  valve  looks  like,  be  at  the  finish  line." 

"The  ads  were  so  creative  and  so  different  from  what  anyone  else  was 
doing,"  says  Mount  Sinai's  Marianne  Coughlin,  who  worked  closely 
with  D/V  on  the  campaign.  "We  didn't  have  the  budget  for  TV  ads, 
but  we  overcame  that  by  using  Ellis's  ideas  about  placement." 

To  escape  the  hundred-hour  workweeks,  constant  travel,  and  round- 
the-clock  client  calls  that  are  part  of  running  an  agency,  Verdi  enjoys 
traveling,  scuba  diving,  and  spending  time  with  his  family.  Son 
Marshall,  age  seventeen,  and  daughter  Jessica,  thirteen,  also  serve  as  a 
focus  group  of  two  for  some  of  D/V's  new  ad  ideas. 

"They'll  say,  'That's  lousy!'  or  'That's  great!'  "  Verdi  says.  "When  you 
get  older,  you  overthink  it.  The  kids  have  a  very  good  instinct  tor  what 
works.  They  have  a  different  way  of  seeing  it." 

Every  few  months,  Verdi  gets  a  call  from  a  big  advertising  conglom- 
erate or  private-equity  firm  interested  in  purchasing  D/V.  The  an.swer 
is  always  the  same:  No  thanks. 

"I've  worked  so  hard  to  do  it  my  way  that  1  won't  undo  that  at  any 
price,"  Verdi  says.  "1  don't  think  we  can  run  the  agency  we  want  to  run 
with  outside  ownership." 

Verdi  expects  D/V  to  be  winning  clients  and  collecting  awards  for 
many  years  to  come.  Just  don't  look  tor  any  of  the  evidence  in  his  office. 

David  E.  Niithnn  is  the  director  of  development  communications  in  the 
Office  of  Institutional  Advancement  at  Brandeis. 


Fall    O:'  I  Brall.lci^  I  iiivivil)    \liif;azirii- 


17 


:-*^-mrs.::  ",. 


^-h' 


fe    .    ' 

■ 

Mini 

rJBl 

After  thirti]  years 
of  researcli,  internationallij 
famous  MIT  tlieoretical 
pjiqsicist  Eddie  Farlii  '73, 
MS'73,  still  gets  a 
charge  out  of  solving 
quantum  riddles. 


Dne  summer  afternoon  back  in  1980, 
rwo  young  physicists  who'd  been 
trained  at  Brandeis  found  them- 
selves staring  at  a  chalk-scrawled 
blackboard  in  disbelief 
Located  at  the  world's  largest 
atomic-particle  accelerator  labora- 
tory— the  giant  CERN  complex 
near  Geneva,  Switzerland — the  blackboard 
was  covered  with  spidery  equations  that 
promised  to  trigger  a  dramatic  breakthrough 
in  modern  physics. 

But  were  those  equations  valid? 
If  they  were — and  this  was  a  huge  "if" — the 
implications  for  the  arcane  science  of  particle 
physics  were  staggering. 

One  of  the  rwo  physicists  who  stood  gaping 
at  the  CERN  blackboard  on  that  afternoon 
rwenty-seven  years  ago  was  Edward  Farhi,  and 
he  was  doing  his  best  to  remain  calm. 

Farhi  had  grown  up  in  a  working-class  fam- 
ily in  the  heart  of  one  of  New  York  City's 
toughest  neighborhoods — the  rough-and- 
tumble  South  Bronx — before  landing  a  cov- 
eted slot  at  the  famous  Bronx  High  School  of 
Science.  It  was  at  Brandeis,  though,  under  the 
tutelage  of  idealistic  professors  and  mentors 
like  the  late  Stephan  Berko,  Allen  Mills,  and 
Rick  Heller,  as  well  as  Hugh  Pendleton  III  and 
Sam  Schweber  [now  professor  emeritus  of 
physics],  that  he  became  inspired. 

Indeed,  as  director  of  the  prestigious  Center 
for  Theoretical  Physics  at  the  Massachusetts 


According  to  the  calculations  on  the  board, 
the  mysterious  and  infinitesimally  tiny  atomic 
entities  known  as  "quarks"  were  composed  of 
even  smaller  fragments  of  matter — a  finding 
that  would  challenge  the  basic  Standard 
Model  of  contemporary  particle  physics  itself 

Formulated  during  the  1970s,  the  Stan- 
dard Model  is  regarded  as  the  cornerstone  of 
modern  particle  physics.  According  to  the 
model,  matter  consists  of  twenty-five  funda- 
mental particles,  including  electrons,  pho- 
tons, gluons,  and  neutrinos.  In  this  group 
also  are  the  tiny  quarks,  considered  to  be 
autonomous  and  indivisible. 

The  Standard  Model  has  ruled  particle 
physics  for  nearly  forty  years,  but  at  CERN  in 
1980,  Farhi  and  Abbott  believed  they  were  on 
the  edge  of  a  paradigm  shift — a  breakthrough 
that  would  require  revising  some  of  science's 
basic  understanding  of  material  reality  at  the 
atomic  level. 

Although  their  new  theory  made  predic- 
tions that  were  ultimately  not  borne  out  by 
experiment — leaving  the  Standard  Model 
firmly  in  place — the  two  investigators  experi- 
enced what  they  still  describe  as  "the  thrill  of 
a  lifetime"  during  their  time  together  at 
CERN.  In  fact,  Farhi  and  Abbott  remain 
close  friends. 

"That  was  an  exciting  time  for  us,"  says 
Farhi,  leading  a  tour  of  the  MIT  center  where 
he  and  thirteen  other  professors  work  daily  at 
the  cutting  edge  of  quantum  physics  along 


''In  this  kind  of  research,  you  just  try  to  get  a  good  swing  at  the 
plate-and  you  don't  worry  too  much  if  the  ball  gets  caught  in  the  outfield. 

We  took  a  great  swing  with  our  theory/' 


Institute  of  Technology  (MIT),  Farhi  is  today 
a  renowned  scientist  who  is  helping  to  pioneer 
the  development  of  quantum  computers — an 
entirely  new  kind  of  computing  machines  that 
promise  to  be  immensely  faster  and  more  effi- 
cient that  today's  desktop  PCs. 

Back  in  1980,  however,  the  young  Farhi — 
who'd  received  a  physics  PhD  from  Harvard 
just  rwo  years  earlier — took  a  long,  hard  look 
at  his  equations.  And  although  the  mathemat- 
ical operations  that  he  and  his  colleague, 
physicist  Laurence  Abbott,  PhD'77,  had 
employed  were  mind-bendingly  complex,  the 
bottom-line  result  seemed  strikingly  clear. 


with  a  large  group  of  postdocs  and  graduate 
students.  "Larry  and  I  were  still  in  our  late 
twenties  back  then,  and  it  seemed  we  were 
coming  up  with  new  ideas  almost  every  day." 
"The  more  we  looked  at  the  data  and  stud- 
ied our  equations,  the  more  it  seemed  to  us  that 
quarks — which  were  supposed  to  be  elemen- 
tary, indivisible  particles — could  themselves  be 
made  of  other  things.  And  because  we  were  so 
young,  we  were  arrogant  enough  to  believe  we 
were  onto  something  huge.  It  was  a  wild  idea, 
and  we  had  a  lot  of  fun.  For  a  while  there,  we 
were  thinking  we  might  actually  be  able  to 
explain  something  in  particle  physics." 


20 


lirancli'is  rnivcrsity  .Vla<;a/ini>  |  Fall   07 


For  his  part,  former  Brandeis  physics  pro- 
fessor Larry  Abbott,  now  a  professor  of  bio- 
physics at  Columbia  University,  remembers 
their  struggle  to  upend  the  Standard  Model  as 
"a  very  unorthodox  attempt  to  stand  the 
accepted  theory  about  quarks  on  its  head." 

Having  your  theory  shot  down,  Farhi 
points  out,  isn't  necessarily  a  bad  outcome 
for  a  particle  physicist  who's  interested  in 
exploring  new  ideas. 

"In  this  kind  of  research,"  he  explains,  "you 
just  try  to  get  a  good  swing  at  the  plate — and 


you  don't  worry  too  much  if  the  ball  gets  caught 
in  the  outfield.  We  took  a  great  swing  with  our 
theor)',  and  that  was  the  important  thing." 

STILL  SWINGING 

Although  Farhi  hasn't  managed  to  overturn 
the  Standard  Model  yet,  he  has  continued  to 
take  great  swings,  keeping  up  a  steady  stream 
of  cutting-edge  research  while  teaching  such 
esoteric  subjects  as  quantum  mechanics, 
quantum  field  theory,  and  general  relativit)'  at 
MIT  since  1982. 


As  an  investigator,  Farhi  has  analyzed 
phenomena  related  to  astrophysics  (he  and 
collaborators  proposed  a  new  type  of  mas- 
sive object  called  a  "Strange  Star")  to  cos- 
mology (asking,  along  with  MIT's  famed 
Alan  Guth,  whether  a  new  universe  could  be 
made  in  a  laboratory)  and  to  Einstein's  the- 
ory of  general  relativity  (is  a  time  machine 
really  possible,  or  do  the  laws  of  physics  pro- 
hibit it?). 

And  while  managing  to  capture  three  dif- 
ferent teaching  awards  at  MIT  he's  also  found 


It  has  been  shown  that,  if  a  quantum  computer  could  be  built,  it  would  be 
able  to  break  all  existing  codes  used  by  banks  and  the  militari]. 


time  to  publish  dozens  of  articles  in  the 
world's  leading  scientific  journals. 

Farhi  has  worked  on  a  series  of  grand  uni- 
fied theories  that  attempt  to  put  all  the  forces 
of  nature  into  one  set  of  equations.  He  has 
also  studied  the  properties  of  a  super-dense 
form  of  elementary  particles  known  as 
"Strange  Matter."  While  working  on  his  PhD 
thesis,  he  invented  a  way  of  measuring  the 
closeness  of  particles  coming  out  of  high- 
energy  accelerator  collisions  by  calculating  a 
new  variable  he  called  thrust.  His  method  of 
measuring  thrust,  which  can  be  computed 
using  the  Standard  Model,  will  be  put  to  work 
by  experimentalists  at  the  giant  new  Large 
Hadron  Collidor  at  CERN.  ^ 

Celebrated  as  one  of  the  world's  most 
creative  and  influential  particle  physicists, 
Farhi  also  works  in  the  field  of  quantum 
computing,  where  he's  widely  regarded  as  a 
major  pioneer.  Two  years  ago  he  was  selected 
by  MIT  to  direct  the  Center  for  Theoretical 
Physics,  which  sponsors  some  of  the  planet's 
most  advanced  research  on  particle  physics 
and  quantum  mechanics. 

QUANTUM  COMPUTERS:  THE  NEXT  BIG  THING? 

Farhi  lives  in  a  world  of  scribbled  algorithms 
and  wall-to-wall  physics  equations.  Drop  by 
his  office  on  the  campus  of  MIT  during  a 
typical  weekday  morning,  and  the  odds  are 
high  that  you'll  find  him  standing  in  front  of 
a  blackboard  struggling  to  produce  math 
equations  related  to  the  potential  use  of 
quantum  computers. 

"Lately,  I've  been  developing  new  algo- 
rithms for  quantum  computers.  This  is  some 


of  the  most  exciting  new  computer-research 
being  done  in  the  world  today  and  I  think  we 
[at  MIT]  have  had  a  pretty  big  influence  on 
the  development  of  quantum  computers.  I  feel 
very  proud  of  our  work  in  this  area,"  he  says. 

As  Farhi  describes  them,  quantum  comput- 
ers promise  to  revolutionize  computation  in 
the  next  few  decades  not  because  these  new 
machines  will  do  the  same  things  as  the 
lumbering  data  processors  of  today  while 
operating  millions  of  times  faster,  but  because 
they  will  accelerate  the  process  multifold  by 
taking  a  more  efficient  and  intelligent  route  to 
the  solution  of  a  problem. 

According  to  Farhi,  quantum  computers 
will  operate  on  an  entirely  different  princi- 
ple from  today's  processors,  which  rely  on 


manipulating  tiny  electrical  charges  that  rep- 
resent strings  of  ones  and  zeroes  as  basic 
units  of  information.  Quantum  computers, 
on  the  other  hand,  will  take  full  advantage 
of  the  quantum  nature  of  matter  at  the 
automic  level. 

It  has  already  been  shown  that,  if  a  quan- 
tum computer  could  be  built,  it  would  be  able 
to  break  all  existing  codes  used  by  banks  and 
the  military.  For  that  reason,  the  U.S.  govern- 
ment is  joining  the  race  to  build  quantum 
computers  by  funding  scientists  like  Farhi. 

An  exciting  prospect?  You  bet.  But  Farhi  is 
quick  to  point  out  that  these  super-machines 
are  still  on  the  scientific  drawing  board. 

"It's  important  to  remember  that  no  one  has 
actually  built  a  quantum  computer  yet,"  he  says 


with  a  wry  chuckle,  "so  we're  talking  about  pro- 
gramming a  machine  that  doesn't  exist. 

"Still,  there's  no  doubt  that  quantum  com- 
puting is  going  to  happen,  even  if  it's  a  few 
years  off,  and  when  it  does,  the  power  of  these 
machines  will  be  immense,  so  they'll  be  able 
to  perform  computing  tasks  no  one  has  ever 
thought  possible." 

Ask  Farhi  to  explain  the  workings  of  a 
quantum  computer,  and  the  physics  guru 
lights  up  like  Boston's  Fenway  Park  during  a 
night  game. 

"A  quantum  computer  wouldn't  use  strings 
of  bits,  like  today's  computers,"  says  the 
excited  physicist  at  one  point.  "Instead,  it 
would  rely  on  'qubits' — quantum  bits — built 
from  what  we  call  'spin-one-halt '  particles. 


There  was  a  young  laety  named  Bright, 
Whose  speed  was  faster  than  light; 
She  set  out  one  day  in  a  relative  way. 
And  returned  home  the  previous  night. 

— British  scientist  Arthur  Bullet,  writing  in  Punch,  1923 

It's  one  of  the  most  fascinating  and  controversial  questions  now  being 
asked  in  the  world  ot  physics. 

Will  it  someday  be  possible  for  human  beings  to  travel  back  through 
time,  or  do  the  laws  of  physics  actually  operate  to  make  such  a  journey 
impossible? 

MIT  physicist  Eddie  Farhi,  an  internationally  renowned  expert  on 
general  relativity,  minces  no  words  when  faced  with  this  question, 
which  once  existed  only  in  the  minds  of  humorists  and  science  fiction 
writers  like  Kurt  Vonnegut  and  Philip  K.  Dick. 

"No  way,"  he  replies. 

"I've  given  a  lot  of  thought  to  the  problem  of  time  travel  in  recent 
years,"  adds  Farhi,  director  of  MIT's  Center  for  Theoretical  Physics, 
"and  everything  I've  ever  looked  at  suggests  that  the  laws  of  physics 
conspire  to  prevent  you  from  going  backward  in  time. 

"If  you  think  about  it  tor  awhile,  certain  logical  paradoxes  arise.  For 
example,  time  travel  would  allow  you  to  go  back  into  the  past  and  kill 
your  parents  before  your  own  birth — which  means  you  would  never 
have  been  born." 

Wliile  many  physicists  share  Farhi's  skepticism  about  time  tr.tvel,  sev- 
eral well-known  investigators  insist  that  future  technological  break- 
throughs may  indeed  permit  human  beings  to  move  back  and  forth 
through  history.  For  these  cosmic  analysts,  the  idea  of  time  travel — as 
described  in  H.  G.  Wells'  classic  science-fiction  novel  of  1895,  The 
Time  Machine — seems  at  least  theoretically  possible,  given  the  recent 


discovery  that  particles  appear  to  move  backward  through  time  in  the 
microscopic  world  of  quantum  physics. 

Princeton  physicist  ].  Richard  Gott  caused  a  stir,  fot  example,  by 
suggesting  in  the  March  4,  1991,  issue  of  the  journal  Physical  Revietu 
Letters  that  time-travelers  might  be  able  to  take  advantage  of  the 
"warped  spacetime"  created  by  "two  infinite  parallel  cosmic  strings "  in 
order  to  go  backward  through  the  dimension  of  time.  According  to 
Gott,  travelers  might  be  able  to  enter  a  different  kind  of  spacetime  by 
encircling  the  fast-moving  strings  and  return  to  their  own  pasts. 

Responding  to  Gott's  challenge  in  the  same  journal  about  a  year  later, 
Farhi  and  his  MIT  colleagues  Sean  Carroll  and  Alan  Guth  argued  that 
building  such  a  time  machine  was  clearly  impossible,  given  the  appar- 
ent physical  limitations  of  our  universe. 

In  a  response  to  the  Princeton  scientist,  the  MIT  naysayers  wrote, 
"We  find  that  there  is  never  enough  mass  in  an  open  universe  to  build 
the  time  machine.  .  .  .  The  Gott  time  machine  cannot  exist  in  any  open 
.  .  .  universe  for  which  the  total  momentum  is  timelike." 

Can  Farhi  translate  that  for  us? 

"As  we  worked  on  the  equations,"  he  explains,  "what  we  discov- 
ered was  that  you  really  could  not  construct  such  an  object  because 
the  construction  would  require  more  than  half  the  energy  in  the 
entire  universe. 

"Putting  together  that  much  energy  to  build  your  time  machine 
would  be  rather  daunting,  to  say  the  least,"  Farhi  adds. 

According  to  the  MIT  expert,  both  the  logical  and  physical  obstacles 
to  time  travel  are  simply  overwhelming.  "I  think  the  idea  of  going  back 
through  time  to  explore  past  worlds  is  an  intriguing  fantasy,"  he  says 
with  a  whimsical  smile,  "but  the  laws  of  physics  clearly  indicate  that  it 
will  remain  a  fantasy,  at  least  in  the  universe  we  now  seem  to  inhabit." 

—  Tom  Nugent 


ro' 


''Let's  just  say  that  I  believe  in  the  existence  of  parallel  universes  formalli], 
DK?  In  other  words,  I  believe  it  mathematicallij-hut  I  don't  really  think  it 
has  much  bearing  on  the  science  we  do." 


"You  can  think  ot  'spin  up'  as  being  a  zero, 
and  you  can  think  of  'spin  down'  as  being  a 
one.  But  the  quantum  particle  can  exist  in  a 
state  that's  neither  spin  up  or  spin  down,  but 
rather  in  a  state  of 'superposition.' 

"We  can  also  make  superpositions  of 
ensembles  of  qubits  and,  by  taking  advantage 
of  subtle  quantum  effects,  turn  this  to  our 
computational  advantage.  In  fact,  my  group  at 
MIT  has  just  shown  that  the  problem  of 
determining  who  will  win  a  game  like  chess 
can  be  sped  up  by  quantum  computing." 


If  this  seems  just  a  bit  complicated,  things  get 
even  stranger  when  Farhi  is  asked  whether  the 
fact  that  qubits  can  apparently  be  in  two  states 
at  once  implies  that  we're  living  among  a  series 
of  "parallel  universes."  Are  we  actually  sur- 
rounded by  adjoining  universes  in  which  near- 
duplicates  of  ourselves  are  struggling  to 
understand  the  quantum  physics  ot  fAf/'r  worlds? 

Farhi  doesn't  miss  a  beat  as  he  responds,  "Let's 
just  say  that  I  believe  in  the  existence  of  the  par- 
allel universes  formally,  okay?  In  other  words,  I 
believe  it  mathematically  — but  I  don't  really 


think  it  has  much  bearing  on  the  science  we  do. 
I  find  it  mind-bending,  as  a  concept,  but  I  don't 
think  it  will  help  me  work  out  my  equations." 

"Eddie  won't  tell  you  this,  because  he's  too 
modest,"  says  Larry  Abbott,  "but  he's  actually 
way  out  in  front  of  everybody  else  in  the  area 
of  quantum  computers.  If  anybody  can  make 
it  happen,  I'm  betting  that  it  will  be  Eddie." 

Tom  Nugent  is  a  free-lance  writer  based  in 
Michigan.  His  work  has  appeared  in  the  New 
York  Times,  People,  and  the  Detroit  Free  Press. 


I'all    (n  I  BrajHlri-  I  .lix. 


\hm:i 


23 


Want  to  see  something  outrageous?  Try  getting  a  gander 
of"  Ruth  Harriet  Jacobs,  MA'66,  PhD'69,  as  she  lum- 
bers down  the  hallways  of  Brandeis,  talks  to  groups  of 
medical-care  providers,  or  traverses  her  home  town  of 
Wellesley  giving  a  piece  of  her  eight)'-three-year-old  mind  to  anyone 
who  would  question  her  competence. 

An  outsized  hat  cantilevers  over  flowing  layers  ot  colorful  clothes 
selected  for  both  comfort  and  drama.  Her  gait  is  unsteady,  the  byprod- 
uct of  successful  surgery  for  a  brain  tumor.  Moreover,  her  shoulders 
define  her  attitude  with  a  display  of  hardware  that  would  rival  the  most 
decorated  general.  "I'm  Not  Over  the  Hill,  I'm  on  a  Roll,"  reads  one  of 
a  dozen-plus  buttons,  while  others  say,  "RASP:  Remarkably  Aging 
Smart  Person,"  "Older  Women's  League,"  and  "80+  Is  Awesome." 

But  outrageousness  is  not  in  the  eye  of  the  beholder;  it's  a  proclama- 
tion from  Jacobs,  who  also  sports  a  medal  saying  "Outrageous  Ladies' 
Lodge."  She  even  wrote  a  book  titled  Be  an  Outrageous  Older  Woman. 
"I  divide  the  word  into  three  syllables,"  she  says.  '^Oiit,  rage,  and  us. 
So  many  older  people  are  in  rage  because  of  the  disrespectful  and  dis- 
missive way  people  treat  them.  I  push  people  to  live  in  such  a  way  that 
the  rage  goes  out  of  /«." 

Spreading  the  0-Word 

While  the  ranks  of  senior  militants  are  burgeoning,  Jacobs  is  not  some 
quirky  character  who  recently  jumped  on  the  anti-ageism  bandwagon. 
She  is  a  distinguished  gerontologist  whose  PhD  in  sociology  predated  by 
decades  the  first  group  of  women  to  don  purple  dresses  and  flamboyant 
red  chapeaux  and  celebrate  their  seniority.  And  instead  of  giving  tea 
parties,  she  spreads  her  message  of  elderly  empowerment  by  teaching 
courses  on  "Aging  Outrageously  and  Courageously"  in  the  lifelong 
learning  program  at  Weston's  Regis  College,  working  as  a  researcher  and 


tie 


lecturer  at  Wellesley  College's  Wellesley  Center  for  Women,  and 
teaching  credit-bearing  courses  for  doctors,  nurses,  psychologists,  and 
social  workers  who  deal  with  the  elderly.  She  pens  a  column  for  the 
Senior  Times,  a  tabloid  distributed  in  three  New  England  states.  She  also 
addresses  groups  at  libraries,  senior  centers,  and  councils  on  aging,  as 
well  as  in  convents  and  elderly  housing  complexes.  One  of  her  favorite 
programs  involves  drafting  audience  members  to  enact  her  play  Happy 
Birtheiay.  which  challenges  assumptions  about  aging. 

The  purpose  of  the  play,  which  has  been  distributed  by  the  Wellesley 
women's  centers  to  groups  throughout  the  nation,  is  to  get  older  folks  to 
confront  what  Jacobs  calls  their  own  internalized  ageism.  Some  partici- 
pants have  adamantly  refused  to  divulge  their  ages,  as  if  saying  the  num- 
ber would  create  a  stigma.  The  plot  oi  Happy  Birthday  concerns  a  woman 
who  is  angry  at  her  daughter  for  throwing  her  a  surprise  eightieth 
birthd.iy  part)' — outing  her,  so  to  speak,  as  an  octogenarian. 

"1  didn't  invent  that  woman,"  Jacobs  says.  "There  are  people  like  her 
everywhere — people  who  lie  about  their  ages  because  they  think  there 
is  something  wrong  with  being  old.  I  find  the  play  provides  a  much 
better  way  of  reaching  people  than  lecturing  because  they  really  iden- 
tif)'  with  the  characters." 

Bringing  it  to  Brandeis 

In  the  Osher  Lifelong  Learning  Institute  at  Brandeis  (BOLLI),  Jacobs 
is  a  fixture.  She  helped  start  the  seven-year-old  adult-education  pro- 
gram and  is  one  of  a  handful  of  member  of  its  all-volunteer  facult)'  to 
have  led  courses  from  the  very  beginning.  That  translates  into  seven 
semesters  each  of  memoir-writing  and  poetry-writing  classes.  Jacobs 
says  she'll  keep  teaching  them  until  there's  no  one  left  to  enroll. 

"Writing  is  good  for  older  people  because  it's  cheaper  than  therapy, 
it  has  fewer  side  effects  than  medication,  and  it  can  help  you  see  where 
you've  been  in  order  to  figure  out  where  you  want  to  go.  Sharing  one's 
life  story  with  others  in  a  program  like  BOLLI  can  also  be  a  tremen- 
dous source  of  friendship  and  support,"  says  Jacobs,  who  began  her 
career  as  a  journalist. 


icrcsa 


BOLLI's  senior  course  leader  is  AUDACIOUS,  COURAGEOUS, 

and^she  wants  the  world  to  know— UTTEIUA  OUTMCxEOUS. 


V, 


II 


II 


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II 


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After  graduating  from  high  school,  Jacobs 

took  a  wartime   job  as  a   "copy  girl" — the 

■<\o\^'^  V»  "boys"  were  oft  fighting  on  foreign  soil — for 

1^       ^^ />  Boston's   Herald  Traveler  newspaper,  which 

fV  O^^  eventually  signed  her  on  as  a  writer.  Unlike 

»  many  early  female  reporters,  she  was  not  con- 

>'  scripted  to  write  "lifestyle"  pieces,  but  covered 

important  issues  of  the  day,  interviewing  Winston 
Churchill,  Eleanor  Roosevelt,  and  other  luminaries. 
After  a  pause  for  child-rearing,  Jacobs  decided  to  find  a  field  that 
would  keep  her  closer  to  home.  She  entered  Boston  University  to  major 
in  education.  A  riveting  sociology  course  changed  her  trajectory, 
though,  and  after  getting  a  bachelor's  degree  she  joined  Brandeis's 
fledgling  graduate  program  in  sociology,  where  she  became  interested 
in  studying  the  elderly.  Given  the  tender  age  of  the  university,  in  com- 
bination with  the  fact  that  she  was  over  forty  when  her  program 
started,  Jacobs  fancies  herself  the  oldest  PhD  graduate  ot  Brandeis. 
Regarded  as  a  pioneer  in  the  field  ot  gerontology,  she  taught  full-time 
at  Boston  University,  Clark  University,  Regis  College,  and  Springfield 
College  in  Vermont.  She  is  also  the  author  of  nine  books  and  myriad 
scholariy  papers. 

Since  BOLLl's  birth,  Jacobs  has  married  her  expertise  in  writing  and 
gerontology,  drawing  on  her  storytelling  skills  to  help  more  than  two  hun- 


dted  older  students  compose  their  lives  in  prose  and  poetry.  Some — Jacobs 
calls  them  "recidivists" — have  taken  her  classes  multiple  times.  In  intimate 
groups  of  up  to  fifteen,  they  write  about  their  careers,  reflect  on  their  par- 
enting years,  or  nail  down  family  history  for  their  progeny  to  enjoy. 

Jacobs  tells  of  a  retired  Brandeis  science  professor  who  chronicled  his 
role  in  the  Manhattan  Project  at  Los  Alamos,  New  Mexico,  where  he 
helped  develop  the  atomic  bomb.  Another  student,  she  recalls,  wrote 
about  her  path-breaking  work  in  identifying  and  treating  dyslexia, 

Jacobs  is  a  distinguished  gerontologist 
whose  PhD  in  sociology  predated  by 
decades  the  first  group  of  women  to  don 
purple  dresses  and  flambovant  red 
chapeaux  and  celebrate  their  seniority. 

which  helped  open  educational  doors  to  a  population  ot  children  once 
considered  intellectually  deficient.  A  third  BOLLl  member  committed 
to  paper  the  memories  of  her  flight  out  of  war-torn  Austria — an  escape 
in  which  her  father  died.  The  classes  have  helped  two  famous  Boston 
restaurateurs  find  their  voices,  says  Jacobs,  who  complains  that  they 


A  Lifestyle  Called  BOLL 


Who  are  those  five  hundred  golden-agers  on  the  Brandeis 
campus,  and  how  do  they  stay  so  young? 


Most  folks  old  enough  for  BOLL! — the  Osher 
Lifelong  Learning  Institute  at  Brandeis — 
recall  when  adult-education  options  were  lim- 
ited to  subjects  like  cake  decorating  and 
low-impact  aerobics.  Not  long  ago,  the  idea  of 
spending  one's  retirement  years  tackling  topics 
like  baroque  music,  the  Spanish  Civil  War, 
and  film  noir  would  have  been  inconceivable. 

Then  along  came  Harvard  University,  which 
opened  the  doors  three  decades  ago  on  its  Insti- 
tute for  Learning  in  Retirement.  Responding  to 
a  larger  and  more  savvy  fifty-plus  population 
with  sophisticated  intellectual  expectations,  the 
pioneering  program  featured  member-driven 
learning  experiences  that  plumbed  the  full 
breadth  and  depth  of  human  knowledge. 

Today,  some  five  hundred  lifelong  learning 
institutes  serve  mature  students  across  the 
nation.  About  one  hundred  get  partial  support 
from  the  Osher  Foundation,  which  recently 
awarded  BOLLI  a  $1  million  endowment 
grant.  To  the  contribution,  which  followed 
three  )ears  of  $100,000  current-use  gifts  from 
Osher,  BOLLI  hopes  to  add  the  ptoceeds  of  a 
newly  launched  $2  million  fundraising  drive 
ro  form  ,\  S3  million  endowment. 


BOLLI— then  called  BALI,  for  Brandeis 
Adult  Learning  Institute — came  into  being 
seven  years  ago  within  the  university's  Rabb 
School  for  Continuing  Studies.  Its  genesis  cor- 
responded with  a  skyrocketing  demand  for 
such  programs  in  the  Boston  area  as  Harvard, 
concerned  that  it  was  turning  away  more 
applicants  than  it  was  able  to  accommodate, 
sent  out  a  cry  for  help  in  1999. 

Intrigued  by  the  challenge,  Brandeis  profes- 
sor Bernie  Reisman,  PhD'70,  along  with  Rabb 
School  assistant  provost  Amy  Grossman  and  a 
handful  of  volunteers,  decided  to  test  the 
waters.  Hoping  to  drum  up  an  attendance  of 
perhaps  fifty,  they  scheduled  a  meeting  on 
May  4,  2000,  for  anyone  interested.  More 
than  four  hundred  area  residents  showed  up  to 
express  support  and  curiosity.  Four  months 
later,  the  first  eighteen  courses  were  launched. 

Still  administratively  located  within  the  Rabb 
School,  BOLLI  (rhymes  with  Polly)  holds 
classes  two  days  per  week  in  the  Gosman  athlet- 
ics complex.  Brandeis  manages  the  program's 
endowment,  and  BOLLI  taps  the  Brandeis  fac- 
ulty for  guest  speakers.  Sharon  Sokoloff, 
PhD'91,   a   gerontologist   and    Heller   School 


graduate  who  has  led  BULLl  tor  the  past  six 
years,  believes  Brandeis's  reputation  for  excel- 
lence is  one  key  to  its  popularity  and  success. 
Conversely,  BOLLI  fits  well  the  university's  mis- 
sion of  sharing  its  educational  resources  for  the 
greater  good,  its  commitment  to  the  pursuit  of 
knowledge,  and  its  transmission  of  knowledge 
from  generation  to  generation. 

But  BOLLI  is  no  Brandeis  charity.  Ron  Levy, 
chair  of  BOLLl's  dozen-member  governing 
council,  says  that  while  the  program  received  an 
initial  university  investment  of  $100,000,  it  has 
been  fully  self-sustaining  from  its  second  year 
on.  BOLLI  meets  its  own  operational  costs, 
covers  the  salaries  of  its  two-and-a-half-member 
staff,  and  pays  overhead  to  Brandeis  for  space 
and  services  used.  It  even  makes  a  financial  con- 
tribution to  the  university  each  year. 

Most  of  the  budget  originates  with  the  532 
men  and  women  from  the  Greater  Brandeis 
area  who  pay  $300  each  term  for  membership; 
the  rest  derives  from  grants  and  fiindraising 
programs.  BOLLI  keeps  costs  down  by  relying 
on  scores  of  member  volunteers  who  serve  on 
seventeen  committees  involved  in  areas  like 
curriculum,  technology,  and  membership. 

Members,  who  represent  a  wide  range  of  pro- 
fessional pursuits,  also  lead  courses  within  their 
own  areas  of  expertise;  their  rewards  include 


never  write  about  the  celebrities  they've  crossed  paths  with  in  their 
glamorous  careers;  instead,  George  Berkowitz  of  Legal  Sea  Foods 
focuses  on  his  military  service,  while  Ken  Rosenthal,  of  Ken's  at 
Copley,  fashions  beautiful  sonnets. 

Works  are  read  and  discussed,  then  distributed  to  class  members  to 
take  home  and  reflect  upon.  Jacobs  helps  the  nascent  scribes  channel 
their  ideas,  and  she  supplies  the  editorial  polishing.  Though  she  encour- 
ages students  to  submit  their  finished  manuscripts  for  publication, 
many  have  no  ambition  to  see  their  memoirs  go  beyond  inclusion  in  the 
BOLLI  Journal,  which  comes  out  annually.  More  olren,  they  "self- 
publish"  through  a  private  printer  or  copy  center,  creating  just  enough 
copies  to  share  their  personal  histories  with  families  and  friends. 

On  Beyond  BOLLI 

What  Jacobs  doesn't  teach  at  BOLLI  is  how-to  courses  on  aging.  That, 
she  says,  is  because  BOLLI  members  are  directly  involved  in  setting  the 
program's  curriculum,  and  the  last  thing  they  want  to  focus  on  is  getting 
old.  And  it's  just  possible  that  the  highly  involved  BOLLI  membership 
represents  the  elder  population  least  in  need  of  Jacobs's  lessons. 

Those  men  and  women  who  do  make  their  way  into  Jacobs's  aging 
lectures  learn  not  only  to  be  at  peace  with  their  date  of  birth,  but  also 
to  draw  on  the  many  resources  available  through  councils  on  aging  and 
other  organizations  committed  to  helping  them  meet  their  physical 


Ruth  Jacobs  passes  up  diamond  brooches  for  plastic  buttons 
that  invite  important  conversation  on  healthy  aging. 


«';i. 


reduced-price  membership  for  each  term  they 
teach.  A  few  are  retired  Brandeis  professors; 
most  are  not.  Sokoloff  points  to  Len  Aberbach, 
a  career  engineer  with  a  lifelong  passion  for  clas- 
sical mythology  who  is  now  teaching  his  third 
course  on  the  subject.  Another  model  is  Sophie 
Freud,  PhD'70,  granddaughter  of  Sigmund 
Freud  and  author  oi  Living  in  the  Shadow  of  the 
Freud  Family.  One  of  the  first  BOLLI  volun- 
teers to  sign  on,  she  has  taught  a  range  of 
psychology-related  courses,  including  this  fall's 
It  Was  Hard  to  Grow  Up. 

For  the  cost  of  their  membership,  partici- 
pants may  enroll  in  two  courses  of  their 
choice;  when  classes  are  oversubscribed,  seats 
are  assigned  by  lottery. 

They  may  elect  to  take  a  third  course  if  space 
is  available,  but  they  do  so  at  their  own  peril. 
Although  there  are  no  entrance  requirements  or 
exams,  the  yardstick  by  which  the  curriculum 
committee  evaluates  proposals — "Would  this 
course  be  at  home  in  the  regular  university  cata- 
log?"— keeps  the  intellectual  pace  demanding. 
With  an  intimate  class  size — the  average  is 
twenty — active  participation  is  inescapable,  and 
Sokoloff  says  it's  not  unusual  for  course  leaders 
to  assign  a  reading  load  of  a  book  a  week. 

Any  participant  may  enroll  in  an  added  class 
designed  to  prepare  course  leaders.   Levy,  an 


Englishman  who  joined  the  program  four  years 
ago  to  take  what  proved  to  be  an  enlightening 
class  on  Winston  Churchill,  has  himself  taught 
several  courses  on  current  events. 

But  Sokoloff  points  out  that  BOLLI  is  more 
than  a  place  to  take  or  teach  a  class.  Instead, 
people  are  drawn  to  the  program  by  its  prom- 
ise of  augmenting  what  she  calls  "qualit)'  of  life 
and  cognitive  vitality." 

During  each  day  BOLLI  meets — that's 
twenty  days  per  term — there  is  a  "lunch  and 
learn"  program  featuring  an  eclectic  range  of 
speakers.  Recently,  participants  heard  from 
WCRB  classical  radio's  Laura  Carlo  and 
from  Jon  Kingsdale,  head  of  Massachusetts's 
groundbreaking  universal  health  coverage 
program.  Rose  Art  Museum  director 
Michael  Rush  spoke  to  them  about  twenti- 
eth-century art,  while  photojournalist  Linda 
Hirsch  explicated  what  she  called  "the 
Jewish-Cuban  connection." 

BOLLI  members  also  get  together  for  social 
events,  day  trips,  and  other  activities.  They 
attend  Brandeis  lectures  and  symposia,  enjo)' 
student-rate  access  to  cultural  events  and  facil- 
ities on  campus,  and  have  use  of  the  university 
library.  For  another  $100  per  year,  they  can 
work  out  in  Brandeis's  athletic  facilities. 

There  is  a  hangout  area — BOLLI  calls  it  the 


Gathering  Place — where  individuals  connect 
as  they  read  the  newspaper,  do  homework,  or 
just  chat.  Spinoff  groups  form  around  shared 
interests,  such  as  photography  and  Neiv  Yorker 
fiction.  BOLLI  even  has  a  global  friends  group 
who  open  their  homes  to  serve  as  host  families 
for  graduate  students  in  Heller's  sustainable 
international  development  program. 

Friendships  forged  at  BOLLI  spill  over  into 
everyday  life  as  students  travel  together,  social- 
ize off-campus,  and  share  their  holidays  and 
important  life  transitions.  Sokoloff  tells  of  a 
recent  BOLLI  group  effort  that  provided  a  can- 
cer-stricken member  with  transportation  to  all 
thirty-three  of  his  chemotherapy  sessions. 

Levy  describes  the  BOLLI  family  as  com- 
fortable, welcoming,  and  close-knit,  with  a 
shared  "thirst  tor  learning."  About  85  percent 
are  Jewish.  While  most  live  nearby  in  Newton 
or  Lexington,  others  come  from  as  far  away  as 
Worccsier,  Rockport,  and  New  Hampshire. 
Only  a  smattering  hold  Brandeis  degrees. 

Sokoloff  says  she  likes  to  refer  to  BOLLI  as 
"a  learning  community,  with  a  separate 
emphasis  on  each  word."  More  than  one 
member,  she  adds,  has  approached  her  to  say. 
"I  never  expected  to  make  new  best  friends  i 
my  stage  in  life." 

— Therm  /'  use 


LIFE 
AT  40 


*• 

.^ 


% 


/ 


THE  BEST  AGE 

IS  THE  AGE 

YOU  ARE 


I'M  A 
GOOD  OU 
THING"    ^ 


RAST 

,  ^'"art  Person)  ^ 


Acttog 


,»HEBE 

THE 
ST  01 


and  emotional  needs.  As  Jacobs  puts  it,  "It's  not  just  about  Bingo  any 
more. "  They  learn  how  to  navigate  the  heakh-care  system,  choosing 
and  communicating  effectively  with  their  doctors,  and  how  to  value 
their  experience  and  freedom.  They  even  talk  about  sexuality,  Jacobs 
notes,  likening  herself  to  TV  sex  therapist  Ruth  Westheimer  as  she 
jokes,  "I  like  to  call  myself  the  other  Dr.  Ruth. " 

AhonX  tluit  Button  . . . 

What's  so  awesome  about  being  eighty-plus? 

"If  you're  healthy  and  retired,"  Jacobs  says,  "then  you  can  command 
your  own  schedule  and  do  all  kinds  of  things  you  never  had  time  to  do 
before.  In  every  town,  there  are  so  many  fascinating  classes  and  lectures 
available.  I  personally  enjoy  a  wonderful  short-story  group  that  meets 
at  the  Council  on  Aging  in  Weston. 

"Plus,  you  can  do  outrageous  things.  You  can  skip  cleaning  your 
house.  You  can  speak  your  mind  to  power.  You  can  goad  politicians. 
You  can  call  for  an  end  to  the  war.  What  are  they  going  to  do  to  you? " 

So  what's  the  most  outrageous  thing  Jacobs  does? 

She  pauses  to  think,  then  responds,  "I  love  to  swim.  I  belong  to  a 
health  club  and  swim  in  their  indoor  pool  every  day.  But  when  1  am 

With  classes  kept  to  an  intimate  size,  participation  in  discussion  is 
inescapable,  and  many  BOLLI  students  go  on  to  become  group  leaders. 


"Writing  is  good  for  older  people  because 
it's  cheaper  than  therap>;  it  has  fewer  side 
effects  than  medication,  and  it  can  help 
you  see  where  you've  been  in  order  to 
figure  out  where  you  want  to  go." 

traveling  I  stay  in  youth  hostels  or  cheap  motels.  So  I  swim  in  the  best 
hotels  in  town.  I  crash  their  pools.  If  a  bunch  of  teenagers  crashed  the 
pool,  they  might  be  accosted.  I  walk  in  and  people  assume  that  I'm  a 
hotel  guest.  I  just  walk  in  like  I  belong  there." 

The  Down  Side 

Of  course,  being  old  is  not  all  fun  and  games,  even  for  those  who  are 
in  good  health  and  of  sound  mind.  If  Jacobs  could  deliver  one  message 
to  the  general  population  about  how  to  improve  the  lives  of  elders,  it 
would  be  this:  Do  not  patronize  them. 

Do  not,  for  example,  speak  to  them  in  a  loud,  shrill  voice;  do  look 
beyond  their  weaknesses  to  see  their  considerable  strengths;  do  not 
scold  them  as  if  they  were  naught)'  children;  do  value  the  depth  of  their 
experience;  do  not  refer  to  them  as  Honey  or  Dearie. 

"Some  people,"  she  says,  "see  my  gr.iy  hair  and  wrinkles  and  assume 
I've  lost  my  marbles.  The  clerk  at  my  pharmacy,  for  example,  always  asks 
me  whether  I've  written  the  payment  amount  in  my  checkbook.  She 
would  never  say  that  to  a  younger  person.  Recently  I  went  to  my  local 
hospital  to  get  a  cardiac  Holter  monitor  I  was  supposed  to  wear  for 
twenry-four  hours  because  1  was  experiencing  rapid  heartbeat.  But  when 
I  got  to  the  cardiology  department,  a  woman  said  to  me,  'Oh,  you're  not 
scheduled  for  a  Holter  monitor;  you're  scheduled  for  a  stress  test.' 

"I  said,  'No,  it's  a  Holter  monitor.  I  don't  want  a  stress  test;  it's  not  a 
good  idea  to  have  one  if  you  have  a  rapid  heartbeat.'  She  said,  'Dearie, 
you've  forgotten.  You've  made  a  mistake.'  I  had  to  really  pull  a  great 
tantrum  to  make  her  call  my  doctor's  office  and  get  things  straightened 
out.  She  wouldn't  have  done  that  with  a  thirty-  or  a  forty-year-old.  She 
treated  me  as  if  I  were  a  total  idiot." 

Theresa  Pease  is  editor  o/Brandeis  University  Magazine. 


28 


Braiulcis  I  niversity  Magazim-  |  F;ill   1)7 


iieldwork 


Post  Cards  from  the  Past 


Searching  for  pieces  of  an  ancient  puzzle. 


Over   the   past   twenty   years,   Javier 
Urcid  has  returned  again  and  again 
to  his  native  Mexico  searching  for 
pieces  of  an  ancient  puzzle. 

An  anthropological  archaeologist  and 
Brandeis  associate  professor  of  anthro- 
pology, Urcid  studies  the  ancient  societies 
of  Mesoamerica  and  is  working  to  decipher 
the  writing  system  used  by  the  Zapotec 
people  of  Oaxaca  between  500  BCE  and 
900  CE. 

Of  the  dozen  or  so  known  ancient 
Mesoamerican  scripts,  only  the  Maya  and 
Aztec  scripts  have  been  deciphered,  largely 
because  of  critical  documents  written  by 
Spanish  missionaries  who  interviewed  native 
intellectuals.  Although  the  Zapotec  lan- 
guage is  still  spoken  in  Oaxaca,  the  script — 
one  of  the  earliest  known  writing  systems  on 
the  American  continent — was  replaced  with 
another  style  of  writing  by  the  tenth 
century,  well  before  European  contact. 

Without  a  key  to  unlock  the  script  and 
only  a  few  surviving  texts,  Urcid  has  trav- 
eled to  Mexico  time  and  time  again  over  the 
course  of  two  decades  to  known  and 
unknown  archaeological  sites  that  bear 
inscriptions  on  monumental  architecture 
and  objects  like  ceramics  and  bones, 
attempting  to  contextualize  them.  His  cata- 
log of  Zapotec  glyphs  contains  almost  three 
thou,sand  entries  with  data  about  the  signs, 
type,  size,  and  form  of  material  used — usu- 
ally stone — as  well  as  the  context  in  which 
the  inscriptions  were  found. 

The  biography  of  each  inscription  is  com- 
plicated, Urcid  says.  Many  hieroglyphic  texts 


By  Carrie  Simmons 


were  carved  on  large,  heavy  stones  placed  in 
the  faqades  and  other  parts  of  monumental 
architecture.  But  even  in  ancient  times,  peo- 
ple dismantled  buildings  and  reused  many  of 
the  monoliths  in  other  places. 

"Instead  of  providing  a  neat  snapshot, 
the  archaeological  data  leave  me  with  a  puz- 
zle," Urcid  says. 


Like  Egyptian  hieroglyphics,  the  Zapotec 
script  was  a  logo-syllabic  system  of  writing. 
A  sign  could  represent  a  word  or  a  single 
syllable  of  a  word.  Most  of  the  signs  were 
iconic.  Some  are  identifiable  as  animals, 
plants,  tools,  or  body  parts  like  hands  or 
feet  used  to  convey  an  action,  but  many  are 
icons  that  are  unrecognizable  today. 


I  all    (T  I  lii.iiiil.is  I  iini-l>ily  Maiiiiziiii- 


29 


field 


work 


In  his  first  book  about  the  ancient  script, 
Zapotec  Hieroglyphic  Writing,  Urcid  created 
contextual  reconstructions  of  dismantled 
monuments.  His  reconstructions  do  not 
necessarily  reflect  the  original  placements  of 
the  inscriptions,  but  they  do  reveal  clues 
about  the  writing  system.  Urcid  discovered 
that  some  ot  the  carved  texts  exhibit  a  pat- 
tern suggesting  that  the  writing  was  syntac- 
tically structured,  with  a  subject  and  an 
object,  and  that  events  were  reported  in 
terms  of  the  native  reckoning  of  time. 

Using  the  catalog  of  glyphs,  Urcid 
focused  on  those  accompanied  by  numbers 
to  elicit  the  structure  ol  the  ancient  calen- 
dar, including  day  signs  he  decoded  using  a 
list  of  Zapotec  day  names  compiled  by  a 
sixteenth-century  Spanish  missionary. 

"Scholars  had  studied  these  glyphs 
before,  but  they  couldn't  see  the  linkages 
because  they  never  thought  of  them  as  com- 
prising entire  narratives,"  says  Urcid,  a 
native  of  Puebia,  Mexico,  who  joined  Bran- 
deisin  1999. 

Although  he  can't  "read"  the  Zapotec 
script,  Urcid  has  made  some  interesting 
conclusions  about  the  societal  uses  of  the 
ancient  writing  system. 

"This  society  didn't  construe  literacy  as 
something  to  be  accessed  by  everyone.  It 
was  monopolized  by  the  elite  and  was  a 
powerful  means  of  marking  social  differ- 
ences," Urcid  says.  "However,  it  is  also 
possible  that  there  were  different  levels 
of  literacy." 

Only  trained  readers  could  understand 
the  components  ol  inscriptions  that  coded 
speech,  according  to  Urcid,  but  iconic  com- 
ponents were  semantically  understood  bv 
people  irrespective  of  their  linguistic  back- 
ground, and  were  used  on  monumental 
buildings  to  transmit  messages  to  a  much 
larger  social  constituency. 

One  such  inscribed  monument  from 
Monte  Alban,  one  of  the  earliest  cities  of 
Mesoamerica,  includes  two  royal  figures 
engaged  in  a  ritual,  and  a  person  dressed  as 
an  eagle  presenting  a  captive.  The  blood  sign 
"spoken"  by  the  eagle-person  denotes  "sacri- 
fice" of  the  captive,  according  to  Urcid. 

Tombstone  inscriptions,  murals  on  the 
walls  of  tombs,  and  markings  on  objects 
placed  with  the  dead  appear  to  be  genealog- 
ical records  that  trace  descent  and  docu- 
ment social  status,  according  to  Urcid. 


"Writing  was  a  way  of  validating  access  to 
resources  like  land  and  labor  and  legitimizing 
social  status  and  administrative,  political, 
and  religious  offices, "  he  says. 

Urcid,  who  graduated  from  Universidad 
de  las  Americas  in  Cholula,  Mexico,  and 
earned  a  PhD  from  Yale  University,  is  cur- 
rently working  on  his  second  book,  a  history 
of  Monte  Alban.  The  histor)'  will  be  based  on 
more  than  nine  hundred  Zapotec  inscrip- 
tions collected  at  the  archaeological  site. 
More  than  four  hundred  of  the  carved  mono- 
liths appear  to  be  records  of  important  events 
that  took  place  during  the  early  occupation  of 
the  city  between  400  BCE  and  200  CE. 

In  addition  to  doing  contextual  analysis 
of  inscriptions,  Urcid  has  learned  much 
about  the  Zapotec  scribal  tradition  by 
studying  other  Mesoamerican  writing  sys- 
tems, including  inscriptions  made  by  the 
Nuine  people.  Urcid  compares  not  only 
individual  signs,  but  also  their  order,  com- 
binations, and  relations  to  other  signs  with- 
in a  given  inscription. 


In  2004,  Urcid  and  a  team  that 
included  two  Brandeis  students  conducted 
an  archaeological  investigation  of  a  large 
natural  tunnel  in  Tepelmeme,  Oaxaca, 
created  by  a  stream.  In  ancient  times,  people 
visited  the  tunnel,  which  reaches  heights  of 
210  feet  in  some  areas,  to  render  messages  in 
Nuine  script.  Like  the  complicated  puzzle  of 
monumental  architecture  with  Zapotec 
inscriptions,  the  painted  areas  ot  the  tunnel 
walls  contain  superimposed  layers  of 
inscriptions  because  of  repeated  use. 

"There  is  a  tendency  in  contemporary 
scholarship  to  refer  to  ancient  Mesoamerica 
as  'prehistoric'  demonstrating  a  Eurocentric 
perspective  of 'history'  as  memories  rendered 
exclusively  in  Western  alphabetic  scripts," 
Urcid  says.  "My  work  points  to  other  possi- 
ble 'histories'  that  are  powerful  means  to  fos- 
ter contemporary  social  identities." 

Carrie  Simr?wi!s  is  a  university  and 
media  relations  specialist  in  the  Office  of 
Communications. 


Braii(li-is  Uiiivcrsit\   Mapaziiu'  |  Fall   07 


deisarts 


music 


Four  for  the  Road 

Lydians  embark  on  a  five-year  musical  journey. 


By  Deborah  Halber 


They  evoke  fire,  volcanic  energy,  and  passion.  Critics  have 
called  their  music  "tender,"  "light,"  and  "nimble."  It's 
amazing  what  Brandeis's  Lydian  String  Quartet  can  do  with 
a  viola,  a  cello,  and  two  violins. 

Created  at  Brandeis  in  1980,  the  prize-winning  Lydians — com- 
posed of  founding  members  Judith  Eissenberg  and  Mary  Ruth  Ray 
on  violin  and  viola,  respectively,  plus  Grammy-nominated  first  vio- 
linist Daniel  Stepner  and  cellist  Joshua  Gordon — launched  their 
twenty-eighth  season  this  fall.  It  is  the  first  full  season  of  the  ensem- 
ble's five-year  project  "Around  the  World  in  a  String  Quartet." 

Describing  the  global  undertaking  as  "a  musical  voyage  across 
cultures  and  time,"  Eissenberg  savs  the  foursome  will  "explore  the 
far  reaches  of  the  string  quartet  literature  with  pieces  such  as  Oasis, 
by  Azerbaijani  composer  Franghiz  Ali-Zadeh,  and  Four,  for  Tango, 
by  Argentinean  composer  Astor  Piazzolla."  They  will  perform 
pieces  that  evoke  the  dance  rhythms  of  Latin  America  and  the 
lilting  harmonies  of  Asia. 

"Our  goal  is  to  invite  the  audience  to  experience  all  the  music  we 
will  be  playing,  from  the  German  composer  Robert  Schumann  to 
the  Iranian  composer  Reza  Vali,  in  the  context  of  "musics  of  the 
world,'"  she  explains. 

While  known  for  their  exploration  of  contemporary  pieces  and 
their  practice  of  extending  listeners'  experience  beyond  the  familiar 
to  diverse  musical  voices  from  around  the  world,  the  Lydians  are  no 
strangers  to  the  traditional  Western  repertoire  written  for  four 
string  players.  Indeed,  previous  multiyear  projects  for  the  ensemble 
were  "Vienna  and  the  String  Quartet,"  which  highlighted  com- 
posers from  the  first  and  second  Viennese  schools,  and  "American 
Originals,"  featuring  performances  and  recordings  of  more  than 
sixty  works  by  American  composers.  Currently  they  are  in  the 
process  of  adding  a  collection  ot  Beethoven's  late  string  quartets  to 
their  long  list  of  recordings. 

Eis.senberg  is  looking  forward  to  the  Lydians'  new  project.  "Fortu- 
nately tor  us,  after  Western  European  compo.sers  such  as  Haydn  and 
Beethoven  planted  the  string  quartet  flag,  the  exploration  didn't 
stop,"  she  says.  "Composers  continue  to  travel  down  this  aural  Silk 
Road,  exchanging  sounds  and  ideas  in  a  bazaar  of  musical  traditions." 


In  this  season's  schedule,  which  includes  performances  on 
February  2  and  April  5,  the  quartet  "visits"  Western  Europe, 
Ukraine,  the  United  States,  Iran,  Azerbaijan,  Hungary,  China,  and 
Finland.  Quips  Eissenberg,  "We  know  the  journey  will  be  an  inter- 
esting one;  we  just  have  to  remember  to  feed  the  camels!" 

Deborah  Halber  SO  is  a  freelance  writer  in  Lexington,  Massachusetts. 


I  mII    II~  I  liiaMilc-i~  I  MiMTsity  \laf!:i/inr 


31 


deissports 


alumni  profile 


New  Balance 


A  career  in  university  atliletics  helps  reshape  a  dream. 


By  Adam  Levin 


Sports  enthusiast  Josh  Center  '04  used  to  dream  of  becoming 
director  of  athletics  at  Syracuse  University.  But  after  two  years 
working  for  the  National  Collegiate  Athletic  Association 
(NCAA),  first  as  an  intern  in  the  communications  office  and  then 
as  the  coordinator  of  new  media  communications,  Centor  has 
taken  a  broader  view. 

"I've  met  so  many  wonderful  student-athletes  and  seen  so  many 
NCAA  institutions,"  he  explains,  "that  I'd  be  honored  to  work  in 
any  collegiate  athletic  department." 

A  native  of  New  York  City,  Centor  says  he  can  remember  some- 
thing about  just  about  every  game  he  has  ever  played.  "One  of  my 
favorite  memories  is  of  a  Little  League  game  at  the  age  often  or  so," 
Centor  recalls.  "My  dad  had  to  work,  but  he  came  by  before  the 


32 


Josh  Centor  '04  is  making  h\s  marl<  at  the  National  Collegiate 
Athletic  Association. 


Braihli'is  L  MiviT.sily  Magaziiii'  |  Fall   ()^ 


game  to  wish  me  luck.  I  wasn't  traumatized  by  the  tact  that  he 
couldn't  be  there,  but  he  seemed  to  be.  My  family  has  always  been 
close  because  of  sports." 

Centor  played  baseball  at  Brandeis  and  was  copresident  of  the 
Student-Athlete  Advisory  Committee  as  a  junior  and  senior.  For  his 
efforts,  the  economics  major  and  international  business  minor  earned 
the  athletics  department's  Morris  Sepinuck  Sportsmanship  Award, 
which  recognizes  significant  contributions  to  student  life  at  Brandeis. 

After  graduating,  Centor  spent  a  year  as  an  intern  in  the  Boston 
College  media  relations  department.  After  that,  he  decided  the 
internship  with  the  NCAA  was  the  best  way  for  him  to  help 
advance  within  the  field  of  athletics. 

At  the  NCAA,  he  developed  "The  Double-A  Zone" 
(www.doubleazone.com),  a  blog  that  launched  in  November 
2005.  The  blog  offers  an  inside  look  at  NCAA  issues  and  other 
subjects  of  interest  to  the  student-athlete.  Among  the  innovations 
Centor  has  brought  to  the  blog  are  "Mondays  with  Myles,"  a 
weekly  podcast  featuring  NCAA  president  Myles  Brand,  and  a 
video  news-brief  segment  called  "3-Minute  Drill."  Such  creative 
contributions  led  to  Centor's  promotion  from  intern  to  full-timer 
in  April  2006. 

Though  he  has  attended  numerous  NCAA  championship  events 
(the  College  World  Series  in  Omaha  is  his  favorite)  and  interviewed 
several  sports  legends,  Centor  finds  his  interactions  with  current 
md  lesser-known  collegians  just  as  exciting. 

"I  really  enjoy  sitting  down  with  student-athletes  on  their  own 
turt,"  he  says.  "Traditional  media  are  limited  in  what  they  can  show 
us  in  print  and  television." 

While  he  envisions  staying  at  the  NCAA  as  long  as  he  is  enjoying 
it,  that  dream  of  being  an  athletics  director  is  still  alive,  even  if  it  may 
have  changed  a  bit.  "I  can  definitely  envision  going  back  to  a 
Division  III  institution  someday,  because  I  really  believe  in  their  phi- 
losophy," Centor  says.  "Athletics  are  an  important  part  of  the  college 
experience,  but  balancing  them  with  academics  is  crucial  in  building 
a  well-rounded  individual." 

Adam  Levin  '94  is  director  of  sports  infornmtion. 


deisbooks 


DARWINIAN 
MISADVENTURES 


HUMANITIES 


Faculty 

Darwinian  Misadventures 
in  the  l-lumanities 

By  Eugene  Goodheart 
126  pages,  $32.95 
Transaction  Publishers 

In  recent  decades,  the  humanities 
have  been  in  thrall  to  postmodern 
skepticism,  while  Darwinists,  brim- 
ming with  confi- 
dence in  the 
-iUGENEGOODHEARIx.      genume  progress 
they  have  made  in 
the  sciences  of 
biology  and  psy- 
chology, have  set 
their  sights  on  res- 
cuing the  humani- 
ties from  the 
ravages  of  postmod- 
ernism. In  this  vol- 
ume, Goodheart, 
professor  emeritus  of  English, 
attacks  the  neo-Darwinist  approach 
to  the  arts  and  articulates  a  powerful 
defense  of  humanist  criticism. 


How  Far  Away  Is  the  Sun? 
and  Ottier  Essays;  Readings 
in  Chinese  Cultural  Series, 
Volume  2 

By  Weijia  Huang  and  Qun  Ac 
215  pages,  $19.95 
Cheng  &  Tsui  Company 

Intended  as  a  supplement  to  interme- 
diate textbooks,  this  volume — 
coauthored  by  Assistant  Professor 
of  Chinese  Qun 
Ao — provides  enter- 
taining reading 
material  for  interme- 
diate Mandarin 
Chinese  language 
learners.  The  essays, 
written  in  traditional 
Chinese  characters, 
cover  a  range  of  cul- 
tural issues,  from 
Chinese  painting  to 


the  perils  of  Internet  dating  to  the 
social  effects  of  the  one-child  policy. 
Each  chapter  is  accompanied  by 
vocabulary  lists,  related  words  and 
expressions,  optional  exercises,  and 
an  appendix  rendered  in  Pinyin  char- 
acters. A  language  teacher  for  more 
than  twenty  years,  Qun  Ao  is  the 
author  or  coauthor  of  several  books, 
including  The  Gateway  to  Chinese 
Philology  and  Illustration  of  the  Radi- 
cals of  Chinese  Characters,  both  due 
for  publication  by  Commercial  Press 
this  year. 


Spiritual  Radical:  Abraham 
Joshua  Heschel  in  America, 
1940-1972 

By  Edward  K.  Kaplan 
544  pages,  $40 
Yale  University  Press 

A  worthy  sequel  to  his  widely 
praised  biography  of  Heschel's  early 
years,  Kaplan's  new 
volume  draws  on 
previously  unseen 
archives,  FBI  files, 
and  interviews  with 
people  who  knew 
Heschel,  considered 
by  many  to  be 
one  of  the  most 
significant  Jewish 
theologians  of 
the  twentieth  cen- 
tury. Kaplan,  the 
Kevy  and  Hortense  Kaiserman  Pro- 
fessor in  the  Humanities,  explores 
Heschel's  shy  and  private  side,  his 
spiritual  radicalism,  and  his  vehe- 
ment defense  of  the  Hebrew 
prophets'  ideal  of  absolute  integrity 
and  truth  in  ethical  and  political 
life.  Of  special  interest  are  Heschel's 
interfaith  activities,  including  a 
secret  meeting  with  Pope  Paul  VI 
during  Vatican  II,  his  commitment 
to  civil  rights  with  Martin  Luther 
King  |r.,  his  views  on  the  state  of 
Israel,  and  his  opposition  to  the 
Vietnam  War. 


Transforming  Teacher 

Education:  Reflections 

from  the  Field 

Edited  by  David  Carroll,  Helen 
Featherstone,  Joseph  Featherstone, 
Sharon  Feiman-Nemser,  and 
Dirck  Roosevelt 

280  pages,  $29.95 

Harvard  Education  Press 

Transforming  Teacher  Education  offers 
an  intimate,  reflective  account  of  the 
development  of  the  renowned  Team 
One  teacher- 
education  program 
at  Michigan  State 
University.  Over  a 
ten-year  period, 
Team  One  estab- 
lished a  reputation 
as  a  beacon  of  pro- 
gressive teacher  edu- 
cation. In  this  book, 
Feiman-Nemser, 
Mandel  Professor  of 
Jewish  Education; 
Roosevelt,  director  of  rhe  master  of 
arts  in  teaching  program;  and  the 
other  creators  of  Team  One  describe 
their  ongoing  efforts  to  nurture  and 
sustain  a  teacher-education  program 
that  could  serve  as  a  learning  com- 
munity for  students,  faculty,  and 
administrators  alike.  The  book 
weaves  together  diverse  voices  to 
provide  a  detailed  portrait  of  the 
ongoing  transformation  of  teachers 
and  students  as  they  learn  together. 


You  Never  Call!  You 
Never  Write!  A  History  of 
the  Jewish  Mother 

By  Joyce  Antler  '63 
321  pages,  $24.95 
Oxford  University  Press 

As  the  Samuel  Lane  Professor  of 
American  Jewish  History  and  Cul- 
ture at  Brandeis,  Antler  is  the  author 
or  editor  of  nine  books,  including 
The  Journey  Home:  How  Jeivish 
Women  Shaped  Modern  America  and 


(U'l^DOO 


books 


34 


Talking  Back:  Images  ofjeivish  Wonn-ii 
in  American  Popular  Culture.  In  her 
latest  volume,  subtitled  A  History  of 
the  Jewish  Mother, 
she  mixes  humor 
with  deep  under- 
standing to  go 
beyond  the  stereo- 
rypes  and  provide  a 
poignant  and  sym- 
pathetic portrait  of 
lewish  moms.  As 
she  goes,  she 
touches  upon  topics 
that  range  from 
Molly  Goldberg  to 
Roseanne  and  Irom  Margaret  Mead 
to  The  Sisters  Roseiisweig. 


Alumni 

The  Boarding  House  in 
Nineteentii-Century  America 

By  Wendy  Ciamber,  PhD'91 

212  pages,  $45 

Johns  Hopkins  University  Press 

The  term  "boarding  house"  evokes 
exotic  visions  from  Dickensiari  novels 
or  histories  of  mill  towns  where  new 
recruits  from  rural  villages  lodged  in 
tamily  settings.  But  Gamber,  an  asso- 
ciate professor  of  history  at  Indiana 
University,  tells  us 
that  social  historians 
estimate  somewhere 
between  a  third  and 
a  half  of  nineteenth- 
century  urban  resi- 
dents either  took  in 
boarders  or  were 
boarders.  In  this 
colorful  volume, 
Gamber  re-creates 
the  lifestyle  of  such 
lodgers  by  telling 
story  after  story 
about  actual  residents  of  boarding 
houses.  The  establishments  they 
inhabited  ranged  from  the  pointedly 
respectable  "private  homes"  to  more 
informal,  sometimes  even  raucous, 


IJijiiiili'is  I  iii\iM-sil\  Magazine  |  Fall   07 


dwellings  that  were  celebrated  in  car- 
toons and  satirical  literature. 


Comes  the  Peace:  My 
Journey  to  Forgiveness 

By  Daja  Wangchuk  Meston  '96 

with  Clare  Ansberry 
258  pages,  $25,  Free  Press 

Meston,  who 
describes  himself  as 
the  son  of  American 
hippies,  was 
deposited  by  his 
parents  in  the  early 
1970s  at  a  mon- 
astery in  Nepal, 
where  at  age  six  he 
was  ordained  a 
Tibetan  Buddhist 
monk.  With  only 
about  two  years'  formal  education 
and  scant  familiarity  with  the  mod- 
ern world,  he  left  the  East  at  age 
seventeen  and  returned  to  America, 
managing  against  almost  over- 
whelming odds  to  obtain  a 
Brandeis  education.  Today  he  lives  in 
the  Boston  area,  where  he  and  his 
Tibetan  wife,  Kim  Meston  '05,  have 
an  import  shop.  This  memoir, 
written  in  collaboration  with 
journalist  Atisberry,  tells  of  a  young 
man's  journey  home  and  his  even- 
longer  journey  to  reconciliation  and 
rebirth.  A  chapter  is  devoted  to  the 
author's  challenging,  and  ultimately 
successful,  experiences  at  Brandeis. 


Easy  Pour 

By  Joel  Roberts  '00 

281  pages,  $31.99 

Xlibris  Corporation,  Random  House 

Roberts,  an  MBA  candidate  at 
Boston  University,  self-published 
this  coming-of-age  novel  about  a 
fictitious  young  college  graduate 
struggling  to  "find  himself"  in  New 
York.  As  his  floundering  hero  flips 
through  job  listings  and  frequents 


Pour 


hats,  he  searches  for 
a  sense  of  direction. 
According  to  the 
Xlibris  Web  site, 
"Using  a  snapshot 
storyline  that  spans 
I  he  length  of  a  year, 
Roberts  pushes  the 
boundaries  of  first- 
person  fiction, 
lilurring  the  lines 
that  divide  dia- 
logue, introspection,  and  narrative 
description.  Rich  with  dark  humor 
and  thematic  subject  material.  Easy 
Pour  has  been  praised  as  a  must 
read  for  anyone  in  his  twenties 
sorting  through  all  of  life's  ups 
and  downs.'" 


Healing  from  Post-Traumatic 
Stress:  A  Wori^book 
for  Recovery 

By  Monique  Lang  '66 
192  pages,  $18.95 
McGraw-Hill 


You  don't  need  to 
be  a  combat 
veteran  to  suffer 
from  post-traumatic 
stress.  A  divorce, 
the  death  of  a  loved 
one,  a  massive 
tragedy  like  Hurri- 
cane Katrina  or  the 
World  Trade  Center 


POST- 
TRAUMAjric: 


bombings,  and  even  the  loss  of  a  job 
can  bring  painful  flashbacks  and 
interfere  with  daily  living.  In  these 
pages,  Lang,  a  licensed  social  worker, 
provides  readings,  creative  assign- 
ments, and  workbook-style  exercises 
for  those  who  have  trouble  letting  go 
of  their  anxiety.  Following  a  pattern 
roughly  akin  to  the  therapy  process, 
she  suggests  ways  sufferers  can 
understand  what  has  happened  to 
them,  explore  their  grief  and  perhaps 
guilt,  escalate  their  recovery,  and 
regain  a  sense  of  peace.  She  also  sug- 
gests ways  to  get  personal  and  pro- 


fessional  help  if  a  reader  becomes 
stymied  in  the  self-healing  process. 


Israel  and  Palestine: 
Peace  Plans  from  Oslo 
to  Disengagement 

By  Gaiia  Golan  '60 
230  pages,  $24.95 
Markus  Wiener  Publishers 

Most  history  books,  cynics  point  out, 
focus  on  waging  war.  This  one  is 

about  waging  peace. 
In  it,  Golan,  a  self- 
proclaimed  peace 
activist  and  Zionist 
and  a  professor  at 
the  Hebrew  Univer- 
sity of  Jerusalem, 
chronicles  attempts 
at  peacemaking 
beginning  at  Oslo 
in  1993  and  contin- 
uing through  the 
2005  Israeli  disen- 
gagement from  Gaza.  Publishers 
Weekly  calls  the  work  "a  readable  and 
remarkably  evenhanded  account"  that 
weaves  complex  historical  issues  into 
the  modern  political  context.  The 
helpful  appendices  contain  original 
texts  of  source  documents  and  clear, 
concise  summaries  of  various  plans 
and  accords.  Active  in  the  organiza- 
tion Peace  Now  since  its  founding  in 
1978,  Golan  is  the  author  of  eight 
books  on  Soviet  foreign  policy. 
Eastern  Europe,  and  the  Middle  East. 
She  is  the  recipient  of  a  Ford  Founda- 
tion Fellowship  and  a  MacArthur 
Foundation  "genius"  grant. 


Kissed  By 

By  Alexandra  Chasin  '84 
175  pages,  $17.95 
Fiction  Collective  2 

In  this  remarkable  collection  of  lin- 
guistically acrobatic  fictions,  Chasin 
employs  forms  as  diverse  as  cryp- 
tograms and  sentence  diagrams  to 


display  a  prodi- 
gious talent  that  is 
visual  as  well  as 
verbal.  In  one 
story,  the  words 
are  arrayed  on  the 
page  like  troops, 
embodying  the 
xenophobic  image 
of  invading  armies 
that  animates  the 
narrative.  Another 
story  incorporates  personal  ads,  while 
yet  another  leaves  sentences  unfin- 
ished. A  number  of  Chasin's  stories 
take  metafictional  turns,  calling 
attention  to  the  process  of  writing 
itself  The  last  piece  in  the  collection 
plays  with  genre  distinctions, 
including  an  index  of  first  lines  and  a 
general  index.  Treating  love,  loss, 
longing,  and  war,  among  other 
things,  and  set  in  New  York,  New 
England,  California,  Paris,  and 
Morocco,  these  tales  are  narrated  by 
men  and  women,  old  and  young, 
gay,  straight,  and  bisexual;  one  narra- 
tor is  not  a  person  at  all,  but  a  work 
of  art.  Each  of  these  deft,  pla\'ful, 
and  sometimes  anarchic  fictions  is 
different  from  the  others,  yet  all  are 
the  unmistakable  offspring  of  the 
same  wildly  inventive  imagination. 


Men  of  Silk:  The 
Hasidic  Conquest  of 
Polish  Jewish  Society 

By  Glenn  Dynner  '93,  PhD'02 
384  pages,  $65 
Oxford  Universirv  Press 


0^  .Silk 


Is  Hasidic  Judaism 
the  product  of 
humble,  folksy 
origins,  or  does  it 
reflect  astute  polit- 
ical understand- 
ings of  more 
aristocratic 
founders?  And 
why  has  it  made 
such  deep  inroads 


in  certain  circles  while  being  reviled 
in  others?  Using  a  name  given  to 
Hasidic  mystic  R.  Israel  ben  Eliezer, 
Dynner  writes,  "The  'Besht'  once 
compared  the  outside  observer  of 
Hasidism  to  a  deaf  man  who  happens 
upon  a  group  of  blissfully  dancing 
Jews.  Unable  to  hear  the  music,  the 
man  assumes  the  dancers  are  com- 
plete lunatics. "  In  this  scholarly  book, 
Dynner,  professor  of  Judaic  studies  at 
Sarah  Lawrence  College,  helps  the 
reader  "hear  the  music"  by  drawing 
upon  newly  discovered  Polish  archival 
material  to  contextualize  the  move- 
ment's ascendancy  and  impact  in  that 
country,  illuminating,  in  the  process, 
a  variety  of  perspectives  on  Hasidism. 


Mistakes  Were  Made  (but 
Not  by  Me):  Why  We  Justify 
Foolish  Beliefs,  Bad 
Decisions,  and  Hurtful  Acts 

By  Carol  Tavris  '66  and 

Elliot  Aronson  '54 
292  pages,  $25,  Harcourt 

Tavris  is  a  nationally  known  psychol- 
ogist, lecturer,  columnist,  and  author 
of  several  celebrated  books.  Aronson 
is  a  social  psycholo- 
gist possibly  best 
known  for  his  semi- 
nal work  on  cogni- 
tive dissonance. 


Mistakes 
Were 
Made 

(but  not  by  mc) 

CAROL  TAVHIS  j-,  ELLIOT  ARONSON 


They  pooled  their 
scholarship  and  wit 
to  bring  us  this 
charming  yet 
informative  explana- 
tion of  why  men 
and  women  at  all 
levels  of  govern- 
ment, business,  and  society  refuse  to 
take  responsibility  when  they  mess 
up.  Using  dozens  of  case  studies,  the 
authors  demonstrate  that  not  admit- 
ting to  errors — whether  they  involve 
proclaiming  that  Saddam  Hussein 
had  weapons  of  mass  destruction  or 
winning  an  argument  with  one's 
spouse  by  insisting  that  white  is 


dei^books 


36 


green — "keeps  us  on  a  course  that 
is  dumb,  immoral,  and  wrong." 
Enticing  quotes  pepper  the  text, 
including  one  from  a  November  1 , 
1993,  press  release  sent  out  by  an 
unnamed  doomsday  sect:  "We  didn't 
make  a  mistake  when  we  wrote  in  our 
previous  releases  that  New  York 
would  be  destroyed  on  September  4 
and  October  12,  1993." 


My  Mother  the  Cheerleader 

By  Robert  Sharenow  '89 

288  pages,  $16.99,  HarperCollins 

This  young  adult  novel  focuses  on  an 
adolescent  girl  in  1960  Louisiana 

and  her  relationship 
with  the  title  char- 
acter— not  a  literal 
cheerleader,  but  a 
member  of  the 
Cheerleaders,  a 
group  ol  pro- 
segregation  women 
who  gathered  to 
taunt  Ruby  Bridges 
as  the  six-year-old 
attempted  to  inte- 
grate an  elementary 
school  in  New  Orleans's  Ninth 
Ward.  Written  in  the  first  person,  the 
book  relates  narrator  Louise  Collins's 
confusion,  pain,  and  growth  as  she 
confronts  hate,  love,  caring,  and  con- 
flict in  a  changing  society.  First-time 
author  Sharenow  is  senior  vice 
president  of  nonfiction  and  alterna- 
tive programming  at  the  A&E 
network.  He  has  produced  numerous 
television  shows,  including  Growing 
Up  Gotti. 


Nothing  to  See  Here 

By  David  L.  Post,  PhD'78 

271  pages,  $14.95 

The  Beckham  Publications  Group 

Intrigued  by  a  real-life  story  about  a 
prominent  Boston-area  physician 
who  was  convicted  of  murdering 


liraiidiiN  I  rriviTsily  \I;i?;aziiir  |   I  all  'O" 


his  wife,  composer 
and  clinical  psy- 
chologist Post  set 
out  to  spin  an 
imaginary  tale  of 
how  an  apparently 
well-balanced, 
accomplished  pro- 
fessional might  be 
led  down  the  path 
of  madness  and 
into  crime.  The 
result  is  a  fast-paced  psychological 
thriller  that  novelist  William  G. 
Tapply  has  described  as  "a  modern 
tragedy  such  as  Shakespeare  or 
Sophocles  would  write  it  they  lived 
in  the  suburbs  of  twenty-first- 
century  Boston." 


Poems  from  Guantanamo: 
The  Detainees  Speal< 

Edited  by  Marc  Falkoff,  PhD'97 
72  pages,  $13.95 
University  of  Iowa  Press 


Over  the  past  five 
years,  nearly  eight 
hundred  Muslim 
prisoners  have  been 
brought  to  the  U.S. 
detention  center  at 
Guantanamo  Bay, 
Cuba,  where  they 
have  been  held  in 
harsh  conditions 
and  often  kept  in 
isolation — in  many 


cases,  without  ever  having  been 
charged  with  a  crime.  Originally 
denied  paper  and  pencils,  they  began 
to  convey  their  emotions  by  using 
pebbles  to  scratch  out  poetry  on 
Styrofoam  cups.  In  this  small  but 
powerful  volume,  Falkoff — one  of 
hundreds  of  volunteer  lawyers,  pro- 
fessors, law  students,  and  human 
rights  activists  who  rallied  to  help 
their  voices  be  heard — shares 
twenty-two  poems  written  by 
seventeen  of  the  incarcerated  men. 
They  write  of  their  faith,  of  their 


families,  of  their  sorrows,  of  their 
deaths,  and  of  the  irony  that  men  so 
readily  "fight  for  peace." 


Publishing  without 
Boundaries:  How  to  Think, 
Work,  and  Win  in  the 
Global  Marketplace 

By  Michael  N.  Ross,  MA'77 
165  pages,  $24.95 
The  Association  of 
Educational  Publishers 


PUbLlbH!|.iC. 
WITHOUT 
OUNDARIES 


Ross  is  the  senior 
x'ice  president  and 
education  general 
manager  at  Ency- 
clopaedia Britannica, 
where  he  heads 
worldwide  electronic 
and  print  publishing. 
In  this  primerlike 
volume,  he  demon- 
strates how  to  use  digital  technology 
to  transcend  the  barriers  of  country 
and  format,  providing  a  road  map  to 
international  publishing.  His  advice 
encompasses  content  development, 
buying  and  selling  rights,  legal  consid- 
erations, and  marketing. 


Surrogate  Motherhood  and 
the  Politics  of  Reproduction 

By  Susan  Markens  '89 
272  pages,  $24.95 
University  of  California  Press 

Despite  a  provoca- 
tive cover  showing  a 
pregnant  woman's 
belly  covered  with  a 
bar  code,  this  book 
takes  a  serious  and 
evenhanded  look  at 
the  legal,  sociologi- 
cal, and  political 
issues  surrounding 
surrogacy  as  a  repro- 
ductive choice. 
Markens,  assistant  professor  of 
sociology  at  Lehman  College,  City 


SURROGATE 
MOTHERHOOD 


University  ot  New  Yori<,  examines  in 
particular  legislative  responses  to  the 
surrogacy  question  in  New  York  and 
California,  two  states  that  took 
opposite  positions  on  parental  rights 
and  whether  a  woman  can  legally 
contract  out  her  womb  to  bear 
another  family's  baby. 


The  Sweet  Spot: 
Asian-Inspired  Desserts 

By  Pichet  Ong  '89  and 

Genevieve  Ko 
290  pages,  $29.95 
William  Morrow 

If  your  idea  of  an  Asian  dessert  is 
canned  pineapple  chunks  pierced 

with  toothpicks,  get 
ready  to  salivate. 
Recently  named  one 
of  the  top  ten  pastry 
chefs  in  America  by 
PiisiTy  An  &  Design, 
the  chef  and  owner 
of  P*ONG  dessert 
restaurant  in  New 
York  City  has  come 
out  with  a  compilation  of  indul- 
gences that  range  from  lemongrass 
tapioca  to  peanut  turnovers.  Cook 
Ong's  way,  and  you'll  soon  be 
known  for  your  tangerine  pie, 
coconut  palm  flan,  and  green-tea 
pudding.  And,  yes,  he  includes  a 
recipe  for  fortune  cookies. 


Textures  ot  Struggle:  The 
Emergence  of  Resistance 
among  Garment  Workers 
in  Thailand 

By  Piya  Pangsapa,  MA'94 
217  pages,  $18.95 
Cornell  University  Press 

As  an  assistant  professor  in  the 
Department  of  Global  General 
Studies  at  the  University  at  Buffalo, 
Pangsapa  studies  corporate  respon- 
sibility in  the  global  supply  chain. 
This  book  is  the  product  of  exten- 


sive fieldwork  that  took  her  into 
Asian  sweatshops  where  women 
garment  workers  labor  for  twelve 
hours  daily,  360 
days  of  the  year, 
without  air  condi- 
tioning or  clean 
water  to  drink. 
Many  of  the  sub- 
jects she  inter- 
viewed endure 
verbal  and  physical 
abuse,  often 
sharing  six  toilets 
with  some  eight 
hundred  other 
workers,  all  for  wages  of  eighty 
cents  a  day.  While  providing 
enough  bleak  detail  to  draw  the 
attention  of  U.S.  shoppers  to  how 
their  consumer  goods  are  made, 
Pangsapa  also  shares  a  story  of 
hope,  illustrating  the  process  by 
which  women  become  activists  and 
learn  to  stand  up  for  their  rights. 


This  Crazy  Thing  a 
Life:  Australian 
Jewish  Autobiography 

By  Richard  Freadman  "73 

301  pages,  $39.95 

University  of  Western  Australia  Press 

Australia's  white  population  consists 
entirely  of  emigres,  refugees,  and 

deportees.  Since  the 
arrival  of  the  First 
Fleet — eleven  ships 
dispatched  by  Eng- 
land in  1787  to 
establish  the  first 
European  colony  in 
New  South  Wales — 
that  population  has 
included  Jews. 
Intent  on  helping  to 
tell  one  of  the 
nation's  great  mulri- 
cultural  narratives,  Freadman  has 
made  a  study  of  three  hundred  book- 
length  autobiographies  written  by 
Australian  Jews.  Examining  docu- 


ments that  tange  from  best-selling 
nonfiction  to  humble  self-published 
monographs,  he  sheds  light  on 
migrant  experience,  modern  Jewish 
life,  and  the  impact  of  the  Holocaust. 
A  former  Wien  Scholar  at  Brandeis, 
Freadman  is  the  Tong  Tin  Sun 
Professor  of  English  at  Lingnan 
University  in  Hong  Kong  and 
founding  director  of  the  Life  Writing 
Research  Institute  at  Lingnan. 


Through  the  Trees  of  Autumn 
By  Janet  Krauss  '57 
86  pages,  $12 
Spartina  Press 

Twice  nominated  for  the  Pushcart 
Prize,  a  literary  distinction  bestowed 
on  the  best 
emerging  artists, 
Krauss  teaches  liter- 
ature and  writing  at 
St.  Basil  College 
and  Fairfield 
University.  In  this 
volume,  the  poet 
has  assembled  more 
than  fifty  poems 
she  wanted  to  pass 
down  to  her 
children  and  grand- 
children. Her  subjects  are  relatives, 
the  natural  environment,  the  family 
homestead,  and  the  homely  and 
intimate  details  of  everyday  life  in 


THROUGH 

THE     TREES 

O  F 

AUTUMN 


New  England. 


Toxic  Exposures: 
Contested  Illnesses 
and  the  Environmental 
Health  Movement 

By  Phil  Brown,  PhD79 
355  pages,  $29.50 
Columbia  University  Press 

A  professor  of  sociology  and  environ- 
mental studies  at  Brown  Universiry, 
Brown  has  written  about  environmen- 
tal health  since  the  mid-1980s.  In  this 
book,  he  focuses  on  asthma,  breast 


deisbooks 


PHILBROWN 


38 


cancer,  and  Gult  War  syndrome,  each 
known  or  suspected  to  be  related  to 
environmental  hazards.  Drawing  on 
the  fields  of  sociol- 
ogy, environmental 
health,  and  social- 
movement  studies, 
the  author  demon- 
strates how  citizen- 
science  alliances 
have  banded 
together  to  overturn 
■  dominant  epidemio- 

logic;il  paradigms. 

.\  review  in  Library 

Journal  states,  "Envi- 
ronmental activists,  wannabe  activists, 
and  folks  tired  of  environmental 
hazards  in  their  communities  will  find 
this  a  worthwhile  guide  for  action." 


Trapped  in  the  War  on  Terror 

By  Ian  S.  Lustick  '71 

186  pages,  $24.95 

University  of  Pennsylvania  Press 

If  the  purpose  of  terrorism  is  to 
terrify,  then  the  terrorists  have  already 
won,  Lustick,  professor  of  political  sci- 
ence at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
suggests  in  this  provocative  book.  The 
September  1 1  hijackers'  biggest 
victory,  the  book  jacket  notes,  "was 
to  goad  our  government  into  taking 
the  bait  by  unleashing  the  Wat  on 
Terror.  The  worry,  witch-hunt,  and 
waste  that  have 
ensued  are  .  .  . 
destroying  Ameri- 
can confidence, 
undermining  our 
economy,  warping 
our  political  life, 
and  isolating  us 
from  our  interna- 
tional allies." 
Indeed,  Lustick 
demonstrates  how 
al-Qaeda  has  suc- 
ceeded in  making  us  our  own  worst 
enemy.  In  the  audior's  words,  "The 
government's  loudly  trumpeted  War 


TRAPPED 
WAR 

0/1 

TERROR 


Hi;iiiilii^  I  iiiviTsiiv  Mas:i/inc  I  Fall   11'!' 


on  Terror  is  not  the  solution  to  the 
problem.  It  has  become  the  problem.  ' 


The  Tyranny  of  the  Market: 
Why  You  Can't  Always  Get 
What  You  Want 

By  Joel  Waldfogel  '84 
204  pages,  $35 
Harvard  University  Press 

Ever  try  to  pick  up  a  side  order  ot 
hddleheads  with  your  fast-food 
burger?  You  can't — at  least,  not 
usually — because  that's  not  what  the 
majority  of  customers  want.  Lhe  "so 
what.'"  ot  that  reality  fills  the  pages 
of  Waldfogel's  book,  which  endeav- 
ors to  translate  economics  principles 
for  an  interested,  nontechnical  audi- 
ence. While  a 
sauteed  fern  may 
be  a  far  cry  from  a 
French  fry, 
Waldfogel,  a  profes- 
sor of  business  and 
public  policy  at  the 
University  of  Penn- 
sylvania's Wharton 
School,  stresses 
more  subtle  ways  in 
which  collective 
choice  abridges  our 
freedom  to  choose.  Looking  at  how 
production  costs  and  other  market 
factors  limit  differentiation  in  prod- 
ucts from  automobiles  to  newspaper 
and  from  pharmaceuticals  to  furni- 
ture, he  shows  how  these  fotces  cur- 
tail the  marketplace's  ability  to  cater 
to  minority  preferences. 


r-|-i  The 

lyranny 
Market 


loel  Wildfoucl 


The  Ultimate  Small  Business 
Marketing  Toolkit 

By  Beth  Goldstein  '85 

333  pages,  $27.95,  McGraw-Hill 

Founder  of  the  Marketing  Edge 
Consultant  Group  and  a  faculty 
member  at  Boston  University's  man- 
agement school,  Goldstein  has  more 
than  twenty  years'  experience  in  sales 


^ 


THE  ULTIMATE 

Small  Business 
Marketing  toolkit 


and  marketing.  On 
the  cover  of  this 
book  and  accompa- 
nying CD-ROM, 
she  promises  to 
deliver  "all  the  tips, 
forms,  and  strategies 
\ou'll  ever  need." 
( Vganized  into 
charts,  question- 
naires, Q&cA  features,  and  buUeted 
lists,  the  book  presents  in  an  easy-to- 
read,  workbook-style  format  infor- 
mation aimed  at  helping  users  to 
identify'  and  entice  customers.  The 
CD  includes  fifty  business  forms  that 
can  be  customized  to  meet  the  needs 
of  the  reader's  particular  enterprise. 


The  Victory  Gardens  of 
Brooklyn:  A  Novel 

By  Merrill  Joan  Gerber,  MA'S  I 
406  pages,  $24.95 
Syracuse  University  Press 

Gerber's  latest  novel  illuminates  the 
lives  ot  three  generations  of  women 
belonging  to  a  Jewish-Ametican 
family  in  New  York.  Arriving  from 
Poland  at  the  turn  of  the  century, 
sisters  Rachel  and  Rose  discover 
their  fates  on  New  York's  Lower 
East  Side.  Later,  Rachel's  daughters, 
Ava,  Musetta,  and  Gilda,  live  the 
passionate  drama  of  their  family's 

destiny  as  two  wars 
rage  in  the  world 
around  them.  In 
peace  and  war,  the 
men  they  love 
bring  them  both 
ecstasy  and  bitter 
grief.  Musetta's 
daughters,  Issa  and 
Iris,  carry  the  story 
to  its  poignant 
close  as  the  Second 
World  War  ends. 
With  a  delicate  touch  yet  piercing 
insight,  Gerber  explores  the  yearn- 
ings, loves,  and  struggles  of  women 
who  try  to  adapt  the  Jewish  rituals 


THE 

\-K'T()RV  (.;.\RDHN,S 

OH  UROdKI.VX 


of  the  "old  country"  to  the  reahties 
of  the  new  world. 


Brandeis  University  Press 

American  Dreams  and  Nazi 
Nightmares:  Early  Holocaust 
Consciousness  and  Liberal 
America,  1957-1965 

By  Kirsten  Fermaglich 
238  pages,  $29.95 

To  a  great  extent, 
Holocaust  con- 
sciousness in  the 
contemporary 
United  States  has 
become  inter- 
twined with  Ameri- 
can Jewish 
identity  and  with 
support  for  right- 
wing  Israeli  poli- 
tics— but  this  was 
not  always  the  case.  In  this  illumi- 
nating study,  Fermaglich,  assistant 
professor  of  history  and  Jewish 
studies  at  Michigan  State 
University,  demonstrates  that  in 
the  late  1950s  and  early  1960s  many 
American-Jewish  writers  and 
academics  viewed  the  Nazi  extermi- 
nation of  European  Jewry  as  a  subject 
of  universal  interest,  with  important 
lessons  to  be  learned  tor  the  liberal 
reform  of  American  politics. 


Eternally  Eve:  Images  of 
Eve  in  the  Hebrew 
Bible,  Midrash,  and 
Modern  Jewish  Poetry 

By  Anne  Lapidus  Lerner 
238  pages,  $26 

An  assistant  professor  of  Jewish 
literature  and  director  of  the  Pro- 
gram in  Jewish  Women's  Studies  at 
the  Jewish  Theological  Seminary  in 
New  York,  Lerner  shares  her  exten- 
sive research  on  the  biblical  charac- 
ter of  Eve,  identified  in  Genesis  as 


the  first  woman.  In 
exploring  the  role 
of  Eve  in  both 
Christian  and 
lewish  tradition, 
Lerner  inevitably 
contronts  religious 
and  social  assump- 
tions about  gender. 
Wrote  Marc 
Brettler,  Dora 
Golding  Professor 
of  Biblical  Studies  at  Brandeis,  "In 
this  wide-ranging  work,  Lerner 
shows  how  the  typical  depiction  of 
Eve  as  subservient,  and  as  an  evil 
temptress,  is  wrong." 


The  Life  and  Thought 
of  Hans  Jonas: 
Jewish  Dimensions 
By  Christian  Wiese 
260  pages,  $50 

German-born  Hans 
Jonas  (1903-1993) 
is  considered  one  of 
the  most  important 
philosophers  of  the 
twentieth  century.  A 
committed  Zionist, 
he  fled  Germany  in 
1933  and  took  up 
arms  against  Hitler 
as  a  member  of  the 
British  army, 
settling  later  in  Israel  and  finally  in 
North  America.  In  this  volume, 
Wiese  delineates  the  evolution  of 
Jonas's  ideas,  focusing  largely  on  his 
Zionism;  his  intense  Iriendships  with 
Hannah  Arendt,  Martin  Heidegger, 
and  other  intellectual  powerhouses  of 
his  generation;  and  the  impact  of  his 
Jewishness  on  Jonas's  ethics  of 
responsibility.  Wiese,  director  of  the 
Centre  for  German-Jewish  Studies 
and  professor  of  history  at  Sussex 
University,  Great  Britain,  is  also  the 
editor  of  Hans  Jonas's  memoirs, 
forthcoming  from  Brandeis 
Universitv  Press. 


ATTENTION 
ALUMNI  AUTHORS 


Send  two  copies 

of  your  book(s)  to: 

Alumni  Authors  Program 

MS  1 24  Brandeis  University 

415  South  Street 
Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

Books  will  be  included  in  the 

Alumni  Author  Ai-chives  in  the 

Robert  D.  Farber  University  Archives 

in  the  GoldJarh  Library  on  campus, 

as  virell  as  at  Brandeis  House  in 

New  York  City. 

Recent  pubUcations  (less  than  a 

year  old)  will  also  be  considered 

for  inclusion  in  an  upcoming  issue 

of  Brandeis  University  Magazine. 

For  more  information: 
authQrs@alurnni.brand8is.edu 


ADVERTISEMENT 


FROM  BRANDEIS  UNIVERSITY  PRESS 


Israel  In  the  Middie  East 

Documents  and  Readnigs  on  Society,  Politics,  and  Foreign  Relations, 
Pre- 1948  to  the  Present,  Second  Edition 

Edited  by  Itamar  Rabinovich  and  Jehuda  Reinharz 

All  anthology  of  the  tnost  miportaut  documents  on  domestic  and  foreign  issues 
of  the  modern  state  of  Israel  in  the  context  of  the  Middle  East 

This  timely  anthology,  completely  revised  and  updated  from  the  original  edition 
in  1984,  provides  convenient  access  to  the  most  significant  documents  of  the 
Zionist  movement  since  1882  and  of  Israel's  domestic  and  foreign  issues  between 
1948  and  2006.  Comprised  largely  of  primary  sources  from  Israeli,  Arab,  and 
American  records,  it  includes  documents  that  encompass  not  only  political  and 
diplomatic  history  but  economic,  cultural,  legal,  and  social  aspects  as  well. 

Itamar  Rabinovich,  Ettinger  Professor  of  Contemporary  History  of  the  Middle 
East  at  Tel  Aviv  University,  is  the  former  president  of  Tel  Aviv  University  and 
former  Israeli  ambassador  to  the  United  States.  Jehuda  Reinharz  is  Richard 
Koret  Professor  of  Modern  Jewish  History  and  president  of  Brandeis  University. 

Tauber  Institute  for  the  Study  of  European  Jewry  Series 
Paper  •  640  pp.  ISBN:  978-0-87451-962-4.' $29.95  $19.45 


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The  International  Judge 

An  Introduction  to  the  Men  and  Women  Who  Decide  the  World's  Cases 

Daniel  Terris,  Cesare  P.  R.  Romano,  and  Leigh  Swigart 

With  a  foreword  by  Sonia  Sotomayor 

An  interdisciplinary  introduction  to  international  judges  and  their  work,  based 
on  interviews  with  more  than  thirty  international  judges,  this  volume  is  the  first 
comprehensive  portrait  of  the  men  and  women  in  this  new  global  profession. 

"This  is  an  accessible  account,  suitable  for  a  general  readership,  of  that  part  of  the 
'invisible  college"  that  now  forms  the  international  judiciary.  Unlike  most  treat- 
ments of  the  subject,  it  treats  the  judges — some  200  strong — as  human  beings  and 
not  as  impersonal  agents  of  'legalization.'  The  book  includes  interesting  profiles  of 
a  handful  of  international  judges  and  addresses  topics  that  are  likely  to  become 
ever  more  timely  as  the  judicialization  of  international  law  proceeds,  including 
concerns  over  geographic  and  other  forms  of  'representation,"  the  prospects  and 
limits  of  'transjudicial'  communication,  and  the  likelihood  of  harmonized  notions 
of  professional  ethics  and  avoidance  of  conflicts."  — Jose  E.  Alvarez,  Hamilton 
Fish  Professor  of  International  Law  and  Diplomacy,  Columbia  Law  School 

Daniel  Terris  is  the  director  of  the  International  Center  for  Ethics,  Justice,  and 
Public  Life  at  Brandeis  University  and  author  of  Ethics  at  Work:  Creating  Virtue 
in  an  American  Corporation  (Brandeis,  2005).  Cesare  P.  R.  Romano  is  associate 
professor  of  law  at  Loyola  Law  School  Los  Angeles  and  assistant  director  of  the 
Project  on  International  Courts  and  Tribunals.  Leigh  Swigart  is  an  anthropolo- 
gist and  the  director  of  programs  in  international  justice  and  society  at  the 
International  Center  for  Ethics,  Justice,  and  Public  Life  at  Brandeis. 

Cloth  •  328  pp.  ISBN:  1-58465-666-1,  $15.00  $29.25 


Giving  Begets  Giving 

Sillerman  family  endows  philanthropic  center  with  $10  million  gift 


In  hopes  of  empowering  a  growing  generation  of  philanthropists 
to  become  social  entrepreneurs,  Robert  F.  X.  '69  and  Laura 
SiUerman's  Tomorrow  Foundation  has  made  a  $10  million  gift  to 
Brandeis  to  establish  the  Sillerman  Center  for  the  Advancement  ot 
Philanthropy. 

The  Sillerman  Center,  which  will  be  housed  at  Brandeis's  Heller 
School  for  Social  Policy  and  Management,  will  serve  as  a  powerful 
resource  to  strengthen  the  country's  34,000  family  foundations  as 
they  partner  with  nonprofit  organizations  to  deliver  crucial  health 
and  social  services. 

The  Sillerman  Center  will  provide  research-supported  advice  on 
effective  grant-making  strategies,  develop  best  practices,  and  help 

"The  Sillerman  Center  will  promote  an  under- 
standing of  the  importance  of  philanthropy  and 
define  new  mechanisms  for  achieving  lasting 
positive  change  in  society." 

successful  ventures  reach  scale.  In  addition,  the  center  will  host 
roundtables  with  leading  members  of  the  donor  communiry  and 
nonprofit  organizations,  offer  executive  education  opportunities, 
and  develop  new  courses  on  effective  philanthropy. 

"We  thank  the  Sillermans  for  their  generous  gift  to  establish  the 
Sillerman  Center  for  the  Advancement  of  Philanthropy  at 
Brandeis,"  said  Brandeis  president  Jehuda  Reinharz,  PhD'72.  "It  is 
appropriate  that  this  center,  which  seeks  to  help  philanthropies 
extend  their  reach  to  impact  the  greatest  number  of  people,  is  based 
at  Brandeis.  Since  its  founding,  Brandeis  has  been  committed  to 
social  justice." 

The  gift  is  the  largest  Brandeis  has  ever  received  from  an  alum- 
nus. Robert  Sillerman,  the  chairman  and  chief  executive  officer  of 
CKX  Inc.,  graduated  from  Brandeis  in  1969.  Robert  and  his  wife, 
Laura,  established  the  Tomorrow  Foundation  in  1999. 

"I  was  immensely  fortunate  to  be  a  child  of  the  1960s  at 
Brandeis,  where  I  formed  a  strong  sense  of  social  consciousness," 
Robert  Sillerman  said.  "Laura  and  1  hope  that  this  gift  inspires  oth- 
ers from  our  generation  to  make  similar  donations.  Our  generation 
has  the  responsibility  to  follow  through  on  the  ideals  we  voiced  in 
our  youth,  and  to  attempt  to  change  the  world  in  ways  we  could 


Laura  and  Robert  F.  X.  Sillerman  '69. 

only  imagine  in  the  1960s.  It  is  our  time  now  to  give  generously 
and  decisively." 

The  Sillerman  Center  will  be  directed  by  Heller  School  professor 
Andrew  Hahn,  PhD'78,  who  works  closely  with  foundations  and 
donors  to  maximize  the  value  and  effectiveness  of  their  philan- 
thropic investments. 

"An  analyst  famously  said  that  most  philanthropy  is  built  on  lit- 
tle more  than  'intuition,  trust,  and  a  great  river  of  money,"  Hahn 
said.  "At  the  Sillerman  Center,  our  goal  is  to  harness  the  power  of 
that  'river"  to  help  family  foundations  improve  the  lives  of  the  most 
vulnerable  members  of  our  society." 

"In  an  era  of  declining  government  support  for  initiatives  that 
benefit  the  disadvantaged,  the  Sillerman  Center  will  promote  an 
understanding  of  the  importance  of  philanthropy  and  define  new 
mechanisms  for  achieving  lasting  positive  change  in  society,"  said 
Stuart  AJtman,  the  dean  of  the  Heller  School  and  the  Sol  C. 
Chaikin  Professor  of  National  Health  Policy. 


|-"all    1)^  I  Hramlfi^  I  tiivt^-sitv  Ma<iMziiio 


41 


ilililfiiiEtfi 


FROM   THE  SENIOR  VICE   PRESIDENT 


Abiindantlv  Apparent 

Support  for  Annual  Fund  fuels  Brandeis's  success 


Thank  you.  Thank  you. 

Because  of  my  dual  roles  at  Brandeis — the 
senior  vice  president  of  insritutional  advance- 
ment and  the  parent  of  a  Brandeis  sophomore — 
I  am  doubly  grateful  for  the  generosity  of 
alumni,  parents,  and  friends  who  helped  the 
university  enjoy  another  record  fiindraising  year. 
Since  becoming  a  Brandeis  parent  last  fall 
when  my  older  son,  David  '10,  enrolled  as  a  first-year  student,  I 
have  developed  a  heightened  awareness  of  the  transformative  power 
that  donor  support  has  on  the  universiry. 

David  takes  thought-provoking  courses  with  world-renowned 
faculty;  interacts  with  a  diverse  group  of  students  who  share  his 
intellectual  curiosity  and  commitment  to  social  justice;  studies  and 
pursues  research  in  state-of-the-art  facilities;  and  participates  in 
enriching  extracurricular  programming. 


None  of  this  would  be  possible  without  the  alumni,  parents,  and 
friends  who  support  the  Annual  Fund,  a  vital  resource  for  so  many 
of  the  initiatives  that  make  Brandeis  one  of  the  country's  most 
respected  universities. 

Your  gifts  fund  undergraduate  scholarships  and  graduate  fellow- 
ships for  students,  endowed  chairs  for  leading  faculty,  and  capital 
projects  such  as  the  new  Carl  J.  Shapiro  Science  Center  and 
Edmond  J.  Safra  Center  for  the  Arts. 

In  fiscal  year  2007,  donors  supported  Brandeis  as  never  before. 
We  received  $89.4  million  in  cash  gifts  to  surpass  our  previous  best 
year  by  10  percent. 

Thank  you  tor  helping  make  the  institution  what  it  is  and 
providing  a  unique  educational  experience  for  students. 

—Nancy  Winship,  P'lO 
Senior  Vice  President  of  Institutional  Advancement 


Campaign  for  Brandeis  Approaches  $700  Million 


Thanks  to  another  record-breaking 
fundraising  performance  in  fiscal  year 
2007,  the  Campaign  for  Brandeis  is  rapidly 
approaching  the  $700  million  mark. 

As  of  October  31,  the  most  ambitious 
fiindraising  effort  in  Brandeis  history  had 
received  $681  million  in  cash  and  pledges, 
88  percent  of  the  way  toward  meeting  the 
goal  of  $770  million  by  June  30,  2009. 
In  the  fiscal  year  that  ended  June  30,  the  uni- 
versity raised  an  all-time  high  of  $89.4  mil- 
lion in  cash  gifts. 

"What  some  people  once  thought  impos- 
sible now  seems  achievable,"  said  Nancy 
Winship,  P'lO,  Brandeis's  senior  vice  presi- 


dent of  institutional  advancement.  "The 
success  of  the  campaign  has  helped  improve 
Brandeis's  academic  standing,  transformed 
the  campus  physical  plant,  and  put  the 
institution  on  strong  financial  footing." 
Gifts  to  the  campaign  have: 

•  Established  new  undergraduate  scholar- 
ships, graduate  fellowships,  and  endowed 
faculty  chairs. 

•  Created  the  Crown  Center  for  Middle 
East  Studies,  the  Charles  and  Lynn 
Schusterman  Center  for  Israel  Studies,  the 
Sillerman  Center  for  the  Advancement  of 
Philanthropy,  and  the  Steinhardt  Social 
Research  Institute. 


■95    '96    '97    -98    '99    '00     01    '02    '03     04    '05    -06     07 

Fiscal  Year 


ALUMNI  AND  DEVELOPMENT  CONTACTS 


Senior  Vice  President  of 
Institutional  Advancement 

Nancy  Winshiji,  P'lO 

781-736-4002 

winship@brandeis.edu 

Vice  President  of 
Development 

Myles  E.  Weisenberg  78 

781-736-4005 

weisen@brandeis.edu 


Associate  Vice  President  of 
Tlie  Campaign  for  Brandeis 

Susan  Krinsky 
781-736-4006 
krinsky@brandeis.edu 

Assistant  Vice  President  of 
Alumni  and  University 
Relations 

Karen  A.  Engelbourg  '79 

781-736-4107 

kengel@brandeis.edu 


Assistant  Vice  President  of 
Development 

Mark  Ableman 
781-736-4051 
mableman@brandeis.edu 

Senior  Director  of 
Corporation  and 
Foundation  Giving 

Robert  Silk  '90 
781-736-4052 
rsilk@brandels.edu 


Director  of  Development 
Communications 

David  E.  Nathan 
781-736-4103 
dnathan  1  @brandeis.edu 

All  staff  may  be  reached  at: 
Brandeis  University 
Mailstop  122 
POBox  549110 
Waltham,  MA  02454-91 10 


THE   CAMPAIGN   FOR   BRANDEIS 


Helping  Those  with  Disabihties 

Lurie  Marks  Foundation  gift  establishes  policy  institute  at  Heller 


A  quarter  century  after  establishing  an 
endowed  faculty  chair  at  Brandeis  to  study 
the  neurological  basis  for  autism  and 
related  disorders,  Nancy  Lurie  Marks,  P'77, 
P'87,  G'Ol,  has  made  a  gift  of  $5  million  to 
Brandeis  to  help  improve  the  lives  of  the 
increasing  number  of  people  living  with  the 
condition  and  other  disabilities. 

The  gift,  from  the  Nancy  Lurie  Marks 
Family  Foundation,  will  create  the  Lurie 
Institute  for  Disability  Policy  and  endow  a 
professorship  at  the  Heller  School  for  Social 
Policy  and  Management. 

Through  research,  policy  development, 
education,  and  public  engagement,  the 
Lurie  Institute  will  help  people  with  disabil- 
ities, particularly  autism,  successfully  inte- 
grate into  the  mainstream  of  society.  The 
university's  ongoing  scientific  research  into 
developmental  disabilities,  including 
autism,  will  inform  the  Lurie  Institute's 
activities,  providing  a  comprehensive 
approach  to  addressing  disability  issues. 

"My  family  is  dedicated  to  helping  people 
with  disabilities,  particularly  autism,  lead  ful- 
filling  and    rewarding   lives,"    said    Lurie 


Marks,  who  established  her  foundation 
thirty  years  ago.  "With  our  mutual  commit- 
ment to  progressive  policies  for  people  with 
disabilities,  the  Heller  School  at  Brandeis  is  a 
natural  home  for  the  Lurie  Institute  for 
Disability  Policy,  which  will  be  able  to  draw 
on  Heller's  renowned  faculty  and  expertise." 

The  number  of  people  diagnosed  with 
autism  in  the  United  States  has  grown 
exponentially  in  recent  years.  While  about 
one  in  2,500  people  was  diagnosed  with  the 
condition  in  the  1960s,  now  one  in  166 
Americans  is  diagnosed  with  an  autism- 
spectrum  disorder. 

"We  are  thrilled  about  this  partnership  and 
anticipate  that  the  Lurie  Institute  will  fiael  the 
development  of  innovative  social  policies  at 
this  critical  time  for  people  with  disabilities, 
especially  as  they  and  their  families  seek  a 
greater  voice  in  decision  making  related  to 
their  lifelong  needs,"  said  Marty  Wyngaarden 
Krauss,  PhD'81,  Brandeis  provost,  senior 
vice  president  for  academic  affairs,  and  the 
John  Stein  Professor  of  Disability  Research. 

Since  Lurie  Marks  established  her  pio- 
neering foundation  in  1977,  it  has  been  a 


leader  in  promoting  research  into  autism. 
The  Nancy  Lurie  Marks  Family  Foundation 
is  dedicated  to  helping  individuals  and  fam- 
ilies whose  lives  are  affected  by  autism  and 
increasing  both  the  public  awareness  of 
autism  and  the  free  exchange  of  informa- 
tion about  it. 

Lurie  Marks  and  her  family  are  longtime 
supporters  of  Brandeis.  Daughter  Cathy 
Lurie  graduated  in  1977,  and  son  Jeffrey 
Lurie  received  a  PhD  from  the  Heller 
School  in  1987.  Lurie  Marks's  granddaugh- 
ter Nicole  Adams  graduated  in  2001. 

In  2004,  the  Nancy  Lurie  Marks  Family 
Foundation  sponsored  a  symposium  on 
autism  and  behavioral  genomics  to  celebrate 
the  grand  opening  of  the  National  Center  for 
Behavioral  Genomics  at  Brandeis  and  the 
tenth  anniversary  of  the  Volen  National 
Center  for  Complex  Systems.  At  the  same 
time,  the  foundation  supported  an  innova- 
tive neuroscience  course  for  undergraduates 
focusing  on  autism  and  Professor  Susan 
Birren's  autism-research  program.  In  addi- 
tion, the  family  has  made  generous  gifts  to 
support  other  autism  research. 


Enhanced  Online  Page  Makes  Giving  Even  Easier 


•j  https://alumni.br 


m  vers  I 


Making  your  year-end  gift  to  Brandeis  is  now 
easier  than  ever. 

The  university's  enhanced  online  giving  page 
(http://alumni.brandeis.edu/onlinegiving)  is 
scheduled  to  be  launched  this  fall  with  several 
new  features: 

•  Easier  navigation 

•  Additional  giving  options 

•  Ability  to  use  international  credit  cards 

•  Accepts     American      Express,     along     with 
MasterCard  and  Visa 

Online  giving  has  grown  steadily  at  Brandeis  in 
recent  years,  establishing  records  in  fiscal  year 


2007  for  both  donors  {L367)  and  the  amount 
contributed  ($256,646).  Since  online  giving  was 
instituted  at  Brandeis  five  years  ago,  the  number 
of  donors  making  gifts  has  grown  nearly  1 ,000 
percent  and  the  gift  total  has  increased  sevenfold. 

"As  more  and  more  Brandeis  supporters  make 
gifts  online,  we  want  to  make  the  process  easier, 
while  also  providing  additional  ways  for  donors 
to  support  the  university,"  said  Mark  Ableman, 
assistant  vice  president  of  development. 

For  alumni  who  are  registered  Louie-Net 
users,  the  new  online  giving  form  will  offer  addi- 
tional features. 


D"  I  Bi:uiilri-  I  iiiMTMt)    Mafia 


43 


A  BRANDEIS  CHAIR  LIFT:  Endowed  Professorships  Enhance  Educational  Experience 


Albert  Abramson  Professor  of 
Holocaust  Studies 

Incumbent:  A>iionv  Polomky 

Academic  atfiliation:  Near  Eastern  and  Judaic  Studies 

Donor:  Albert  Abramson 

Martin  and  Ahuva  Gross  Professor  in 
Financial  Markets  and  Institutions 

Incumbent:  Bruce  Magid 

Academic  affiliation:  International  Business  School 

Donors:  Trustee  Martin  72  and 
Ahuva  Gross.  P'Ol.  P'OS 


Cynthia  L.  and  Theodore  S.  Berenson 
Professor  of  Fine  Arts 

Incumbent:  Peter  Kxdb 

Academic  affiliation:  Fine  Arts 

Donors:  Fellow  Cynthia  and  Theodore  Berenson 


Sylvia  K.  Hassenfeld  Professor  of  Islamic 
and  Middle  Eastern  Studies 

incumbent:  kiinan  Makiya 

Academic  affiliation:  Near  Eastern  and  Jud<tic  Studies 

Donor:  Trustee  Sylvia  HizssenfeU.  Alan  Hassenfeld,  and 
Ellen  Block  Hassenfeld 


1:1 

JPMorgan  Chase  Professor  of  Ethics 

Incumbent:  Marion  Smiley 

Academic  affiliation:  Phdosophy,  Women's  and 
Gender  Studies,  International  and  Global  Studies, 
Socuzl  Justice  and  Social  Policy 

Donor:  JPMorgan  Chase 

Kevy  and  Hortense  Kaiserman 
Professor  in  the  Humanities 

Incumbent:  Edward  Kitplau 

Academic  affiliation:  Romance  Studies 

Donors:  Trustee  Kenneth  Kaiserman  '60  and 
Ronald  Kaiserman  '63.  P'07,  and  family 

Harold  and  Bernlce  Davis  Professor  of 
Aging  and  Neurodegenerative  Disease 

Incumbent:  Dag/nar  Rmge 

■\cademic  affiliation:  Biochemistry,  Chemistry. 
Biological  Physics 

Donors:  Trustee  Jonathan  Davis  75 
and MaTgot Davis,  MA'05 


Earle  W.  Kazis  Professor  in  the  Practice  of 
Finance  and  International  Real  Estate 

Incumbent:  Edward Bayone 

Academic  affiliation:  International  Business  School 

Donor;  Earle  '55  and  Judy  Ktizis 


Orrie  Friedman  Distinguished 
Professor  of  Chemistry 

Incumbent:  Li  Deng 

Academic  affiliation:  Chemistry 

Donor:  Fandty  emeritus  Orrie  and  Laurel  Friedman 


Zaiman  Abraham  Kekst 
Professor  of  Neuroscience 

Incumbent:  joh}]  Listnan 

Academic  affiliation:  Biology,  Neuroscience 

Donor:  Trustee  Gershon  and  Carol  Kekst,  P'05 


l^^^^^^^^l^ 

Raymond  Ginger  Professor  of  History 

Incumbent:  Paul  Jankowski 

Academic  affiliation:  History.  Cultural  Production 

Donors:  Trustee  William  '65  and  Lucy  Friedman 

'If 

Myra  and  Robert  Kraft  Chair  In 
Arab  Politics 

incumbent:  Asher  Susser 

Academic  affiliation:  Crown  Center  for  Middle  East 
Studies,  Politics 

Donors:  Trustee  Myra  (Hiatt)  '64  and  Robert  Kraji 

44 


BiaiiiliMs  l'iiiversit\    Masaziiip  I  Fall  "07 


^m-imm'^^i). 


Since  the  launch  of  the  Campaign  for  Brandeis,  donors  have  made  gifts  of  nearly  $100  million 
to  endow  twenty-eight  faculty  chairs  in  subjects  ranging  from  neuroscience  to  Jewish  education. 


Henry  J.  Leir  Professor  in  the 
Economics  of  the  Middle  East 


Incumbenf 


Nader  Habibi 


Academic  affiliation:  Crown  Center  for  Middle  East 
Studies,  Economics 

Donor:  Leir  Charitable  Foundations 


r^ 


Harry  S.  Levitan  Professor  of 
Teacher  Education 

Incumbent:  Marya  Levemon 
Academic  affiliation:  Education 
Donor:  Fellow  Dr.  Joseph  Levitan 


Mandel  Professor  of  Jewish  Education 

Incumbent:  Sharon  Feiman-Nemser 

Academic  affiliation:  Mandel  Center  for  Studies  in  Jewish 
Education,  Near  Eastern  and  Judaic  Studies,  Homstein: 
The  Jewish  Professional  Leadership  Prografn.  Education 

Donors:  Trustee  Barbara  and  Morton  Mandel,  P'73, 

Jack  Mandel  and  Joseph  Mandel 


Fred  and  Rita  Richman  Distinguished 
Visiting  Professor 

Past  incumbents:  Trustee  Lhomas  Friedman  75  (left),  Lite 
Trustee  Ann  Richards,  G'09.  William  Schneider  '66.  and 
Ed  Koch 

Donors:  Trustee  Carol  (Richman)  Saivetz  '69.  P'97.  POT. 
Fellows  Fred  and  Liita  Richman.  P'69.  G'97,  COT. 
Michael  Saivetz  '97:  Aliza  Saivetz  '0 1:  and  James  and 
Elissa  Richman 


Barbara  and  Richard  M.  Rosenberg 
Professor  of  Global  Finance 

Incumbent:  Stephen  Cecchetti 

Academic  affiliation:  Lntemational  Business  School. 
Economics 

Donors:  Trustee  Barbara  (Cohen)  '5-v  and  Richard  Rosenberg 


iSb 

Lerman-Neubauer  Professor 
of  Democracy  and  Public  Policy 

incumbent:  Bernard  Yack 

Academic  affiliation:  Politics.  History  of  Ideas 

Donors:  Trustee  Jeanette  Lerman  '69  and  Joseph  Neiibauer 

Edmond  J.  Safra 

Professor  of  Sephardic  Studies 

incumbent:  Jonathan  Decter 

Academic  affiliation:  Near  Eastern  and  Judaic  Studies, 
Medieval  and  Renaissance  Studies 

Donor;  Lily  Safra,  G  '06 


Barbara  Sherman  '54  and  Malcolm  L. 
Sherman  Professor  of  Theater  Arts 

incumbent:  Eric  Hill 

Academic  affiliation:  Theater  Arts,  Cultural  Production 

[  )t.)nors:  Fellow  Barbara  (Cantor)  '54  and  Trustee  Malcolm 
Sherman.  P  '83 


Karl.  Harry,  and  Helen  Stoll  Family 
Professor  of  Israel  Studies 

Incumbent:  S.  Han  Iroen 

Academic  affiliation:  Charles  and  Lynn  Schusterman  Center 
for  Israel  Studies,  Near  Eastern  and  Judaic  Studies 

Donor:  Karl  Stoll.  and  Harry  and 
Helen  Stoll.  G  '04 


^^^r  -^^^H 

National  Women's  Committee 

^t^^j.  \  >  H 

Librarian's  Chair 

F-i 

Incumbent;  Susan  Wawrzaszek 

Donor:  Brandeis  University  National  Women's  Committee 

l&^  ■ 

Judith  and  Sidney  Swartz  Director  of  the 
Crown  Center  for  Middle  East  Studies 

Incumbent:  Shai  Feldman 

Academic  affiliation:  Crown  Center  for  Middle  Etut 
Studies.  Politics 

Donors:  Judith  and  Sidney  Swartz 


Search  for  Incumbent  Under  Way 

Charles  R.  Bronrman  Visiling  Chair  in  Suzanne  Lemberg  Usdan  Chair  in 

Jewish  Communal  Innovation  Business  and  Society 

Donors;  Aridmi  ami  ('kirk\  Hronfimm  Phibntbropies  [Joriori;  I  r  in  tee  John  ihdun  and  Fellow  AiLmi  UitLiu 

Nancy  Lurie  Marks  Professor  of  Susan  and  Barton  Winokur  Chair  in 

Disability  Policy  Economics,  Women's  and  Gender  Studies 

IXinni .  Felli}w  N.mn  Lurie  Marks,  P77.  P'87,  G'Ot  Donors:  Trustee  Barton  and  Susan  Winoktir 

Frances  and  Max  Elkon  Chair  in  Modern 

Jewish  History 

Donors:  Frances  and  Max  Elkon 


l-all  '07  I  IJraiuIci^'  IriiviTsiiy  Magazine 


45 


-.?>- 


Diversity  Matters 

Minority  Alumni  Network  establishes  scholarship 


The  recently  established  Minorirv'  Alumni 
Network  Diversity  Scholarship  is  designed 
to  help  ensure  that  Brandeis  continues  to  be 
a  diverse,  vibrant  institution  that  reflects 
the  world  at  large. 

Under  the  leadership  of  chair  Joseph 
Perkins  '66,  the  835-member  Minority 
Alumni  Network  (MAN)  recently  reached 
its  initial  goal  of 
raising  $50,000  to 
fund  the  scholarship. 

"While  we  are  grat- 
ified that  we  reached 
our  goal,  there's  still  a 
^^■ijjl^l^^^^^  lot  of  room  to  grow 
^^K  jjA^^^^M    with     this    particular 

scholarship        fund,  " 

Joseph  Perkins  '66       „     .  ■  .  ,        „,„, 

I'erkms      said.         We 

want  to  get  to  the  point  where  this  schol- 
arship can  finance  a  student's  entire  Bran- 
deis education." 

The  first  recipient  of  the  MAN  Diversity 
Scholarship  is  Rja  Roberts  '10  of  Brooklyn, 
New  York,  who  was  valedictorian  of  her 
high-school  class.  Roberts  intends  to  major 
in  biology  or  sociology  and  hopes  to  become 
an  orthopedic  surgeon.  At  Brandeis,  she 
serves  as  an  orientation  leader  for  incoming 


students  and  is  a  member  of  the  Student 
Support  Services  Leadership  Board. 

Donors  to  the  new  scholarship  included 
Peter  Wong  '89,  who  chose  to  make  a  gen- 
erous gift  to  allow  other  students  to  have 
the  chance  for  the  same  enriching  experi- 
ence he  enjoyed  at  Brandeis.  Wong  grew  up 
in  Boston's  Chinatown  neighborhood. 

"Being  at  Brandeis  was  an  amazing  expe- 
rience for  me,"  Wong  said.  "It's  important 
to  give  back  to  the  university  so  future  gen- 
erations will  have  the  same  opportunities 
we  had." 

Both  Perkins  and  Wong  believe  providing 
opportunities  for  a  diverse  group  of  students 
improves  the  Brandeis  experience  for  the 
entire  campus  community. 

"If  you  just  had  people  who  all  looked 
alike  or  thought  alike,  what  kind  of  experi- 
ence would  that  be?"  Perkins  said.  "As  an 
international  institution,  it's  important  that 
Brandeis  continues  to  reflect  the  diversity  of 
the  world  community." 

For  more  information  about  the  Minority 
Alumni  Network  Diversity  Scholarship, 
phone  Amy  Silberstein  at  781-736-4049  or 
e-mail  her  at  silberst@brandeis.edu. 


Posse  Scholarships  Ride  On 


Thanks  to  a  generous  gih  from  an  anony- 
mous donor,  Brandeis  has  established  the 
A.  Philip  Randolph  Endowed  Brandeis 
Posse  Scholarship  to  provide  a  student  full- 
tuition  support  while  honoring  the  promi- 
nent twentieth-century  civil  rights  leader. 

"It  is  entirely  fitting  that  the  A.  Philip 
Randolph  Endowed  Posse  Scholarship  is 
established  at  Brandeis,  a  university  that  has 
long  embraced  the  ideal  of  achieving  social 
justice,"  said  Brandeis  president  Jehuda 
Reinharz,  PhD'72.  "A.  Philip  Randolph 
selflessly  dedicated  his  life  to  improving  the 
lives  of  all  Americans." 

In  cooperation  with  the  Posse  Founda- 
tion, founded  by  Deborah  Bial  "87,  Brandeis 
awards  ten  merit-based  scholarships  each 
year  to  students  from  public  high  schools  in 


New  York  City.  Scholars  are  chosen  for  their 
academic,  leadership,  and  communication 
skills.  Since  joining  the  national  Posse  pro- 
gram in  1998,  Brandeis  has  awarded  100 
scholarships  to  deserving  students. 

Asa  Philip  Randolph  (1889-1979) 
founded  the  first  independent  black  labor 
union  in  the  United  States  when  he  organ- 
ized the  Brotherhood  of  Sleeping  Car  Porters 
in  1925.  After  a  long  struggle,  the  Pullman 
Company  agreed  to  a  union  contract  in 
1 937.  Randolph  also  successfully  pushed  for 
integration  of  the  military  in  the  1940s, 
founded  the  Leadership  Conference  on  Civil 
Rights  in  the  1950s,  and  was  a  leading 
organizer  of  the  March  on  Washington  for 
Jobs  and  Freedom  in  1963.  He  also  served  as 
a  vice  president  of  the  AFL-CIO. 


In  Support 
of  Students 

BUNWC  raising  funds 
for  science  undergrads 

Building  on  the  successful  Science  for 
Life  campaign  that  funded  a  state-of-the- 
art  laboratory  and  medical  science  jour- 
nals library,  the  Brandeis  University 
National  Women's  Committee 
(BUNWC)  has  launched  a  new  initiative 
to  support  the  students  who  will  use  the 
lab  and  consult  the  journals. 

The  multiyear  Students  for  Science 
campaign,  under  the  direction  of  national 
president  Dorothy  Pierce,  is  raising 
money  for  undergraduate  scholarships  for 
students  in  the  sciences  at  Brandeis. 

"Through  a  combination  of  classroom 
work  and  hands-on  lab  experience  with 
top  researchers,  Brandeis  uniquely  pre- 
pares its  science  students  to  become  the 
innovative  leaders  of  tomorrow,"  said 
Pierce,  a  Brandeis  trustee. 

The  recently  completed  Science  for 
Life  campaign  raised  $2.4  million,  sur- 
passing its  goal  by  20  percent.  The  initia- 
tive raised  $1.4  million  for  a  lab  in  the 
Center  on  Aging  and  Age-Related 
Neurodegenerative  Disease,  which  will 
be  housed  in  the  new  Carl  J.  Shapiro 
Science  Center,  and  another  $1  million 
for  the  medical  science  journal  fiind. 

To  support  Science  for  Life,  more  than 
forty  BUNWC  chapters  around  the  coun- 
try organized  creative  fiindraising  events. 

"As  neurodegenerative  diseases  touch 
the  lives  of  so  many  of  BUNWC's 
40,000  members,  this  campaign  struck 
a  chord  with  many  chapters  and 
donors,"  said  Fellow  Carol  Kern,  the 
Science  for  Life  chair  and  former 
BUNWC  national  president. 

IN   OUR   PRAYERS 

Our  prayers  lor  comfort  on  the  passing 
of  Fellows: 

•  Arnold  Ginsburg,  October  26 

•  Alvin  Lane,  September  13 

•  Harold  Stein,  August  22 

•  Gladys  Ziv,  September  1 2 


Bran. Iris  IniviTsiiy  Maniiziur  |  Kail    1)7 


v^ 

•J 

i^ 

^^=%^.^'  :mi 

Rachael  Lavi  '10  (above)  and  Susan  Byali  '09  (below)  work  the  phones  on  behalf  of  the  Annual  Fund. 

Brandeis  Calling 

Phonathon  rings  true  for  motivated  students 


It's  no  wonder  Susan  Byali  '09  and  Rachael 
Lavi  '  1 0  love  their  jobs.  They  get  paid  to  talk 
on  the  phone. 

The  two  students  place  their  calls  on  behalf 
of  the  Brandeis  Phonathon,  reaching  out  to 
alumni,  parents,  and  friends  five  nights  a  week 


(Sunday  through  Thursday)  to  share  campus 
news,  hear  about  alumni  Brandeis  experiences, 
and  ask  for  a  gift  to  the  Annual  Fund. 

"I  have  the  greatest  job  in  the  world,"  said 
Byali,  who  grew  up  in  Waltham  and  is  an 
economics  major.  "1  get  to  meet  new  people 
every  day." 

The  forty-five  Phonathon  callers  are  some 
of  the  best-paid  students  on  campus,  a  reflec- 
tion of  the  significance  of  their  jobs  to  the 
university's  financial  well-being.  In  fiscal  year 
2007,  Phonathon  workers  placed  21,482 
calls  and  raised  more  than  $700,000  for  the 
Annual  Fund. 

Both  Byali  and  Lavi,  who  both  receive 
scholarship   assistance   from    the   university, 


like  the  idea  that  they  are  helping  raise  money 
tor  the  next  generation  of  students  in  need  of 
financial  help. 

"It  feels  good  to  know  you're  helping 
Brandeis  grow,"  said  Lavi,  a  politics  and 
international  global  studies  major  who  grew 
up  in  Southern  California.  "What  we  do  is 
very  important  to  the  university." 

Alumni  frequently  inquire  about  favorite 
professors,  campus  landmarks,  or  off-campus 
hangouts.  They  also  ask  the  Phonathon 
callers  about  themselves. 

"A  lot  of  people  want  to  know  about  us, 
and  they're  happy  to  hear  that  you  enjoy 
Brandeis  as  much  as  they  did — even  though 
it's  so  different  now,"  Lavi  said. 

Like  any  job,  some  days  are  more  success- 
ful than  others. 

Lavi  once  received  five  Justice  Brandeis 
Society-level  gifts  in  a  single  calling  session. 
"I  was  kind  of  in  a  state  of  shock  that  night," 
she  said. 

Byali  spoke  last  semester  to  an  alumnus 
who  initially  refused  to  make  a  gift,  but  even- 
tually changed  his  mind.  "At  first  he  said, 
"No,  I'm  not  going  to  give  to  Brandeis.  I  met 
my  wife  there,  and  we're  getting  a  divorce,'" 
she  said.  "But  we  kept  talking  and  he  made  a 
generous  gift." 

Whether  you  were  on  campus  last  year  or 
fifty  years  ago,  the  Phonathon  students  hope 
you  enjoy  speaking  with  them  as  much  as 
they  appreciate  the  direct  contact  with 
Brandeis  alumni,  parents,  and  friends. 


Clock  is  ticking 
on  new  tax  law 

Time  is  running  short  tor  Brandeis 
donors  hoping  to  take  advantage  of 
the  expiring  Pension  Protection  Act. 

The  law,  which  otTers  a  unique 
opportunity  to  help  the  university 
while  deriving  significant  tax  advan- 
tages at  the  same  time,  will  expire  on 
December  31,  2007.  It  was  enacted  in 
August  2006. 

The  Pension  Protection  Act 
includes  a  provision  that  allows  donors 
who  are  at  least  seventy  and  one-half 
years  old  to  transfer  up  to  $100,000  a 
year  to  Brandeis  (or  another  qualified 
charity)  directly  from  their  individual 
retirement  account  without  being 
required  to  report  it  as  income  for  fed- 
eral tax  purposes. 

The  provision  provides  an  exclu- 
sion from  gross  income  for  an  other- 
wise-taxable IRA  distribution  and 
allows  the  amount  rolled  over  to 
count  against  a  donor's  minimum  dis- 
tribution requirement. 

For  information,  call  800-337-1948, 
ext.  6-4069. 

JBS  members  invited 
to  attend  events 

Justice  Brandeis  Society  members  are 
invited  to  attend  the  annual  holiday 
party  at  the  Rose  Art  Museum  on 
December  2,  a  discussion  with  Posse 
founder  Deborah  Bial  '87  at 
Brandeis  House  in  New  York  on 
January  16,  and  Brandeis  Night  in 
Washington  at  the  home  of  Paul 
Regan  '7.3  on  June  1. 

The  Justice  Brandeis  Society  com- 
prises philanthropic-minded  alumni, 
parents,  triends,  and  members  of  the 
Brandeis  University  National  Women's 
Committee  dedicated  to  supporting 
the  university.  A  leadership  gift  of  at 
least  $1,000  in  a  fiscal  year  (July  1  to 
June  30)  qualifies  one  for  membership 
in  the  Justice  Brandeis  Society. 

For  information,  visit  http://^vingto. 
brandeis.  edu/annualfiindJjbs.  html. 


hall  "D"  I  lir 


,lris  I 


ii\  Mij^azliip 


47 


Golf  and  Tennis  Outing 

Alumni  and  friends  came  together  for  the  third  annual 
Brandeis  Golf  and  Tennis  Outing,  enjoying  a  day  of  competition 
and  camaraderie  while  raising  $90,000  for  student  scholarships. 
More  than  1 00  golfers  and  nearly  two  dozen  tennis  players 
participated  in  the  event,  which  was  held  at  Old  Oaks  Country 
Club  in  Purchase,  New  York.  Trustee  Henry  Aboodi  '86  and 
Alpine  Capital  Bank  served  as  sponsor  Over  the  years,  the  event 
has  raised  nearly  $300,000.  From  /<?/?.- James  Leahy  '85, 
Michael  Saivetz  '97,  Aaron  Goldsmith  '99,  Charlie  Bess  '98, 
and  Adam  Rifkin  '97. 


Brandeis  in  the  Berkshires 

The  sixth  annual  Brandeis  in  the  Berkshires  program  offered  a 
series  of  thought-provoking  seminars  focused  on  the  Middle 
East,  Istael,  and  Jewish  culture.  Among  the  participants  were 
fellows  Diane  Troderman  (lefi)  and  Richard  Kaufman  '57. 


Brandeis  Night  in  Chicago 

CNN  senior  political  analyst  Bill  Schneider  '6G  (right),  shown 
with  (fivm  lefi)  Brandeis  president  Jehuda  Reinharz,  PhD'72,  and 
event  hosts  Thomas  and  Margot  Pritzker,  P'02,  was  the  keynote 
speaker  for  Brandeis  Night  in  Chicago.  More  than  125  people 
attended  the  annual  gathering  of  Brandeis  alumni  and  friends  from 
the  upper  Midwest. 


Sachar  Legacy  Society  Luncheon 

More  than  150  people  attended  the  annual  luncheon  of  the  Sachar 

Legacy  Society,  hosted  by  Aileen  Cabitt  '53.  The  Sachar  Society  is  an 

honorary  organization  of  individuals  who  have  included  Brandeis  in 

their  estate  plans.  Top  photo,  from  left:  Elizabeth  (Sarason)  Pfau  '74, 

Aileen  Cabitt  '53,  and  Daniel  Pfau  '73.  Bottom  photo, 

from  left:  Fellow  Sumner  Feldberg,  his  wife,  Esther,  and  Nancy 

Winship,  P'lO,  senior  vice  president  of  institutional  advancement. 


48 


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Lenore  Sack  '58,  P'87  (left),  and  Judy  Borakove  '58  are  developing 
special  50th  Reunion  programs  for  next  May.  The  pair  met  this  fall  at 
Brandels  House  in  New  York  to  begin  planning  for  the  event. 

Sack  spent  her  freshman  year  at  a  Big  Ten  university.  "My  class- 
mates there  talked  about  clothes  and  dates.  I  wanted  to  talk  about 
life — the  big  questions.  I  found  that  at  Brandeis.  I  was  inspired  by 
the  faculty  and  students,  and  I  still  am. 

"My  connection  to  Brandeis  has  been  an  amazing  lifelong  expe- 
rience," added  Sack,  who  majored  in  American  studies  and  later 
earned  a  master's  degree  from  Yeshiva  University  and  a  doctorate 
from  American  University. 

They  plan  to  bring  that  intellectual  stimulation  to  their  50th 
Reunion  activities  with  an  engaging  program  that  includes  class 
members  and  other  speakers.  The  program  will  focus  on  how  the 
Class  of '58  and  Brandeis  define  themselves  by  reviewing  the  past, 
considering  the  present,  and  looking  toward  the  future. 

"At  this  point  in  our  lives,  we  begin  to  understand  the  journey 
we've  taken  and  what  different  parts  of  it  mean,"  said  Sack. 
"We're  very  proud  of  our  Brandeis  degrees  and  all  they  meant  for 
our  lives." 

"We'll  have  a  great  time  reconnecting  at  Reunion,"  said 
Borakove.  "Our  Brandeis  friends  are  precious.  We  don't  ever  want 
to  lose  them." 

fnr  more  informauon.  adi  FJisa  Gassel  at  781-736-41 1 1  or  e-mail 
reunion  d'^alii  m  n  i.  bra  ndeis.  edu. 


\-M    W.    I   Hr:iri.lii-  I   ril\cr^ll\    \l,ij;a/ini' 


49 


RECENT  EVENTS 
^1. 


48 


Branaeis  iNigni  in  Cnicago 

CNN  senior  political  analyst  Bill  Schneider  '66  (right),  shown 
with  (from  left)  Brandeis  president  Jehuda  Reinharz,  PhD72,  and 
event  hosts  Thomas  and  Margot  Pritzker,  P'02,  was  the  keynote 
speaker  for  Brandeis  Night  in  Chicago.  More  than  125  people 
attended  the  annual  gathering  of  Brandeis  alumni  and  friends  from 
the  upper  Midwest. 


Sachar  Legacy  Society  I 

More  than  150  people  attended  the  annual  luncheo 

Legacy  Society,  hosted  by  Aileen  Cabitt  '53.  The  Sach 

honorary  organization  of  individuals  who  have  incluc 

their  estate  plans.  Top  photo,  from  left:  Elizabeth  (Sar 

Aileen  Cabitt  '53,  and  Daniel  Pfau  '73 

from  left:  Fellow  Sumner  Feldberg,  his  wile,  EstI 

Winship,  P'lO,  senior  vice  president  of  institutiona 


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alumninews 


Planning  for  a   "Special  Milestone'^ 

50th  Reunion  cochairs  credit  Brandeis  for  changing  their  lives 

For  Judy  Borakovc  '58  and  Lenore  Sack  '58,  P'87,  their  50th 
Reunion,  planned  tor  May  16  to  18,  is  more  than  just  a  chance  to 
reconnect  with  fellow  classmates. 

"This  is  an  incredibly  special  milestone,  for  us  individually  and 
for  our  class,"  said  Borakove,  who  is  working  with  Sack  on  special 
programming  they  are  confident  will  make  their  50th  Reunion  a 
memorable  one.  "We  are  the  only  Reunion  class  on  campus  that 
weekend — marching  in  Commencement,  meeting  with  the  presi- 
dent and  graduating  seniors,  and  really  connecting  with  all  that  is 
special  about  Brandeis. 

"We  had  a  great  time  working  together  on  our  45th  Reunion, 
and  we  are  pleased  for  the  opportunit}'  to  make  our  50th  even  bet- 
ter,"  added  Borakove,  a  marketing  consultant  from  New  York  City 
who  has  served  as  president  ot  the  Alumni  Association  board  of 
directors  and  a  universin'  trustee.  She  has  been  a  member  of  the 
board  of  directors  of  the  Women's  and  Gender  Studies  Program 
since  its  inception  and  a  university  fellow  since  1993,  and  is  a 
founder  of  the  Alumni  Club  of  New  Jersey  and  a  recipient  of  the 
Service  to  the  Association  Award. 

"I  have  never  not  been  involved  with  Brandeis,"  said  Borakove, 
who  attributes  her  dedication  to  her  alma  mater  to  founding  pres- 
ident Abram  L.  Sachar. 

"I  was  ver)'  inspired  by  his  determination  to  keep  Brandeis  going," 
she  said.  "He  was  a  special  person,  bringing  renowned  academics  and 
talented  students  to  a  new,  untested  school.  He  had  a  dream,  and  I 
felt  compelled  to  do  my  part  in  helping  to  realize  that  dream." 

Sack,  an  education  consultant  and  retired  director  of  academic 
affairs  for  the  U.S.  Deparrment  of  Defense  Acquisition  Universiry, 
has  also  volunteered  since  graduation.  She  served  as  an  officer  on 
the  Alumni  Association  board,  on  the  Alumni  Admissions  Coun- 
cil, and  as  an  alumni  trustee,  a  position  Borakove  created  while  she 
served  as  Alumni  Association  president  from  1975  to  1977.  Sack 
has  been  a  university  fellow  since  1990. 

"Brandeis  gave  me  the  foundation  for  my  adult  life, "  said  Sack, 
who  now  lives  in  Maryland  and  whose  son,  Steven,  graduated  from 
Brandeis  in  1987.  "This  is  an  important  way  to  be  connected,  to 
give  something  back." 

Sack  and  Borakove  share  more  than  Brandeis  degrees  and  a  com- 
mitment to  volunteering.  They  both  see  Brandeis  as  the  place  that 
helped  them  spread  their  wings,  according  to  Borakove,  who 
received  a  bachelor's  degree  in  sociology. 

"Brandeis  was  less  'rah-rah'  than  other  .schools,  but  much  more 
intellectual.  We  had  no  idea  how  it  would  change  our  lives  until  we 
lived  it,"  said  Borakove,  who  played  guard  on  the  championship 
basketball  ream  in  1956. 


Lenore  Sack  '58,  P'87  (left),  and  Judy  Borakove  '58  are  developing 
special  50th  Reunion  programs  for  next  May.  The  pair  met  this  fall  at 
Brandeis  House  in  New  York  to  begin  planning  for  the  event. 

Sack  spent  her  freshman  year  at  a  Big  Ten  university.  "My  class- 
mates there  talked  about  clothes  and  dates.  1  wanted  to  talk  about 
life — the  big  questions.  I  found  that  at  Brandeis.  1  was  inspired  by 
the  faculty  and  students,  and  I  still  am. 

"My  connection  to  Brandeis  has  been  an  amazing  lifelong  expe- 
rience," added  Sack,  who  majored  in  American  studies  and  later 
earned  a  master's  degree  from  Yeshiva  University  and  a  doctorate 
from  American  University. 

They  plan  to  bring  that  intellectual  stimulation  to  their  50th 
Reunion  activities  with  an  engaging  program  that  includes  class 
members  and  other  speakers.  The  program  will  focus  on  how  the 
Class  of '58  and  Brandeis  define  themselves  by  reviewing  the  past, 
considering  the  present,  and  looking  toward  the  future. 

"At  this  point  in  our  lives,  we  begin  to  understand  the  journey 
we've  taken  and  what  different  parts  of  it  mean,"  said  Sack. 
"We're  very  proud  of  our  Brandeis  degrees  and  all  they  meant  for 
our  lives." 

"We'll  have  a  great  time  reconnecting  at  Reunion,"  said 
Borakove.  "Our  Brandeis  friends  are  precious.  We  don't  ever  want 
to  lose  them." 

For  more  information,  call  Elisa  Gassel  at  78 1-736-4 11 1  or  e-mail 
reunion  l^alumni.  hrandeii.  edu. 


ImII    ir  I  lifMiMlriN  I   MiMT.iu    \lM;;M/irH 


49 


alumninews 


FROM  THE  ALUMNI   ASSOCIATION    PRESIDENT 

The  Ubiquitous  Braudeis 

University  alumni  making  their  mark  in  every  profession 


The  reach  of  Brandeis  University  alumni 
never  ceases  to  amaze  me. 

From  prime  minister  of  Iceland  to 
Pulitzer  Prize-winning  New  York  Times 
columnist;  from  AIDS  vaccine  researcher  in 
Nigeria  to  accomplished  physician  and 
mother  sitting  next  to  me  at  High  Holy 
Day  services  this  past  September,  I  am 
always,  quite  happily,  coming  across  gradu- 
ates of  our  alma  mater  who  remind  me  why 
Brandeis  is  such  a  special  place. 

Of  course,  as  president  of  the  Alumni 
Association,  I  have  the  good  fortune  ot 
being  in  contact  with  alumni  often,  and  I 
am  continually  struck  by  their  commitment 
to  and  impact  on  Brandeis.  But  it  doesn't 
stop  there.  In  niv  work,  I  also  encounter 
alumni  making  their  mark — from  movie 
producers,  playwrights,  and  political 
activists  to  advertising  executives,  innova- 
tors, and  entrepreneurs  of  all  kinds.  Rare  is 
the  day  when  I  don't  see  a  Brandeis  gradu- 
ate featured  or  quoted  in  the  media.  For  a 


relatively  small,  young  school,  Brandeis  has 
alumni  with  far-reaching  impact. 

Many  of  our  accomplished  alumni  are 
lending  their  expertise  to  the  advancement 
of  Brandeis  by  serving  on  the  Alumni  Asso- 
ciation board  of  directors,  as  alumni  club 
presidents.  Alumni  Admissions  Council  vol- 
unteers, and  more.  And  opportunities 
abound  to  get  involved  at  the  local  level. 
Visit  alunini.brandeis.edu  to  learn  more. 

Thanks  to  efforts  of  alumni  volunteers  in 
New  York,  Brandeis  House,  at  12  East  77th 
Street,  recently  opened  its  new  business  cen- 
ter and  coffee  lounge,  with  computer  work- 
stations and  wireless  internet  for  alumni  to 
use,  whether  they  are  working  in  the  city  or 
just  passing  through  [see  article  on 
page  56].  The  business  center  will  provide 
yet  another  venue  for  Brandeis  grads  to  stay 
in  touch  with  each  other  and  the  university. 

Early  in  2008,  we  will  launch  B  Connect, 
the  new  and  exciting  Brandeis  alumni 
online  communiry.  Spearheaded  by  dedi- 


cated volunteers, 
B  Connect  will 
offer  online  career 
services,  social  and 
professional  net- 
working, a  "My 
Page"  feature,  and 
much  more  to 
help  alumni  main- 
tain an  easy,  life- 
long connection  to  Brandeis. 

Your  association  is  working  hard  to 
bring  more  alumni  back  into  the  Brandeis 
community.  You  needn't  be  on  campus  to 
be  involved. 

I  hope  you  will  visit  Brandeis  House  next 
time  you're  in  New  York,  sign  up  for 
B  Connect  soon,  and  take  advantage  of 
your  membership  in  this  very  special  club 
that  belongs  to  us  all — the  Brandeis  Univer- 
sity Alumni  Association. 

— Allen  Alter  71 
Senior  Producer,  CBS  Neivs 


►  UPCOMING  EVENTS 


ALUMNI  CLUB  OF  CINCINNATI 

Faculty  in  tfie  Field  witfi  Stephen  Wfilttield. 
PhD'71,  professor  of  American  studies, 
January  20,  time  and  location  to  be 
announced. 

ALUMNI  CLUB  OF  GREATER  BOSTON 

Alumni  Professionals  Networking  Breakfast, 
November  27.  7:30  to  9;00  a.m.,  Greenberg 
Traurlg.  LLP,  Boston.  Hosted  by  Stuart 
Feldman  '83,  Juan  Marcelino  '78,  and  Jason 
Moreau  '96. 

Celtics  Game.  December  2,  12:30  p.m.,  TD 
Banknorth  Garden,  Boston. 

fHoliday  Reception,  December  2,  4:00  to 
6:00  p.m.,  Rose  Art  Museum,  Brandeis. 

Alumni  Professionals  Networking  Event, 
January  17  6:00  to  8:00  p.m..  Goulston  & 
Storrs,  Boston.  Speakers  include  Dan  Jick  '79. 
P'09,  and  chief  investment  officer  Deborah 
Kuenstner.  Flosted  by  Doug  Rosner  '88. 


Downtown  Lunch  with  professor  Marl 
Fitzduff,  January  30.  noon  to  1:30  p.m., 
Brown  Rudnick  Berlack  Israels  LLP,  Boston. 
fHosted  by  Jeffrey  Jonas  '85. 

Alumni  Family  Basketball  Day,  January  27, 
noon,  Gosman  Sports  and  Convocation 
Center,  Brandeis. 

Lydian  String  Quartet  Concert,  February  2, 
8:00  p.m..  Slosberg  Recital  fHall,  Brandeis. 


Annual  Holiday  Celebration,  December  6, 
6:30  to  8:30  p.m.,  Brandeis  House. 

Lecture  by  Deborah  Blal  '87  January  16. 
6:30  to  8:30  p.m.,  Brandeis  House. 

ALUMNI  CLUB  OF  NORTHERN  CALIFORNIA 

Faculty  in  the  Field  with  Michael  Henchman, 
professor  emeritus  of  chemistry. 
November  27  Hosted  by  Susan  Lackritz 
Kaplan  '55  at  her  home  in  San  Francisco. 


Breakfast  with  Provost  Marty  Krauss, 

February  7  7:30  to  9:00  a.m.,  Napoli  Room,       ALUMNI  CLUB  OF  WASHINGTON,  D.C. 

Brandeis. 

Alumni  and  Student  Networking 
Event,  January  3,  time  and  location  to 
be  announced. 


Avenue  Q,  March  15,  8:00  p.m..  Colonial 
Theatre,  Boston. 

ALUMNI  CLUB  OF  NEW  YORK  CITY 

Recent  Graduates  Network  Happy  Hour, 
November  29,  time  and  location  to 
be  announced. 


For  a  complete  list  of  upcoming  events,  see 
alumni.brandeis.edu. 


Iir;in,lcis  riiivcrsily  \Lii;n/iiH>  |  hill    i)'! 


VOLUNTEER   SPOTLIGHTS 

Michael  Resnick  '86 

For  successful  businessman,  education  is  a  way  of  life 


For  Michael  Resnick  '86,  education  is  not  a  means  to  an  end.   It  is 
a  way  of  life. 

"It's  not  just  about  earning  a  degree, "  said  Resnick,  who  recently 
joined  the  Alumni  Association  board  of  directors.  "It  is  about  learning 
to  be  flexible  enough  to  seize  opportunities." 

Now  a  partner  and  manager  of  new-business 
development  at  Blackpool  Capital  Management 
in  Oak  Brook,  Illinois,  Resnick  has  certainly 
done  just  that. 

After  earning  a  bachelor's  degree  in  politics, 
Resnick  bought  an  open-ended  plane  ticket  to 
New  Zealand.  With  $200  in  his  pocket,  he 
hitchhiked  through  New  Zealand  and  Australia,  taking  odd  jobs  to 
fund  a  yearlong  "fantastic"  adventure. 

Resnick's  first  foray  into  the  entrepreneurial  world  was  as  owner 
and  manager  of  a  retail  venture  back  in  Chicago,  which  was  a  les- 
son in  the  long  hours  and  hard  work  needed  to  run  a  successful 
business.  After  analysis  of  long-term  trends  pointed  to  the  end  of 
the  business's  niche,  Resnick  decided  to  go  back  to  school. 

While  studying  for  the  LSATs,  Resnick  took  a  part-time  job  as  a 
clerk   for   a    market-maker   at    the   Chicago    Board    of  Options 


Exchange  (CBOE).  He  was  hooked.  Over  the  next  fifteen  years, 
Resnick  worked  his  way  up  to  a  seat  as  a  trader,  and  then  opened 
his  own  business,  Lincoln  Trading  Company.  Thanks  to  his  finely 
tuned  business  and  trader  skills,  Resnick  was  recruited  to  develop 
new  strategies  for  a  $250  million  fund.  Recently,  he  joined 
Blackpool  Capital  Management  as  partner. 

"After  nineteen  years  in  'the  pits,'  losing  my  voice,  getting  kicked, 
elbowed,  and  spit  upon,  I  felt  it  was  time  to  move  forward,"  said 
Resnick,  who  has  three  daughters  with  his  wife,  Ellen.  "My  parrner- 
ship  with  Blackpool  Capital  allows  me  to  put  all  my  skills  to  work." 

Resnick  credits  his  entrepreneurial  spirit  to  his  liberal  arts  educa- 
tion, which  taught  him  to  think  tor  himself  and  believe  in  his  dreams. 

Brandeis  is  a  family  afiair  tor  Resnick,  whose  mother,  Paula 
Resnick  '61,  served  as  president  ot  the  Alumni  Association  board  ot 
directors  from  1983  to  1983.  Resnick's  sister,  Devra  '91  and  two  ot 
his  cousins,  Maria  Baker  Kidd  '87  and  Noel  Rappin  '93,  are  also 
Brandeis  graduates. 

"My  mother  is  thrilled  when  I  am  involved  with  Brandeis.  I'm  hon- 
ored to  serve  the  school  that  has  done  so  much  for  me,"  said  Resnick. 
"You  don't  necessarily  need  to  know  where  you  will  be  tomorrow  as 
long  as  you  know  where  you  are  today." 


Mark  Siirchin  '78 


Corporate  attorney  aspires  to  "meaningful,  balanced  life' 


A  self-described  "poster  boy  for  fitness,"  Mark  Alan  Surchin  '78 

defies  the  stereotype  of  the  briefcase-toting  corporate  attorney.  For 

starters,  he  rides  his  bicycle  to  his  law  office  at  Goodmans  LLP  in 

..  downtown  Toronto  every  day.  He  practices  med- 

^^^^^^^         itation  and  yoga. 

m  _a  The  husband  and  father  of  two  recently  com- 

m  "f  «Tp  pleted  a  half-marathon,  something  he  does  every 
chance  he  gets.  But  Surchin  is  much  more  than 
a  fitness  buft.  A  heart  attack  at  the  age  of  forty- 
three  turned  his  lite  around,  and  now  he  is  com- 
mitted to  living  a  "meaningful,  balanced  life." 
"I  .see  my  involvement  on  the  board  as  part  ot  that  balance,"  said 
Surchin,  who  was  recently  elected  vice  president  of  the  Alumni 
As.sociation  board  of  directors  and  serves  as  president  of  the  Alumni 
Club  of  Toronto.  "I  was  given  a  second  chance,  and  1  want  to  spend 
time  on  things  that  really  matter — family,  work,  friends,  and 
Brandeis,  which  had  a  huge  impact  on  my  life." 

Just  seventeen  when  he  headed  to  college,  Surchin  assumed  he 
would  follow  in  tamily  members'  tootsteps  and  attend  McCill  Uni- 
versity in  Montreal.  One  ot  his  sisters,  however,  persuaded  him  to  go 
away  to  school,  and  he  remains  gratetul  to  this  day. 


"It  was  more  typical  in  Canada  to  go  to  school  locally, "  said 
Surchin.  "One  of  my  camp  counselors  was  a  Brandeis  graduate,  so 
I  checked  it  out.  1  was  intimidated  at  first,  but  quickly  1  knew  I'd 
made  the  right  choice." 

As  a  junior,  Surchin  worked  on  (he  Justice.  He  earned  a  degree  in 
politics,  considered  a  career  in  journalism,  and  then  went  to  law 
school  at  the  University  of  Ontario. 

"Brandeis  was  so  intellectually  rigorous  that  I  actually  found  my 
first  year  of  law  school  easier  than  my  classmates  did,"  said  Surchin. 
"Brandeis  made  me  think  critically  and  be  passionate." 

Surchin  discovered  the  Brandeis  Alumni  Web  site  and  saw  a  long 
list  of  alumni  clubs.  He  was  pleased  to  learn  a  Toronto  club  was  in 
the  works,  and  volunteered  immediately.  He  also  serves  on  the 
B  Connect  committee,  which  will  soon  launch  a  new  online 
community  Surchin  believes  will  "bring  more  alumni  into  the  tent." 

"I  am  very  excited  about  B  Connect,"  Surchin  said.  "It  will  keep 
alumni  connected,  help  them  network  professionally  and  socially, 
and  let  them  take  more  advantage  of  their  association  with  Brandeis. 

"Brandeis  taught  me  that  there  are  many  'right'  answers,"  he 
added.  "Staying  involved  with  Brandeis  has  certainly  been  the 
'right'  answer  for  me." 


I  all    ir  I   liiaiidris  I   ,iiv,T,iu    \lii 


51 


alumninews 


NEW  STUDENT  SENDOFFS 

The  Alumni  Association  held  rwenty-two  new 
student  sendoffs  across  the  country  this  summer, 
welcoming  the  Class  of  201 1  to  Brandeis.  The 
sendoff  is  often  the  first  Brandeis  event  incoming  stu- 
dents attend,  and  it  helps  connect  them  with  current 
students  and  alumni  in  their  hometown.  The  Alumni 
Association  thanks  all  alumni  and  current  students 
who  participated  in  the  sendoffs,  particularly  the 
generous  hosts  and  volunteers  who  organized  this 
year's  gatherings. 


Cleveland/Northeast  Ohio 

Club  president  Aryeh  Dori  '96  (left)  hosted  a 
sendoff  at  his  home  in  Shaker  Heights.  Also  pictured 
are  (froi)i  left)  Eiran  Gorodeski  '97;  Mairin 
O'Donnell  '11,  and  her  parents,  Donna  and  Guy; 
Ben  Zober  '02,  and  Jessica  Axel  09. 


Dallas 

Jolene  Ri.sch-Minsky  '90  and  Andrew  Kahn  '03 

(right)  chaired  the  Dallas  sendoff  Students  and 

alumni  took  in  a  Frisco  RoughRiders  baseball 

game  from  a  private  patio. 


Greater  Boston 

Ethan  Davis  '1 1  (left)  and  his  parents,  Ken  Davis  '66, 
and  Alison  Gilvarg  Davis  '73. 


University  trustee  Dan  Jick  '79  (left)  and  his  wile,  Eli/,abeth  Etra  Jick  '81 
(right),  parents  of  Jamie  09,  hosted  a  sendoff  at  their  home  in  Chestnut 
Hill.  They  are  shown  here  with  their  son  |osh. 


RuiM.lri.  r„u,r,il\    \I;if;:iziri,-  |  K:ill  'O? 


Seattle 

Eli  Patashnik  '83  and  his  wife,  Debbie  Davis 
Patashnii<  '82,  welcomed  Seattle-area  students,  parents, 
and  alumni  to  their  Bothell  home.  First-year  students  in 
attendance  included  (from  left)  Vanessa  Kerr  '11,  Mark 
Kelly    11,  Christina  Luc  '11,  and  Alexandra  Luo  '11. 


Westchester  County,  New  York 

Aileen  Ganz  (second  from  right)^  her  husband,  David,  and  their 
daughters,  Lisa  and  Julie  '10  (ce>!ter),  welcomed  students,  parents,  and 
alumni  to  their  Rye  Brook  home.  Also  pictured  are  Westchester  Club 
president  Davida  Shapiro  Scher  '69  (lefi)  and  Kimberlee  Bachman  '08, 
Future  Alumni  ot  Brandeis  liaison. 


Toronto 

Club  president  Mark  Surchin  '78  (rig/jt) 

welcomed  Noam  Sienna  '1 1  and  several 

other  Toronto-area  students  to  his  home. 


lil.lM.I.' 


1-ilN    \l,ii;,i 


53 


Maine/New  Hampshire 

Steve  Carvel  '73,  his  wife,  Shelley,  and  their  son,  David  '07  (right), 

hosted  a  sendoff  at  their  home  in  Portland,  Maine.  Attendees 

included  (from  left)  Noah  Braiterman  '11,  Elizabeth  Masalsky  '08, 

Emily  Gatzke  '11,  Stephanie  Sapowicz  '10,  and  Mike  Morse  '10. 


South  Florida 

Steven  Sheinman  '79  hosted  a  sendofFat  his 
Aventura  home.  South  Florida  Alumni  Admissions 
Council  chair  Susan  Eisenberg  Jay  '71  and  club 
president  Gil  Drozdow  '79  cochaired  the  event. 
Attendees  included  (from  left)  Stephanie  Cohen    11, 
Amanda  Kalmutz  '1 1,  and  Sapir  Karii  '11. 


54 


Washington,  D.C. 

Michael  Sherer  '75  and  his 
wife,  Judy  Shapiro  Sherer  '75, 
parents  of  Jeremy  '10,  hosted 
a  sendofFat  their  Potomac 
home.  Attendees  included 
(top  row,  from  left)  Alissa 
Perman  '  1  1 ,  Alie  Tawah    11, 
Kaamila  Mohamed  '11, 
Brittany  Koffer  'II,  Rachel 
Koffer  '11,  Simona  Dalin  '11, 
and  Carly  Schmand    11, 
and  (seated,  from  left) 
Emily  Leifer   11,  Rachel 
GoldEirb '11,  Sara  Miller  "11, 
and  Jonah  Feldman  '11. 


lir;iiiil.-i>  I  iiiM-rsiiv    Ma;;iiziii<-  |  Fall  "07 


Chicago 

The  Chicago  sendoff  was  hosted  by  Debbie  Seidner  '98  and  Alumni  Admissions  Council 
cochair  Rob  Seidner  '98,  MBA'03.  Alumni  Admissions  Council  cochair  Steve  Wander  '97 
cochaired  the  event.  From  left:  Brett  Dorn    11,  Jared  Hite   10,  Matt  Urbach  '11,  Matt 
Kipnis  '11,  Ayal  Weiner-Kaplow    11,  Eli  Miller  '11,  Gideon  Klionsky  'II,  Madeleine 
Gecht   1 1,  Madeleine  Huzenis   1 1,  Ari  Jadwin  '10,  Nate  Hakimi  '1 1,  Elana  Friedland  '1 1, 
Rachel  Sier    11,  and  Jung  Ham    11. 


Arizona 

Marilena  and  Erik  Sacks,  parents  of  Charles   11,  hosted  the 
Arizona  sendofFat  their  home  in  Phoenix.  Club  president 
Rachel  Hernandez  '92  chaired  the  event. 

Connecticut 

Jim  Leahy  '8S  and  his  wife,  Mary  Jo,  hosted  a  sendoft  at  their 
home  in  Tolland. 

Denver 

Monique  and  Daniel  Greenberg,  parents  of  Carly    11, 
hosted  the  Colorado  sendoff  at  their  home  in  Parker. 

Long  Island 

Howard  and  Robbin  Schneider  78  Gurr,  parents  oi  Danielle 
'11,  hosted  a  sendoff  at  their  Dix  Hills  home.  Club  president 
Mark  S.  Cohen  '78,  P'09,  also  attended. 

Minnesota 

Eric  Pasternack  '70  and  his  wife,  JoAnn,  parents  of  Rebecca 
Taurog  '00,  hosted  a  sendoff  at  their  home  in  Mendota 
Heights.  Alumni  Admissions  Council  cochair  Wendy 
Robinson  Schwartz  '79  cochaired  the  event. 

New  York 

Alumni  Admissions  Council  chair  Danny  Lehrman  '64  and 
club  president  Doug  Monasebian  '84  cochaired  a  sendoff  at 
Brandeis  House. 

Northern  California 

Future  Alumni  of  Brandeis  liaison  Dianne  Ma  '09  welcomed 
area  students  to  her  home  in  Oakland. 

Northern  New  Jersey 

Larry  Samuels  '75  and  his  wife,  Margie  Racheison 
Samuels  '75,  parents  of  Rebecca  02  and  Brian,  hosted  a 
sendoff  at  their  home  in  West  Caldwell. 

Philadelphia/Southern  New  Jersey 

Eileen  Sklaroft  '68  hosted  a  sendoff  at  her  home  in 
Philadelphia.  Alumni  Admissions  Council  chair  Wendi 
Barish  '93  was  in  attendance. 

Southern  California 

Rana  Hakhaminii  '98  (/eft)  hosted  a  sendoff  at  her 
Los  Angeles  home.  Newly  elected  club  president 
Elisha  Landman  '95  joined  more  than  rwenty-five 
students  and  parents  at  the  event. 


Cincinnati 

Darlene  Kamine  '74  and  her  husband.  Chuck  '74, 
welcomed  Cincinnati,  Kentucky,  and  Indiana 
students.  Future  Alumni  of  Brandeis  liaison  Katherine 
Schram  '09  was  also  in  attendance. 


Houston 

Michael  Kivort  '87  hosted  a  .sendoff  at  his  home  in  Houston. 

Club  president  Francyne  Davis  Jacobs  '95  chaired  the  event.  From 

left:  Ad\\  Bahalim,  Matt  Kleiman  '10,  Mary  Beth  Schaefer  '11, 

Anmiad  Bahalim  '04,  Hannah  Hofrichter  '05,  Michael 

Hofrichter  '06,  Tommy  Arnott  '11,  and  Mackenzie  Gallegos  '11. 


I  all    II"  I   l!r;ulcl,-i,  I   iiixri>ily  \l:i 


Workiiio  for  AIDS  Research 

o 
Wein  scholar  still  believes  dreams  come  true 


Iroka  Udeinya 


As  a  high-school  student  in  his  native 
Nigeria,  Iroi<a  Joseph  Udeinya  '76 
longed  to  attend  an  American  university. 
Attracted  hy  reports  of  significant  scien- 
tific advances  in  the  United  States,  the 
budding  biologist  could  only  dream  that 
his  family  could  ever  pay  for  an 
American  education.  Luckily,  he  discov- 
ered the  Wien  International  Scholarship 
Program  at  Brandeis. 

"The  Wien   Scholars   program   was 

unequaled  with  respect  to  financial  aid 

to    foreign    students,"    said    Udeinya, 

now  a  professor  at  the  University  of 

^ Nigeria's  School  oi 

^^^^^^k  Medicine.     "And, 

m^^^vl^^  the  best  of  all  pos- 
^^^^^J^H  sible  worlds,  it  was 
^^^^B^^F        available   at   Bran- 

\^fSjm  J'-'is — one   of    the 

top  universities  in 
the  United  States. " 
Udeinya  arrived 
at  Brandeis  wide- 
eyed.  "Being  at 
[brandeis  in  the  1970s  was  great,"  said 
Udeinya,  who  graduated  with  a  bache- 
lor's degree  in  biology.  "It  was  a  wonder- 
ful learning  environment,  a  small  world 
of  which  I  was  a  proud  member.  I  made 
friends  with  people  from  all  continents 
and  learned  a  lot  from  them.  The  pro- 
gram engendered  trust  and  understand- 
ing among  individuals  from  diverse 
cultures  and  religions.  This  program 
really  has  made  the  world  a  better  place." 

After  Brandeis,  Udeinya  headed  to 
the  College  of  Medicine  at  the  Univer- 
siry  of  West  Virginia,  where  he  earned 
a  doctorate  in  pharmacology  in  1979. 
He  attributes  his  success  there  to  the 
"rock-solid"  education  he  acquired 
at  Brandeis. 

Soon  after,  he  began  postdoctorate 
research  at  the  National  Institute  of 
Allergy  and  Infectious  Diseases,  one  of 
the  National  Institutes  of  Health,  in 
Maryland.  Udeinya  was  also  an  associ- 
ate professor  at  Howard  University's 
College  of  Medicine. 


In  the  late  1990s,  the  international- 
ly respected  scientist  returned  to  Nige- 
ria in  pursuit  of  yet  another  dream. 
Udeinya,  the  father  of  five  children, 
had  been  studying  the  health  benefits 
of  an  extract  from  the  leaves  of  the 
native  Nigerian  neem  tree.  He  posited 
that  the  leaves — already  being  used  to 
successfully  treat  malaria — might  well 
be  synthesized  as  an  effective  treat- 
mcni  for  HIV/AIDS. 

In  2004,  after  much  clinical 
research  and  many  trials,  Udeinya 
produced  a  potent  anti-HIV/AIDS 
drug,  which  he  called  IRACARP.  Now 
in  its  third  phase  of  clinical  trials,  the 
promising  new  drug  demonstrates  an 
efficacy  that  is  as  good  as  or  better 
than  most  of  the  best  multidrug  com- 
bination therapies  used  in  advanced 
countries,  without  the  toxicity  or 
adverse  effects. 

Udeinya,  who  has  authored  or  coau- 
thored  countless  papers  on  infectious 
diseases  and  possible  treatments,  has 
received  several  grants  and  donations 
from  institutions  and  generous  individ- 
uals eager  to  see  this  dream  come 
true — for  him  and  the  millions  of 
HIV/AIDS  patients  around  the  world. 

"The  Wien  Scholars  program 
opened  my  mind  to  the  possibility 
that  dreams  really  do  come  true,"  said 
Udeinya.  "It  certainly  made  my  dream 
come  true,  and  instilled  in  me  a  life- 
long obligation  to  assist  others  to  real- 
ize their  dreams  as  well. 

"For  fifty  years,  the  Wien  Scholars 
program  has  empowered  ambassadors 
for  peace  and  understanding  in  our 
world,"  Udeinya  said.  "It  has  given 
hope  and  opportunity  to  those  of  the 
most  humble  backgrounds,  people 
who  have  become  great  statesmen, 
engineers,  scientists,  and  educators." 

For  more  itiformatiou  dbout  the  Wien 
50th  annivenary  celebration  or  to 
make  a  gift  to  the  program,  visit 
brandeis.  ediilwien. 


Brandeis  House  adds 
lounge,  business  center 

Brandeis  House,  the  university's  alumni 
facility  at  12  East  77th  Street  in  New  York 
City,  has  added  a  coffee  lounge  and  business 
center  that  is  open  to  all  alumni.  Beginning 
November  15,  the  house  is  open  Monday 
through  Friday  from  9:00  a.m.  to  4:00  p.m. 

The  lounge  on  the  main  level  will  offer  daily 
newspapers  and  periodicals  as  well  as  coffee,  tea, 
cappuccino,  and  beverages.  The  business  center 
will  provide  a  quiet  workplace  with  computer 
workstations  and  wireless  Internet  for  laptops. 

The  Brandeis  House  improvements  were 
made  possible  by  the  recently  formed  Brandeis 
House  Alumni  Committee.  Michael  Saivetz  '97 
and  Richloom  Fabrics  supplied  new  draperies 
and  upholstery  for  the  second-floor  dining  and 
meeting  rooms. 

"Brandeis  House  is  our  crown  jewel  in  New 
York,"  said  Alumni  Association  president  Allen 
Alter  '71.  "In  addition  to  the  wonderful  pro- 
grams so  many  of  us  already  enjoy,  we  plan  to 
showcase  the  house  to  prospective  students 
and  their  families.  But  our  first  priority  is  to 
invite  alumni  to  visit  and  make  use  of  this 
remarkable  facility." 

Visitors  should  phone  Clair  Cohen  at  212- 
472-1501,  ext.  230,  in  advance  of  their  visit. 
Other  rooms  in  the  house  are  available  on  a  lim- 
ited basis  for  small  meetings  and  seminars. 
Please  bring  a  photo  ID. 


lii.ni.1,1,   I    iiiN.isilN    \lai;ii/iiir   |   lull    ir 


RECENT   EVENTS 


Alumni  Club  of  Chicago 

University  ot  Chicago  president  Robert  Zimmer  '68  (left)  and  his 
wite,  Terese  Schwartznian-Zimmer  '73,  were  honored  guests  at  the 
home  ot  Nancy  and  Jim  Kahn,  parents  ot  the  Alumni  Club  of 
Chicago  president  Carolyn  Kahn  Birkenstein  '95,  for  the  event 
Coffee  and  Conversation  with  the  First  Family  of  the  University 
of  Chicago.  Zimmer's  discussion  on  higher  education,  career 
paths,  personal  choices,  and  family  life  was  attended  by  more  than 
twenty-tlve  alumni  and  friends. 


Alumni  Club  of  Denver 

Left  photo,  from  left:  Nina  Judd  '65,  Jackie  Wiseman  Starr  '66,  and  event  cochair  Frani  Rudolph  Bickart  '66  joined  other  Denver-area 
alumni  at  a  picnic  at  Bear  Creek  Lake  Park  in  Lakewood  in  July.  Right  photo,  from  left:  Sondra  Greene  "87  (with  son  Zachary),  Sara 
Miller  "01,  and  Herb  Miller  '01  were  among  five  decades  of  alumni  represented  at  the  event.  Genevieve  Hale  '94  served  as  a  cochair. 


Alumni  Club  of  Greater  Boston 

Left  photo,  from  left:  Lee  Goldstein  '01,  Ben  Schlesinger  '02,  and  Marissa  Smilowitz  '03  and  (right  photo,  from  left)  Igor  Pedan  '05, 
MA'06,  Alex  Amann  '05,  and  Kelli  Cooper  '04  joined  other  Boston-area  alumni  in  welcoming  the  Class  ol  2007  to  the  Alumni  Associa- 
tion at  the  sixth  annual  Tia's  Happy  Hour  in  August.  The  event  was  chaired  by  Carol  Ortenberg  '06  and  drew  more  than  hlry  alumni. 


I  ;,ll     d"    I    iiKlll.Irl-    I    lllv.r.llN     M.l-il/ilir 


57 


classnotes 


1952 


Diana  Laskin  Siegal 

900  SW  31st  Street,  #BE339 
Topeka,  KS  66611 
1952notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Every  activity  for  the  Class  of  1952  is  a 
first  for  tlie  class  and  for  the  staff  of 
Brandeis,  and  therefore  is  a  learning 
experience  for  both.  Always  "pioneers " 
(who  else  would  take  a  chance  on  a  new 
school?),  class  members  have  been 
holding  annual  reunions  in  various  loca- 
tions for  several  years.  For  their  55th 
Reunion,  twenty-eight  members  of  the 
class  and  thirteen  spouses  and  friends 
returned  to  campus  from  as  tar  away  as 
Arizona.  This  is  a  remarkable  31  percent 
ot  the  existing  class.  Class  members  were 
proud  to  see  the  remarkable  growth  of 
the  university  and  to  hear  about  foture 
plans.  In  addition  to  participating  in  the 
on-campus  events,  some  class  members 
took  a  bus  trip  to  a  nearby  museum; 
others  gathered  for  dinner  at  an  Italian 
restaurant  in  Waltham — alas,  not  Saldi's. 
Since  the  favorite  activity  of  the  Class  of 
1952  is  conversation  (known  in  our 
undergradtiate  days  as  "bull  sessions"), 
the  class  hopes  to  meet  again  in  the  fall 
of  2008  with  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  as 
a  possible  site.  Anyone  with  an  opinion 


•^     FROM  THE 

ROOFTOPS 


Win  an  award?  Get  a  promotion? 
Move  cities?  Have  a  baby?  Share 
your  good  news  with  classmates 
and  tellow  alumni. 

Mail  your  news  to: 

Class  Notes 

MS  124,  Brandeis  University 

415  South  Street 

Waltham,  MA  02454 

You  may  also  e-mail  your  news  to 
your  class  correspondent  or  to 
classnotes@alumni.brandeis.edu, 
or  complete  the  online  form  at 
http://alumni.brandeis.edu/web/ 
classes/classnotes.html. 


about  where  and  when  to  meet  should 
contact  me.  Hopelullv,  1  will  also  receive 
some  offers  to  help  with  the  planning. 

Eileen  (Dorfman)  Kessler 

Randolph,  Massachusetts 
Kessler  is  proud  that  her  family 
now  includes  three  generations  of 
Brandeisians — herself;  her  daughter, 
Cheryl  Kessler  Katz  76;  and  her 
granddaughter,  Rachael  KatZ  '09. 


Abraham  Heller 

1400  Runnymede  Road 
Dayton,  OH  45419 
1953notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


1954 


William  Marsh 
5113  Castlerock  Way 
Naples,  FL  34112 
1954notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Elliot  Aronson 
Santa  Cruz,  California 
See  Carol  Tavris  '66. 

Judie  Butman  Shotz 

Novato,  California 

See  Larry  Shotz  '52  in  "In  Memoriam, 

page  76. 


1955 


Judith  Paull  Aronson 

838  N.  Doheny  Drive,  #906 
Los  Angeles,  CA  90069 
1955notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

At  a  midsummer  lunch  in  Hyannis,  eight 
members  of  the  Class  of  1955  gathered 
to  talk  about  friends,  food,  foibles,  and 
good  books.  In  addition  to  me,  attendees 
included  Lucy  Devries  Duffy,  Norma 
Bassett  Avellar,  Elaine  Phillips  Ostroff. 


Phyllis  Ostrow  Hurwitz,  MFA'74,  Nancy 
Mack  Burman,  Evi  Buckler  Sheffres, 
and  Cheryl  Bahn  Dockser.  If  you  would 
like  to  be  on  the  list  for  next  summer, 
please  contact  Phyllis  Ostrow  Hurwitz, 
our  most  efficient  organizer. 

Lucy  Devries  Duffy 

Brewster,  Massachusetts 
Duffy  won  a  gold  medal  in  the  sprint 
triathlon  at  the  National  Senior  Games 
sponsored  by  the  Humana  Foundation 
in  Louisville,  Kentucky.  She  also  placed 
eighth  in  the  ten-kilometer  road  race.  "I 
was  especially  pleased  with  the  medal  in 
the  triathlon  because  I  had  some  compe- 
tition," Duffy  writes.  "Locally,  I  win  in 
the  tri's  because  I  am  the  only  one  in  my 
age  group  crazy  enough  to  do  this." 

Elaine  Phillips  Ostroff 
Westport,  Massachusetts 
Ostroff  received  the  annual  recognition 
award  at  the  thirtieth  annual  meeting  ot 
AHEAD,  the  Association  on  Higher  Edu- 
cation and  Disability,  held  in  July  in 
Charlotte,  North  Carolina.  The  award  is 
given  to  people  who  have  inspired  the 
U.S.  and  Canadian  organization,  and 
who  are  not  part  of  the  network  of  people 
working  on  university  campuses  piovid- 
ing  services  to  students  with  disabilities. 
Ostroff  was  cited  for  her  "tireless  efforts  in 
promoting  social  equit\'  through  design." 


1956 


Leona  Feldman  Curhan 

366  River  Road 

Carlisle,  MA  01741 

1956notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


1957 


Wynne  Wolkenberg  Miller 

1443  Beacon  Street,  #403 
Brookline,  MA  02446 
1957notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

We  are  still  buzzing  from  the  Reunion 
excitement,  and  conversations  are  taking 


58 


lir^ni.l,-i>  I  iiix,-j-ily  \hifia/in.-  |  I'iill    ir 


place  among  some  of  us  who  don't  want 
to  wait  until  2012! 

Janet  Cohen  David 
New  York  City 

David  writes,  "I  am  sorr)'  I  missed  our 
50th  Reunion.  I've  been  enjoying 
retirement  from  private  practice  as  a 
psychologist  and  working  part  time 
teaching  and  supervising  psychotherapists 
in  training.  I  also  volunteer  at  the 
American  Museum  of  Natural  History 
and  am  a  zone  gardener  in  Central  Park." 

Janet  Hentoff  Krauss 
Bridgeport,  Connecticut 
Krauss  recently  published  Through  the 
Trees  of  Autumn,  her  second  collection  ot 
poems.  She  still  teaches  as  an  adjunct 
professor  at  St.  Basil  College  and  at 
Fairfield  University,  where  she  received 
the  2007  Adjunct  of  the  Year  Award. 
Krauss  also  celebrated  fifty  years  of 
marriage  to  husband  Bert. 

Myrna  Mitchell  and  Laurence 

Weitzman 
Boynton  Beach,  Florida 
The  couple  write,  "We  had  a  great  time 
renewing  old  friendships  with  our  class- 
mates at  the  SOth  Reunion.  The  school 
has  certainly  changed  over  the  past  fiky 
years — many,  many  more  buildings.  The 
students  seem  so  young  today,  although  I 
guess  we  were  young  when  we  started  at 
Brandeis.  Thanks  for  the  great  weekend." 


1958 


Judith  Brecher  Borakove 
10  East  End  Avenue,  #2-F 
New  York,  NY  10021 
1958notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Make  sure  to  save  the  date  for  our  50th 
Reunion!  I  hope  you've  already  started  to 
plan  to  attend  and  have  received  our 
initial  mailing.  If  you  haven't  responded 
yet,  please  do  to  jbborakove@aol.com. 
See  you  in  May! 


Annette  Liberman  Miller,  MFA'76 
Boston 

Miller  reprised  her  title  role  in  Marthii 
Mitchell  Calling,  which  received  rave 
reviews  last  season  (the  show  was  named 
one  of  the  Boston  Globes  Top  Theater 
Picks  for  2006).  Earlier  this  year,  Martha 
Mitchell  Calling  played  at  Stageworks 
Hudson  in  New  York.  It  will  move  to  the 
Actors  Playhouse  in  Coral  Gables,  Flori- 
da, from  November  28  to  December  23. 


1959 


Sunny  Sunshine  Brownrout 
7238  Brambury  Court 
Sarasota,  FL  34238 
1959notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


1960 


Joan  Silverman  Wallack 
28  Linden  Shores 
Branford,  CT  06405 
1950notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Galia  Golan-Glld  (AKA  Gail  Greene) 
Raanana,  Israel 

Golan-Gild  recently  published  her  ninth 
book,  Israel  and  Palestine:  Peace  Plans  and 
Proposals  from  Oslo  to  Disengagement.  She 
also  received  the  Israel  Political  Science 
Award  for  Lifetime  Achievement  and  con- 
tinues to  be  involved  in  Peace  Now  and 
the  women's  movement.  She  has  retired 
from  Hebrew  University  and  teaches  at 
the  Interdisciplinary  Center  in  Herzliya. 

Elisabeth  Lisette  Messing  Mayor 

Briarcliff  New  York 
Nayor  recently  won  a  2007  Grinspoon- 
Steinhardt  Award  for  Excellence  in 
Jewish  Education,  which  recognizes, 
honors,  and  supports  outstanding  class- 
room Jewish  educators  on  the  local  level. 
She  is  a  fihh-grade  teacher  at  Bet  Torah 
Religious  School  in  Mount  Kisco,  and 
also  works  on  special  projects  tor  the 
Board  ot  Jewish  Education  in  New  York. 
She  recently  became  a  grandmother  for 
the  third  time. 


1961 


Class  of  1961 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

1961notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


1962 


Ann  Leder  Sharon 

13890  Ravenwood  Drive 
Saratoga,  CA  95070 
1962notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Susannah  Glusker 

San  Jose,  California 
Glusker,  daughter  of  the  late  Anita 
Brenner,  an  author,  historian,  and 
powerful  voice  in  her  native  Mexico 
during  the  twentieth  century,  organized 
an  exhibition,  Anita  Brenner:  vision  de 
una  epoca,  to  mark  the  centennial  of 
Brenner's  birth.  Glusker  completed 
editing  her  mother's  journals  for  publica- 
tion by  the  University  ot  Texas  Press. 

Joan  Wallach  Scott 

Princeton,  New  Jersey 
Scott,  the  Harold  F.  Linder  Professor  at 
the  Institute  for  Advanced  Study  at 
Princeton  University,  received  an  hon- 
orary degree  from  Harvard  University  in 
June.  She  is  known  internationally  for 
writings  that  theorize  gender  as  an  ana- 
lytic category,  and  is  a  leading  figure  in 
the  emerging  field  ot  critical  history. 


ISMif:! 


1963 


Miriam  Osier  Hyman 

140  East  72nd  Street,  #16B 
New  York,  NY  10021 
1963notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Peter  Magnus 

Parker,  Arizona 

Magnus  will  soon  retire  from  the  Indian 

Health  Service,  although  he  may  do 


Kail   ir  I  lir 


IhI.'Is     I 


r-ilN    \hi 


59 


ncH 


alumniprofile    Judith  Chazin-Bennahum  '58 


occasional  temporary  duty  (locum  tenens) 
in  Arizona  or  Oregon.  He  has  i^een  mar- 
ried tor  thirty  years  to  Anne.  They  have 
two  daughters,  Sydney  and  Ena,  and  two 
sons,  Sylvan  and  Samson. 

Michael  Obsatz 
Golden  Valley,  Minnesota 
Obsatz  received  an  honoran,'  degree  at 
Macalaster  College's  commencement  in 
May  after  serving  as  a  professor  of 
education  and  sociology  tor  forty  years. 
His  book  Raising  Nonviolent  Children  in 
a  Violent  Worlet  \s  translated  into  several 
languages  and  is  used  worldwide.  His 
Web  site  is  www.angeresources.com. 


1964 


Shelly  A.  Wolf 

113  Naudain  Street 
Philadelphia,  PA  19147 
1964notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Deborah  Beck 

Peekskill,  New  York 
Beck  continues  to  exhibit  her  paintings 
and  prints  in  a  variety  of  venues.  Her 
exhibition  The  Flow  of  Nature:  Paintings 
and  Monot\'pes  by  Deborah  Beck,  is 
showing  at  the  newly  expanded  and 
renamed  Arkell  Art  Gallery  in  Canajo- 
harie,  New  York,  through  January  5, 
2008.  Earlier,  she  had  a  two-person  show. 
Nature  and  Spirit,  at  Goggleworks  in 
Reading,  Pennsylvania.  And  her  Insights 
into  Suburbia  exhibition  will  be  traveling 
to  Purdue  University  Galler\'  in  West 
Lafayette,  Indiana.  Beck  is  a  member  of  a 
number  of  professional  arts  organiza- 
tions, including  the  National  Association 
of  Women  Artists,  the  Pen  and  Brush 
Club,  the  Westchester  Arts  Council,  and 
the  Women  in  the  Arts  Foundation. 
After  retiring  following  many  years  as  an 
art  and  drug-prevention  educator  and 
counselor  in  the  New  York  City  public 
schools.  Beck  now  holds  painting  and  art 
workshops  for  both  children  and  adults. 
In  the  last  few  years,  she  has  enjoyed  fur- 
ther explorations  into  the  art  of  plein  air 
painting,  which  she  pursued  in  July  in 
Tuscany,  Italy.  In  2002,  she  moved  from 


Dance  Fever 

Even  as  a  little  girl,  Judith  "Gigi"  Chazin- 
Bennahum  '58  knew  she  would  be  a 
dancer.  Tutu  flouncing,  twirls  and  leaps 
defv'ing  gravity,  she  was  spinning  magic, 
powered  liy  the  heightened  energy  ot  talent 
fused  with  endeavor. 

In  her  earliest  years,  she  commuted  from 
Queens  to  Manhattan  for  lessons  at 
Carnegie  Hall,  where  she  was  exposed  to 
the  greatest  dancers  of  the  time.  And  at  age 
twelve,  she  successfully  auditioned  for  the 
High  School  of  Performing  Arts.  Soon  she 
was  dancing  with  the  Joffrey  Ballet  in  New 
York  Cir\'  and  at  Jacob's  Pillow  in  the 
Massachusetts  Berkshires. 

To  please  her  scholarly  father,  Chazin- 
Bennahum  enrolled  on  a  full  scholarship  to 
Brandeis,  where  she  graduated  magna  cum 
laude.  Then,  she  recalls,  she  threw  her 
diploma  at  her  parents  and  said,  "This  is  it. 
I'm  going  to  dance. " 

And  dance  she  did — in  companies  with 
Robert  Joffrey,  Agnes  De  Mille,  and  the 
Santa  Fe  Opera  Ballet,  as  principal  soloist 
with  the  Metropolitan  Opera  Ballet  Com- 
pany, and  in  numerous  modern-dance 
troupes  in  New  York.  She  was  invited  by 
George  Balanchine  to  join  the  New  York 
City  Ballet  on  its  first  trip  to  Russia. 

Love,  marriage  to  a  young  physician, 
and  three  children  (including  Aaron 
'92)  interrupted  her  dance  career.  But 
when  her  husband  became  a  resident  at  the 
University  of  New  Mexico  medical  school, 
Chazin-Bennahum  began  to  teach  dance 
there  while  also  earning  a  master's  in 
French  poetry  and  a  doctorate  in  Romance 
languages.  She  went  on  to  become  chair  of 
the  theater  and  dance  department  and 
associate  dean  of  the  College  of  Fine  Arts 
before  retiring  from  the  universin,'  last  year. 


Over  the  years,  Chazin-Bennahum  has 
written  five  books,  including  The  Ballets  of 
Antony   Tudor,   which  won   her  the  de  la 


Judith  Chazin-Bennahum  with  her  son,  Aaron  '92. 

Torre  Bueno  Prize  for  the  best  book  on 
dance.  She  also  received  a  lifetime  excel- 
lence award  from  the  Albuquerque  Arts 
Alliance. 

Since  then,  Chazin-Bennahum  has 
played  important  roles  in  several  dance 
organizations,  served  as  copresident  of  the 
UNM  Friends  of  Dance,  and  sat  on  the 
advisory  board  oi  Dance  Chronicle,  a  dance 
history  journal.  She  is  now  writing  a  biog- 
raphy of  early-twentieth-century  Russian 
dance  impresario  Rene  Blum. 

For  the  dance-scholar,  her  diverse  pur- 
suits are  always  about  expression.  "I  never 
was  able  to  separate  the  mind  and  body, " 
she  says.  "To  me,  it  is  all  one.  Movement  is 
an  essential  part  of  life. " 

— Marjorie  Lyon 


New  York  City  to  Peekskill,  where  she 
lives  with  her  husband.  Bill  Olson. 

Temma  Kaplan 
New  Brunswick,  New  Jersey 
Kaplan  is  a  professor  of  history  and 
serves  as  director  of  women's  studies  at 
Stony  Brook  University  in  New  York. 
She  published  a  chapter,  "Gender, 
Chaos,  and  Authority  in  Revolutionary 
Times, "  in  Sex  in  Revolution:  Gender, 
Politics,  and  Power  in  Modern  Mexico. 


1965 


Joan  Furber  Kalafatas 

3  Brandywyne 

Wayland,  MA  01778 

1965notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Sahadhevan  AmaraSingham 
Silver  Spring,  Maryland 
AmaraSingham's  daughter  Lilamani 
married  Noah  Feitelbaum,  son  ot 
Herbert  Teitelbaum  and  grandson  of 


.1.-,,  I 


IIX      \l.l 


I  I  nil  ir 


'lass 


notes 


former  Brandeis  president  Morris 
Abram,  on  August  4  at  the  Full  Moon 
Resort  in  New  York's  Catskill  Moun- 
tains. AmaraSingham  and  Herbert 
Teitelbaum  were  off-campus  roommates 
in  1964-65. 

Herbert  Teitelbaum 

New  York  City 

Teitelbaum,  a  Manhattan  lawyer,  was 

named  executive  director  of  the  New 

York  State  Ethics  Commission.  He  has 

been  a  senior  litigation  partner  with  the 

Brvan  Cave  law  firm  since  1996. 


1966 


Kenneth  E.  Davis 
28  Mary  Chilton  Road 
Needham,  MA  02492 
1966notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Albert  Foer 
Washington,  D.C. 
Foer  is  founder  and  president  of  the 
American  Antitrust  Institute 
(www.antitrustinstitute.org),  which  will 
celebrate  its  tenth  anniversary  in  2008. 
He  served  as  executive  producer  ot  the 
institute's  documentary  movie  Fair  Fight 
in  the  Marketplace,  which  won  two 
national  awards  and  has  been  airing  on 
PBS  stations.  He  continues  to  play  an 
active  role  in  the  American  Civil  Liber- 
ties Union.  He  and  his  wife,  Esther, 
recently  became  grandparents  for  the 
third  time.  Their  three  sons,  Franklin, 
Jonathan,  and  Joshua,  are  all  making 
waves  with  their  writing. 

Carol  Tavris 
Los  Angeles 

Tavris  and  Elliot  Aronson  '54  recently 
published  Mistakes  Were  Made  (But  Not 
by  Me):  Why  We  Justify  Foolish  Beliefs, 
Bad  Decisions,  and  Hurtfid  Acts.  Both  are 
well-known  social  psychologists.  Aronson 
is  a  recipient  of  the  Brandeis  Alumni 
Achievement  Award  and  was  chosen  by 
his  peers  as  one  of  the  top  hundred 
psychologists  of  the  twentieth  century. 


1967 


Anne  Rellly  Hort 

10  Old  Jackson  Avenue,  #21 
Hastings-on-Hudson,  NY  10706 
1967notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Norm  Aaronson 
Denver 

After  completing  his  twenty-eighth  year 
as  a  clinical  professor  of  law  at  the 
University  of  Colorado,  Aaronson  was 
recently  appointed  clinical  professor 
emeritus.  He  is  married  to  Evelyn  Hutt 
and  has  four  children,  including 
Michael  '06,  who  is  a  second-year 
student  at  the  University  of  Colorado 
Law  School. 

Barry  Daniels 

Paris 

Daniels  is  co-curator  ot  the  exhibition 

Patriotes  en  scene:  Le  Theatre  de  la 

Republique  (1750-1799),  as  well  as 

coauthor  of  the  exhibition's 

accompanying  catalog. 

Howard  Lifshitz 
Buffalo  Grove,  Illinois 
Lifshitz  was  recently  honored  tor  twenty- 
five  years  ot  service  by  his  synagogue. 
Congregation  Beth  Jehuda,  in  Long 
Grove. 

Maria  Mayer 
Lima,  Peru 

Mayer  recently  traveled  from  Los 
Angeles  to  Miami  on  her  way  home  to 
Lima  from  Sydney,  where  she  was 
visiting  her  grandchildren.  Sole  Aleida, 
two  months,  and  Max,  three  years.  She  is 
still  working  as  an  adjunct  scientist  at 
the  International  Potato  Center  in  Lima, 
where  she  has  received  several  grants. 

Deborah  Dash  and  MacDonald  Moore 
Ann  Arbor,  Michigan 
The  couple  write,  "We  have  moved  to 
Ann  Arbor  to  take  up  teaching  positions 
at  the  University  of  Michigan,  and  for 
Deborah  to  direct  |udaic  studies,  leaving 
behind  family,  including  two  grandchil- 
dren, in  New  York  City." 


Mark  Shanis 
Durham,  North  Carolina 
Shanis  has  spent  ten  years  at  the  U.S. 
Environmental  Protection  Agency's 
Office  of  Air  Qualit\'  Planning  and  Stan- 
dards, where  he  helps  ensure  "truth  even 
unto  its  innermost  parts"  in  the  United 
States.  He  underwent  quadruple  bypass 
surgery  on  August  13.  In  April,  he 
moved  into  a  beautiful  new  home,  where 
Brandeis  alumni  are  welcome. 


1968 


David  Greenwaid 

1920  Chestnut  Street 
Philadelphia,  PA  19103 
1968notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Randolph  Becker 
Key  West,  Florida 

Becker  writes,  "A  lucky  set  of  circum- 
stances has  led  me  to  become  the  first 
full-time  minister  to  the  Unitarian 
Universalist  Congregation  of  Key  West, 
the  best  gig  of  my  thirty-seven  years  in 
liberal  religious  ministry.  My  daughters, 
Lee  and  Suki,  are  all  grown,  married,  and 
successful  in  their  careers,  and  my  wife, 
Elissa,  easily  moved  her  work  in  grief  and 
loss  counseling  to  the  Keys.  Ah,  another 
day  in  paradise." 

Donald  Drapkin 
Englewood,  New  Jersey 
On  May  1 ,  Drapkin  joined  Lazard  as  a 
vice  chairman  of  Lazard  International 
and  chairman  of  Lazard's  Investment 
Committee.  In  addition  to  his 
investment-banking  responsibilities, 
Drapkin  will  focus  on  strategic  invest- 
ments and  initiatives  for  Lazard  and  its 
clients  worldwide.  Drapkin  was  formcrl)' 
vice  chairman  of  MacAndrews  &  Forbes 
Holdings  Inc.  He  has  served  on  a  num- 
ber of  corporate  boards  and  is  a  member 
of  the  Brandeis  board  of  trustees. 

Lynn  Goldsmith  Goldberg 

Bedford,  New  Hampshire 

Goldberg  was  among  the  classmates  who 

attended  a  minircunion  at  the  home  of 


I  :ill    ir  I    liiMM.I.i-   I    MiM  ,-il\    \lM-;i/in. 


61 


Ann  Garelick  Garrick  in  Windham  on 
May  26.  Others  attending  were  Joan 
Eisenberg,  Phebe  Smith,  and  Barbara 
Adina  Collier, 

Ron  Kronish 

lerusalem 

Kronish  presented  a  paper,  "Facing  Evil  in 
the  World  Today;  A  Jewish  Perspective," 
on  liinc  26  at  an  international  sympo- 
sitmi  on  Jewish-Christian  relations  spon- 
sored by  the  Focolare  Movement  in 
Castel  Gondolfo,  near  Rome.  The  speech 
is  available  at  www.icci.org.il,  the  Web  site 
of  the  Interreligious  Coordinating  Coim- 
cil  in  Israel,  which  he  has  directed  tor  the 
past  sixteen  years.  Kronish  has  lived  in 
Jerusalem  for  twenty-eight  years.  He  is 
married  to  Amy,  whom  he  met  in  the 
kosher  line  at  Brandeis  forty  years  ago. 


1969 


Phoebe  Epstein 

205  West  89th  Street,  #10-S 
New  York,  NY  10024 
1969notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Jo  Anne  Chernev  Aiderstein 
Forest  Hills,  New  York 
Aiderstein  heads  the  immigration  law 
practice  at  Theien,  a  global  law  firm 
based  in  New  York.  During  the  holiday 
season,  she  telecommutes  from  her  home 
in  the  German  Colony  in  Jerusalem.  She 
looks  forward  to  reconnecting  with 
classmates  in  Israel. 

Eve  Marder 
Boston 

Marder,  the  Victor  and  Gwendolyn 
Beinfield  Professor  of  Neuroscience  and 
member  of  the  Volen  National  Center  for 
Complex  Systems  at  Brandeis,  was  elected 
to  the  National  Academy  of  Sciences  in 
recognition  of  her  distinguished  and 
continuing  achievements  in  original 
research.  Her  expertise  is  in  neurotrans- 
mitter modulation  ol  neural  circuits. 


Judith  Tellerman 
Chicago 

Tellerman  presented  a  lecture  and  origi- 
nal songs  at  a  symposium  on  the  role  ot 
women  in  religion  at  the  Hellenic 
Museum  and  Cultural  Center,  a  national 
institution  in  Chicago. 

Jo  Ann  Wexler 

Santa  Rosa,  CaJilornia 

Wexler  is  the  coauthor  of  Vim  Oaxtica,  a 

guidebook  about  the  Mexican  city  where 

she  spends  halt  the  year.  Her  Web  site  is 

www.si-oaxaca.com. 


1970 


Charles  S.  Eisenberg 

4  Ashford  Road 

Newton  Centre,  MA  02459 

1970notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Paul  Flelsher 

Richmond,  Virginia 

Fleisher  recently  published  "Food  Webs," 
his  latest  science  series  for  young  people. 
The  six  titles  in  the  series  are  Ocean, 
Tundra,  Forest,  Desert,  Lake  and  Pond,  and 
Grassland.  Each  book  in  the  series  looks  at 
interrelationships  among  organisms  in 
their  particular  environment  and  discusses 
human  impacts  on  the  specific  environ- 
ment. Fleisher  has  written  more  than 
three  dozen  books  for  young  people  and 
educators,  mostly  on  subjects  of 
science  and  nature  study.  He  retired  from 
teaching  gifted  students  in  the  Richmond, 
Virginia,  public  schools  in  2005,  and  now 
works  at  the  Richmond  Peace  Education 
Center.  Fleisher  also  offers  workshops  for 
educators  and  presentations  for  students 
at  schools,  libraries,  and  conferences.  His 
recent  works  include  Parasites  and  Mind 
Builders  (2006),  Evolution  and  The  Big 
Bang  (2005),  the  five-volume  series 
"Secrets  of  the  Universe"  (2001),  and 
Brain  Food(\9')7),  a  compilation  of 
thinking  games.  Fleisher's  books  are  avail- 
able at  www.lernerbooks.com,  as  well  as 
through  other  bookstores  and  online 
booksellers.  For  more  information,  visit 
www.paulfleisher.com  or  e-mail 
pfleishe@earthlink.net. 


Haile  Menkerios 
Bronx,  New  York 

Menkerios  was  appointed  assistant 
secretary-general  tor  political  affairs  by 
United  Nations  secretary-general  Ban 
Ki-moon.  Menkerios,  of  the  East 
African  nation  of  Eritrea,  served  previ- 
ously as  the  deputy  special  representa- 
tive of  the  secretary-general  for  the 
Democratic  Republic  of  the  Congo. 
From  2003  through  2005,  he  was 
director  of  the  Africa  I  Division  in  the 
UN's  Department  of  Political  Affairs.  In 
2002,  Menkerios  served  as  senior  advis- 
er to  the  special  envoy  of  the  secretary- 
general  to  the  Inter-Congolese  dialogue, 
and  assisted  the  special  envoy  on  all 
aspects  of  the  mediation  process  prior 
to  the  signing  of  the  Global  and  All- 
inclusive  Agreement  on  December  17, 
2002,  in  Sun  City,  South  Africa.  He  has 
also  represented  the  Eritrean  govern- 
ment as  ambassador  to  Ethiopia  and  the 
Organisation  ot  African  Unity;  special 
envoy  to  Somalia  and  the  Great  Lakes 
region;  and  permanent  representative  to 
the  United  Nations. 

Marjorie  Silver 
New  York  City 

Silver,  a  professor  of  law  at  Touro  Law 
Center  in  Central  Islip,  is  a  contributing 
author  and  editor  of  The  Affirmative 
Assistance  of  Counsel:  Practicing  Law  as  a 
Healing  Profession.  In  January,  Chief 
Judge  Judith  S.  Kaye  of  the  New  York 
State  Court  of  Appeals  named  her  to  the 
board  of  trustees  of  the  New  York  State 
Lawyers  Assistance  Trust. 


1971 


Richard  Kopley 

608  W.  Hillside  Avenue 
State  College,  PA  16803 
1971notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

I  am  professor  of  English  at  Penn 
State-DuBois,  teaching  both  American 
literature  and  composition.  I  am  revising 
a  book  about  Poe's  Dupin  tales,  titled 
Edgar  Allan  Poe  and  the  Dupin  Mysteries. 
As  president-elect  of  the  Nathaniel 


1-  I 


I   I  all    (>- 


alunini|)i()(ile    Murray  SiiicI  '64 


book 


Chasing  the  Cosmos 

While  compiling  linguistic  riddles — toying 
with  et)'mological  pairs  such  as  "mortgage" 
and  "mortician,"  and  "pencil"  and 
"penis" — for  his  2006  word-play 
Words  of  a  Feather,  Murray 
Suid  "64  became  obsessed. 

As  he  investigated  "cos- 
metics" and  "cosmos" — both, 
it  turns  out,  stem  from  the 
Greek  word  for  "order" — he 
was  intrigued  by  a  reference 
to  an  eighteenth-century 
British  law  under  which 
women  who  "seduced  men 
into  matrimony  by  a  cos- 
metic means '  would  be  tried 
as  witches.  Suid  (rhymes  with 
"fluid")  spent  days  tracking 
down  an  expert. 

It  turned  out  the  law  was  never  passed, 
Suid  learned  before  the  book  went  into 
print.  By  then,  he  was  off  and  running  on 
his  next  obsession.  His  jobs — teacher,  film 
producer,  author,  software  developer,  pro- 
fessor, and  screenwriter,  among  others — 
are  almost  incidental  to  his  passion,  which 
is  investigating  quirky  topics  that  capture 
his  imagination. 

Suid  has  published  more  than  two  dozen 
books  on  subjects  ranging  from  politics  to 
marriage  to  spelling.  His  most  popular, 
Hoiv  to  Be  President  of  the  U.S.A.,  is  a  step- 
by-step  explanation  for  middle  schoolers  of 
what  it's  like  to  hold  down  the  job  of  leader 
ot  the  free  world. 

Part  of  what  fuels  Suid's  life  work  is  his 
Brandeis  education.  Politically  left-wing 
and  intellectually  curious,  Suid  says  he  and 
Brandeis  have  a  lot  in  common.  "Because 
of  Brandeis,  I  learned  how  to  learn.  I  telt  1 
could  dream  big,"  he  says. 

Armed  with  a  psychology  major  and  a 
minor  in  English,  Suid  launched  his  career 
teaching  at  a  free-spirited  school  in  western 
Massachusetts,  where  a  student's  interest  in 
filmmaking  sparked  his  own   passion   for 


movies   and   storytelling — a   passion    that 
grew  throughout  his  life. 

At  age  forty-eight,  after  working  in   a 
panoply  ot  educational  and  editorial  posi- 


tions across  the  country,  Suid  applied  to 
UCLA's  film  school.  He  was  rejected.  He 
read  books  on  screenwriting,  took  classes, 
and  applied  again.  The  fourth  time  he 
applied,  he  was  accepted,  becoming  the 
film  school's  oldest  student.  He  wrote  six 
screenplays  while  earning  a  master's  degree, 
and  five  more  since.  In  all,  six  have  been 
optioned,  and  one — Summer  of  the  Flying 
Saucer — has  been  shot;  it  may  hit  the  silver 
screen  in  2008. 

Suid  recently  founded  Point  Reyes 
Pictures,  an  independent  movie  company. 
At  age  sixty-five,  he  is  one  of  the  few  mem- 
bers of  his  graduating  class  still  pursuing 
the  grueling  profession. 

Though  semi-retired,  Suid  still  treats 
every  project,  whether  a  screwball  comedy 
or — like  his  latest  project — a  book  about 
how  to  use  engineering  principles  to 
improve  your  personal  life,  as  seriously  as  it 
it  could  change  the  world. 

"I'd  like  to  think  that  my  work  might 
change  the  world,"  Suid  says,  "or  at  least 
improve  it  somewhat  by  making  people 
laugh." 

—Deborah  Halber  '80 


He  hopes  that  everyone  enjoyed  getting 
the  address  labels  with  the  association's 
new  "Louie"  logo,  and  he  is  looking 
torward  to  the  launch  of  B  Connect, 
which  will  be  a  great  new  Web  resource 
tor  Brandeis  alumni. 

Carol  (Arnoff)  Asher 
Rehovot,  Israel 

Asher  married  Leon  '70  after  her  second 
year  at  Brandeis.  In  1974,  they  moved  to 
Rehovot.  She  received  a  doctorate  in  bio- 
chemistry from  the  Weizmann  Institute  of 
Science  and  continued  to  work  there  as  a 
staff  scientist  after  her  post-doc.  She  has 
four  children,  Yael,  Gila,  Nava,  and 
David,  all  of  whom  are  married.  She  has 
seven  grandchildren  and  two  more  on  the 
way.  Ashet  enjoys  playing  flute  in  the 
Rehovot  Chamber  Orchestra,  attending 
concerts  and  operas,  and  traveling  around 
the  world. 

Mark  Gary  Blumenthal 

Knoxville,  Tennessee 
Blumenthal  has  been  married  to  Mindy 
Goldberg  for  nineteen  years.  They  have 
two  daughters,  Hila,  eleven,  and  liana, 
eight,  and  two  cats.  He  is  a  physician  with 
the  Tennessee  Department  of  Health  and 
on  the  faculty  at  the  University  of 
Tennessee.  Blumenthal  writes,  "We  are 
still  health-nut  vegetarians,  very  physically 
fit.  I've  become  a  competent  master's  level 
athlete  in  my  late  fifties,  and  Mindy  keeps 
winning  more  track  awards  the  older  she 
gets.  I'm  the  house's  kosher  gourmet  chef 
(every  physician  needs  relaxing  hobbies, 
and  everybody's  got  to  eat),  Macintosh 
guru,  and  photographer.  I  still  daven  with 
a  minyan  on  Sunday,  Monday,  Thursday, 
and  Shabbat,  and  we'd  be  Shomer  Shabbat 
if  it  were  at  all  realistic.  I  still  sing  two-plus 
octave  baritone,  and  Mom  (living  in  Boca, 
of  course)  still  tells  me  I'd  make  a  great 
chazzan."  Blumenthal's  e-mail  address  is 
niarkomd@alumni.brandeis.edu. 


Hawthorne  Society,  I  am  organizing  the 
Hawthorne  Conference,  to  be  held  at 
Bowdoin  College  in  June  2008.  My  wife. 
Amy  Golahny  '73,  is  professor  of  art  his- 
tory at  Lycoming  College.  Our  daughter 
Emily  is  beginning  a  doctorate  in  English 
at  Stanford  University,  and  our  son  Gabc 


is  finishing  his  undergraduate  degree  in 
English  at  the  University  of  Pittsburgh. 

Allen  Alter 

New  York  City 

Alter  became  president  of  the  Brandeis 

University  Alumni  Association  in  July. 


Lee  Friedman  Brice 

Albany,  New  York 

Brice  writes,  "After  many  years  of  teaching 
children  with  special  needs,  I  became  the 
education  director  of  Congregation  Gates 
of  Heaven  in  200 1 .  1  am  also  enjoying  my 
three  grandsons." 


Fail  '(1^  I  lirajiili'i-  I  uivi  rsil\    \la;;:izitli 


63 


•lassiioles 


Sally  Broff 
Carlsbad,  California 

BrofF  recently  retired  as  president  after  ten 
years  of  co-owning  and  operating  SEA- 
Comp,  which  imports  liquid-crystal 
displays  and  contract-assembly  services 
ftom  a  Chinese  manufacturer.  She  is 
enjoying  her  retirement  through  travel  and 
yolunteering  as  a  business  counselor  \yith 
SCORE,  a  national  organization  of 
experienced  business  professionals  who 
counsel  new  and  expanding  businesses. 

Linda  Burke 
Randolph,  Massachusetts 
Burke  has  taught  math  at  Canton  High 
School  for  the  last  thirrv'  years.  She  has 
three  grown  children,  [essica,  Allison,  and 
Lee.  During  the  summers  ot  2006  and 
2007,  she  trayeled  to  Israel,  where  she  vis- 
ited Sated  and  Metulla.  She  also  sweated 
in  Tiberias  to  see  the  tombs  of  Rabbi 
Akiya  and  Maimonides,  and  prayed  for 
her  ailing  parents  at  the  Wall  in  Jerusalem. 
Burke  says  she  would  welcome  hearing 
from  classmates  at  mathwow@msn.com. 

Somasundar  Burra 

New  Delhi.  India 

Burra  writes,  "I  visited  Brandeis  in  |une, 
along  with  my  son,  Arudra  '00.  1  was 
visiting  the  United  States  with  my  wite 
because  both  our  sons  were  graduating 
from  different  institurions.  It  was 
wonderful  to  go  back!  I  was  a  civil  servant 
from  1974  until  1993,  when  I  got  fed  up 
and  joined  a  not-for-profit,  working  on 
issues  of  urban  poverty.  I  am  based  in 
Mumbai,  and  1  would  love  to  meet  any 
classmates  visiting  India."  Burra's  e-mail 
address  is  sundarburra@gmail.com. 

Cathy  Yudell  Comins 
Passaic,  New  Jersey 
Comins  is  president  of  Yours  &  More 
Same-Day  Decor  and  is  a  certified  mem- 
ber of  the  Interior  Refiners'  Network. 
She  is  also  a  member  of  the  Special 
Accounts  Team,  Customer  Service,  at 
Office  Depot.  She  has  been  married  to 
David  Comins,  a  classmate  Irom  seventh 
grade,  tor  twent\'-nine  years,  in  2000, 
they  became  Torah-observant  Jews  and 
sanctified  their  new  litesryle  with  an 
Orthodox  Jewish  wedding,  getting 


remarried  after  twenty-one  years 
together.  Comins  was  led  back  to  her 
Jewish  roots  as  a  result  other  participa- 
tion in  Overeaters  Anonymous,  which 
she  now  considers  an  essential  part  ot 
her  life.  She  has  been  very  involved  in 
crafts  and  enjoys  knitting.  She  is  also 
active  in  her  community  and  spear- 
headed a  project  called  "Celebrate  Sal" 
to  honor  a  fabulous  bus  driver.  She  looks 
forward  to  having  more  time  to  commit 
to  volunteer  work,  pursuing  various  cratt 
interest,  and  enjoying  her  garden.  She 
also  hopes  to  have  more  time  to  leatn, 
especially  in  Israel,  as  well  as  to  travel 
with  her  husband. 

Jill  Combler  Danger 

Paris 

Danger  writes,  "I  have  lived  in  Paris  for 
nearly  thirty-four  years.  Atter  doing 
photography  and  painting,  I  opened  my 
restaurant  in  Paris  in  1978.  I  am  now  a 
freelance  journalist,  manager  of  musicians 
(jazz,  blues,  chansons  trani;aises,  etc.),  and 
sculptress  (I  had  a  show  in  October).  For 
the  last  few  years  I  have  been  a  Brandeis 
rep  for  College  Day  here.  I  am  so  proud 
to  represent  Brandeis!" 

Susan  Williams  Goodwin 
Kingwood,  Texas 

Goodwin  continues  as  a  teference  librarian 
at  Kingwood  College,  a  community 
college  in  greater  Houston.  She  recently 
published  her  fourth  book,  99 Jumpshms 
for  Kids'  Research:  Social  Sciences,  which  she 
co-authored  with  a  fellow  librarian. 

Marcle  Schorr  Hirsch 
Belmont,  Massachusetts 

Hirsch  manages  a  boutique  management- 
consulting  firm  along  with  Lisa  Berman 
Hills  '82.  Hills  and  Hirsch  worked 
together  when  Hirsch  ran  the  Hiatt  Career 
Center  at  Brandeis,  and  Hills  later  ran 
Hiatt  herself  Their  firm,  HirschHills 
(www.h-h.com),  works  with  a  wide  array 
of  clients  on  issues  of  organizational  devel- 
opment and  strateg)'.  Because  their  clients 
are  in  different  sectors,  their  work  is  con- 
stantly changing  and  challenging.  Hirsch 
writes,  "I  feel  fortunate  to  have  the  world's 
best  business  partner  and  think  out  part- 
nership has  been  greatly  enhanced  by  our 


shared  histor)'  as  Brandeis  students  and 
staff."  Hirsch  and  Hills  have  written  Roads 
Taken  on  strategic  career  planning  tor 
women  and  were  recently  featuted  in  Back 
on  the  Career  Track:  A  Guide  for  Stay-at- 
Honie  Moms  Wljo  Want  to  Return  to  Work. 

Jeffrey  Hyams 

'West  Hartford,  Connecticut 
Hyams  is  a  pediatric  gastroenterologist 
and  a  world-respected  expert  in  his  field. 
He  is  director  of  digestive  diseases  and 
nutrition  and  the  Center  for  Pediatric 
Inflammator)'  Bowel  Disease  at 
Connecticut  Children's  Medical  Centet. 
He  and  his  wife,  Debra,  are  the  proud 
parents  of  one-year-old  Alex. 

Joyce  Kamanitz 

West  Hattfofd,  Connecticut 
Kamanitz  is  a  psychiatrist  in  her  fifteenth 
year  ot  private  practice.  She  attended 
medical  school  at  the  University  of 
Connecticut  at  age  thirty-five  after 
finishing  pharmacy  school  at  UConn. 
Her  husband,  Tom  Feldman,  is  an  adult 
gastroenterologist.  His  eldest  daughtet, 
Sara,  is  getting  married  in  Octobet,  and 
his  youngest  is  testing  herself  in  New 
York  in  advertising. 

Mark  Kaufman 
Swampscott,  Massachusetts 

Kaufman  writes,  "After  eleven  years  at  a 
nonprofit  educational  research-and- 
development  organization,  I  left  last 
summer  and  have  recently  completed  a 
year  as  principal  of  the  Hanscom  Middle 
School,  part  of  the  Lincoln  public 
schools,  at  Hanscom  Air  Force  Base.  My 
Brandeis  classmate  Randy  Sherman 
Davis  is  principal  of  Hanscom  Primary 
School,  and  we  arc  having  a  great  time 
working  together.  The  last  time  we  did 
that  was  in  the  Waltham  Croup  summer 
program  in  1970." 

Judy  Davis  Marcus 

St.  Louis  Park,  Minnesota 

Marcus  is  program  coordinator  tor  the 
Twin  Cities  Jewish  Healing  Program  in 
Minneapolis,  and  has  recently  published 
a  book,  Jewish  Spiritual  Companion  for 
Medical  Treatments,  in  collabotation  with 
the  National  Center  tor  Jewish  Healing. 


Binniii'is  L"iii\ersiT\   Mm 


I  Fall  '07 


•la 


SSI  1  OH'-' 


The  book  offers  words  of  wisdom  in  the 
form  of  prayers,  psalms,  and  ancient  and 
modern  reflections  for  those  going 
through  the  journey  of  medical  treat- 
ment as  well  as  for  family  members, 
friends,  clergy,  and  health-care  profes- 
sionals. This  new  guide  helps  alleviate 
the  loneliness  and  apprehension  that  can 
often  accompany  illness  and  medical 
treatments.  The  prayers  and  reflections 
offered  in  this  book  bring  together  the 
rich  spiritual  resources  of  the  Jewish 
tradition  and  the  wisdom  of  ancient  and 
contemporary  Jewish  voices,  alongside 
contemporary  wisdom  on  health  and 
healing.  To  obtain  a  copy,  contact 
Marcus  (jmarcus@jfcsmpls.org)  or  visit 
www.ncjh.org. 

Victoria  Free  Presser 

White  Plains,  New  York 
Presser  is  the  public  information  officer 
for  the  Scarsdale  School  District.  In  her 
spare  time,  she  serves  as  an  at-large 
member  of  the  Jewish  Reconstructionist 
Federation  Board  of  Directors. 

Neysa  Pritikin 

Silver  City,  New  Mexico 
Pritikin  writes,  "I  moved  to  a  small  town 
in  southwest  New  Mexico  fifteen  years 
ago  and  love  it.  I  am  a  home-mortgage 
consultant  with  Wells  Fargo  Home  Mort- 
gage, so  I  can  do  mortgages  anywhere  in 
the  United  States  (a  plug  for  getting  in 
touch  with  me  if  any  Brandeis  graduate 
needs  a  mortgage).  I  remain  happily  sin- 
gle, full  of  vim  and  vigor.  Silver  City  is 
'mananaland'  in  the  Gila  Wilderness  and 
a  wonderful  place  to  visit. " 

Richard  Punzo 
Trenton,  New  Jersey 
Punzo  received  the  Congressional  Medal 
of  Distinction  from  the  National 
Republican  Congressional  Committee.  He 
serves  as  president  and  chief  executive  offi- 
cer of  Richardson  Global,  an  international 
training  and  consulting  firm  focused  on 
leadership  development,  project-manage- 
ment training,  and  cross-cultural  training. 
He  was  cited  for  his  support  of  improve- 
ments in  the  global  business  environment, 
outstanding  leadership  in  business,  and 
contributions  to  the  local  economy. 


Ronnie  Boxstein  Riceberg 

Sarasota,  Florida 

Riceberg  moved  to  Sarasota  in  2004  and 
teaches  gifted  third-grade  students  at 
Phillippi  Shores  Elementary  School.  In  her 
"spare"  time,  she  performs  with  the 
Sarasota  Jewish  Chorale. 

Philip  Rubin 
Fairfield,  Connecticut 
Rubin  writes,  "I  am  married  to  Joette 
Katz  '74.  Our  biggest  news  relates  to 
our  children.  Our  son,  Jason  Rubin,  grad- 
uated from  the  University  of  Pennsylvania 
in  2006.  He  spent  the  past  year  as  a  corps 
member  at  City  Year  Philadelphia,  where 
he  tutored  high  school  students  in  math, 
science,  and  English  and  worked  on  after- 
school  and  other  programs.  He  finished 
with  City  Year  in  June  and  spent  the  sum- 
mer building  houses  and  doing  other  vol- 
unteer work  at  Hands  On  Gulf  Coast  in 
Biloxi,  Mississippi.  Jason  began  his  studies 
at  the  Tufts  University  School  of  Medi- 
cine in  August.  Our  daughter,  Samantha 
Katz,  lives  in  Brooklyn,  New  York,  where 
she  is  a  senior  at  the  Pratt  Institute.  This 
summer  she  worked  at  an  advertising 
agency  in  Manhattan.  Joette  is  in  her  fif- 
teenth year  as  one  of  the  seven  justices  on 
the  Connecticut  Supreme  Court.  She  is 
once  again  teaching  a  course  on  ethics 
and  litigation  at  Yale  University  School  of 
Law.  I  am  the  CEO  and  a  senior  scientist 
at  Haskins  Laboratories  in  New  Haven,  a 
nonprofit  research  institute  that  does 
what  we  call  'the  science  of  the  spoken 
and  written  word' — basic  research  on 
speech  and  reading  and  their  biological 
underpinnings.  I  am  also  an  adjunct 
professor  in  the  Department  of  Surgery, 
Otolaryngology,  at  Yale  University  School 
of  Medicine  and  a  research  affiliate  in  the 
Department  of  Psychology  at  Yale.  I 
recently  had  a  show  of  some  of  my 
photography.  Wall  Art:  Photographs  of 
Urban  Art,  at  the  Discovery  Museum  and 
Planetarium  in  Bridgeport." 

Janis  Abrahms  Spring 

Westport,  Connecticut 
Spring  is  a  clinical  psychologist  in  private 
practice  in  Westport,  specializing  in 
issues  of  trust,  intimacy,  and  forgiveness. 
She  is  the  author  of  two  books,  After  the 


Affair:  Healing  the  Pain  and  Rebuilding 
the  Trust  When  a  Partner  Has  Been 
Unfaithfid  and  How  Can  I  Forgive  You^ 
The  Courage  to  Forgive,  the  Freedom  Not 
To.  She  is  also  a  grandmother  to  one- 
year-old  Phoebe. 

Jason  Sommer 

St.  Louis 

Sommer  writes,  "My  latest  book,  Wang 
in  Love  and  Bondage,  published  in 
March,  is  a  collaborative  translation  with 
Hongling  Zhang.  It's  the  first  appearance 
in  English  of  work — three  novellas — by 
the  late  Wang  Xiaobo,  widely  regarded  as 
one  of  the  most  important  figures  of 
twentieth-century  Chinese  letters,  and  a 
master  of  black  humor  about  the 
Cultural  Revolution,  among  other 
matters.  My  2004  book,  The  Man  Who 
Sleeps  in  My  Office,  still  gets  me  invita- 
tions to  read  around  the  country,  with 
some  inexplicable  geographic  concentra- 
tion below  the  Mason-Dixon  Line.  I  also 
was  in  the  South  in  July  for  my  seventh 
annual  stint  teaching  at  the  Sewanee 
Young  Writets'  Conference  and  a  reading 
at  the  Sewanee  School  of  Letters." 

Steven  Swerdlow 
Pittsburgh 

Swerdlow  is  running  his  growing 
hematopathology  division  at  the 
University  of  Pittsburgh  Medical 
Center.  He  writes,  "My  experience  with 
presidential  politics  has  been  limited  to 
being  now  the  past  president  of  the 
Society  for  Hematopathology  and 
current  president  of  the  Pittsburgh 
Pathology  Society.  At  least  it  means  I 
don't  have  to  do  battle  with  real  heavy- 
weights, and  I  can't  be  blamed  for  the 
sorry  state  of  our  country.  My  career 
has  led  to  people  being  willing  to  schlep 
me  places  around  the  world,  so  I 
haven't  become  totally  provincial." 

Hedy  Wermer 
Amherst,  Massachusetts 
Wermer  has  lived  in  Amherst  for  the  past 
fifteen  years.  She  has  a  part-time  clinical 
psychology  practice   in  Northampton, 
working  primarily  with  adults  and  older 
adolescents.  In  addition  to  doing  clinical 
work,  for  the  past  eight  years  she  has  been 


I  ;.ll    ir  I   Hr;,ii.l.-i,   I    iin.r- 


65 


notes 


on  the  ethics  committee  of  the  Massachu- 
setts Psychological  Association.  She  is 
married  to  Ben  Branch,  a  professor  of 
finance  at  the  University  of  Massachusetts. 
Her  son,  Adam,  is  twenty  and  a  junior 
majoring  in  physics  at  Yale. 

Sue  Tabbat  Wurzel 
West  Newton,  Massachusetts 
After  nearly  three  decades  as  a  psycholo- 
gist, Wurzel  now  works  as  a  visual  artist. 
Visit  her  Web  sites,  www.petportraitsby 
sue.com  and  www.suewurzel.com. 

Dvora  Yanow 
Amsterdam,  Netherlands 
Yanow's  2003  book.  Constructing  "Race" 
and  "Ethiiicity"  in  America:  Category- 
Making  in  Public  Policy  and  Administra- 
tion, recently  received  its  second  award, 
the  Herbert  A.  Simon  Book  Award  from 
the  AiTierican  Political  Science  Association. 


1973 


1972 


Dan  Garfinkel 

2420  Kings  Lane 
Pittsburgh,  PA  15241 
1972notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Nancy  Katzen  Kaufman 

Swampscott,  Massachusetts 
Kaufman,  executive  director  of  the 
Jewish  Community  Relations  Council  of 
Greater  Boston,  received  a  Woman  of 
Valor  Award  from  Jewish  Funds  for 
Justice.  "I  am  delighted  to  be  honored 
by  an  organization  that  recognizes  the 
need  to  change  the  nature  of  the  power 
balance  between  the  haves  and  have-nots 
in  our  midst,"  Kaufman  said.  Kaufman 
is  a  past  recipient  of  the  Brandeis 
Alumni  Achievement  Award. 

Scott  Richmond 
Swampscott,  Massachusetts 
Richmond  and  his  Brandeis  roommate, 
Marty  Kanner,  are  launching  "Boom- 
Dates,"  an  Internet-based  dating  service 
for  the  baby-boom  generation. 


George  Kahn 

11300  Rudman  Drive 
Culver  City,  CA  90230 
1973notes'?  alumni.brandeis.edu 

I  began  work  on  my  sixth  album  on 
September  4.  The  project,  titled  Under 
the  Covers,  will  contain  original  composi- 
tions as  well  as  unique  cover  versions  ol 
'70s  hits  that  are  rarely  done  in  a  jazz 
version.  Songs  by  Cream,  Pink  Flovd, 
Bill  Withers,  and  the  Beatles  will  be 
featured.  The  album  is  scheduled  for 
release  on  Playing  Records  in  early  2008 
and  will  be  available  from  Internet 
record  stores  and  by  digital  download 
through  many  sites,  such  as  iTunes. 

John  Edison 

Stanwood,  Washington 

Edison  was  chosen  as  Firefighter  ol  the 

Year  for  Camano  Island  Fire  and  Rescue. 

Amy  Golahny 

State  College,  Pennsylvania 

See  1971  class  correspondent  Richard 

Kopley. 

Barry  Gesserman 

Wynnewood,  Pennsylvania 
Gesserman  is  vice  president  of  sales 
and  marketing  and  chief  operating 
officer  at  First  Flavor  in  Bala  Cynwyd. 
He  comes  to  First  Flavor  after  rwenr\' 
years  with  the  Campbell  Soup  Co.  in 
various  marketing  and  sales  roles.  First 
Flavor  uses  edible  film  technology 
(similar  to  breath  strips)  to  enable  food 
and  beverage  companies  to  include  the 
sense  of  taste  in  their  advertising  com- 
munications. Gesserman  is  interested  in 
reconnecting  and  networking  with 
former  classmates  and  can  be  reached  at 
bgess@comcast.net. 

Daniel  Rosen 

Bellevue,  Washington 
Rosen  was  recently  appointed  executive 
chairman  at  Neah  Power  Systems,  a 
leading  developer  of  fuel  cells  for  mili- 
tary applications,  notebook  computers. 


and  portable  electronic  devices.  He  has 
been  chairman  of  the  board  of  directors 
since  2000  and  is  also  a  member  of  the 
technical  advisory  board.  As  executive 
chairman,  Rosen  serves  as  the  primary 
spokesman  for  Neah. 

Albert  Spevak 

Pacific  Palisades,  California 

Spevak  produced  the  PBS  special  Last  of 

the  Breed,  starring  Willie  Nelson,  Merle 

Haggard,  and  Ray  Price,  which  began 

broadcasting  in  August  as  a  pledge 

fundraising  program  by  PBS  stations.  The 

special  was  taped  in  Chicago  in  March. 

Paul  Trusten 

Midland,  Texas 

Trusten  serves  as  public  relations  director 
for  the  U.S.  Metric  Association,  a 
national  nonprofit  organization  founded 
in  1916  to  promote  the  U.S.  changeover 
to  the  metric  system  of  measurement. 
He  is  also  secretary  and  a  founding 
member  of  the  Pharmacy  Alliance,  an 
international  organization  committed  to 
improving  working  conditions  in  the 
pharmacy  profession. 


1974 


Class  of  1974 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

1974notes@alumni.brandels.edu 

Joel  Fiedler 
Moorestown,  New  Jersey 
Fiedler  was  promoted  to  clinical 
professor  of  pediatrics  in  the  Division  of 
Allergy  and  Immunology  at  Children's 
Hospital  of  Philadelphia,  Universit)'  of 
Pennsvlvania.  He  is  also  president  of  the 
Philadelphia  Allergy  Society. 

Benjamin  Green 

Stamford,  Connecticut 

See  Paula  Berkowitz  Green  '75. 

Joette  Katz 

Fairfield,  Connecticut 
See  Philip  Rubin  '71. 


.il-ls    I 


Ill\  rr-,11  \ 


aziiir  I  I  nil    ir 


class  notes 


Caroline  Leavitt 

Hoboken,  New  Jersey 
Leavitt  is  an  award-winning  novelist 
and  screenwriter  who  has  seen  four  of 
her  eight  novels  optioned  for  screen  and 
has  written  the  script  for  two.  Now, 
along  with  novelist  Leora  Skolkin- 
Smith,  she  is  in  the  process  of  adapting 
for  the  screen  Skolkin-Smith's  prize- 
winning  novel  Edges:  O  Israel,  O 
Palestine.  The  novel,  a  mother-daughter 
story  set  against  the  changing  borders  of 
Israel  and  Palestine  during  the  1940s 
and  1967,  is  in  development  and  is 
slated  to  be  fdmed  on  location  in 
Jerusalem.  Leavitt  is  married  to  writer 
Jeff  Tamarkin  and  has  a  young  son, 
Max.  She  can  be  reached  through  her 
Web  site  (www.carolineleavitt.com). 

Carl  Sealove 

Los  Angeles 

Sealove  was  music  director  for  the  hit  film 
Superbad  and  is  now  working  on  the  next 
Judd  Apatow  film. 


1975 


Class  of  1975 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

1975notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Barbara  Alport 
New  York  City 

Alpert  joined  the  New  York  City 
Teaching  Fellows  in  2001  after  a  long 
career  as  a  book  editor  and  writer.  She 
earned  a  master's  degree  in  education 
from  Lehman  College  (CUNY)  in  200.3 
and  taught  fourth-grade  writing  and 
K-5  at  a  South  Bronx  school  in  one  of 
the  poorest  areas  in  the  country.  She  is 
now  a  literacy  coach  at  the  East  Harlem 
Tutorial  Program,  where  she  trains 
tutors,  writes  curriculum,  coaches  staff  in 
lesson  planning  and  delivery,  and  pro- 
vides assessment  in  reading  and  math  for 
the  several  hundred  children  served  by 
this  award-winning  K-I2  program. 
Alpert  continues  to  help  supervise  the 
New  York  Cirv  Marathon  finish  line, 


which  she  has  done  for  more  than  a 
quarter-century,  and  also  volunteers  with 
the  New  York  City  Ballet. 

Paula  Berkowitz  Green 

Stamford,  Connecticut 
Green  writes,  "Our  daughter,  Ali,  will 
be  attending  Brandeis  as  part  of  the 
Class  of  20 11.  She  is  spending  the  fall 
semester  at  Tel  Aviv  University  and  then 
will  start  Brandeis  as  part  of  the  midyear 
class.  It's  hard  to  say  who's  more  excited 
about  this-Alli  or  my  husband,  Ben  '74, 
and  me. " 

Alisa  Belinkoff  Katz 
Los  Angeles 

Katz  and  Malka  Alpert  Young  were 
roommates  at  Brandeis  and  again  on  the 
Ms.  Magazine  Cruise  to  the  Western 
Caribbean  in  February.  Katz  lives  in 
Los  Angeles,  where  she  is  the  top  aide  to 
a  local  elected  official.  Young  lives  in 
Sudbury,  Massachusetts,  and  serves  as 
the  communal  services  manager  at  Jew- 
ish Family  Service  of  Metrowest.  Katz's 
husband  of  almost  thirty  years,  Howard, 
is  a  lawyer  and  housing  developer;  her 
son,  Louis,  twenty-seven,  is  a  stand-up 
comedian;  and  her  daughter,  Leora, 
twenty-five,  is  a  student  at  the  Universit)' 
of  Southern  California  School  of  Social 
Work.  Young's  husband  of  almost  thirt)' 
years  is  a  cardiologist;  her  daughter  Eve 
is  a  women's  studies  major  at  Tufts 
University,  and  her  daughter  Sarah  is  a 
sculpture  major  at  Rhode  Island  School 
of  Design.  Katz  and  Young  would  love 
to  hear  from  friends  and  classmates  at 
nialka.young@gmail.com  and 
alisa@howardkatz.com. 

Beth  Anne  Wolfson 
Dedham,  Massachusetts 
Wolfson  is  a  member  of  the 
Massachusetts  Bar  Association's  Labor 
and  Employment  Law  Section  Council's 
committee,  which  meets  with  the  offi- 
cials of  the  Massachusetts  Department  ol 
Labor  as  it  considers  approaches  to  best 
meet  the  needs  of  the  public  and  the  bar. 
She  is  a  former  chair  of  the  council  and 
a  professor  at  Bentley  College. 


Malka  Alpert  Young 

Sudbury,  Massachusetts 
Young  received  the  Goodman  Award, 
the  Associarion  of  Jewish  Family  and 
Children's  Agencies'  signature  award  for 
program  innovation,  in  April  in  New 
York  City.  Young,  manager  of  communal 
services  of  Jewish  Family  Service  of 
Metrowest  in  Framingham,  leads  the 
team  that  developed  Kesher  13.  The 
program  represents  the  best  of  commu- 
nity organizing,  mobilization  of  volun- 
teers, and  participatory  action  in  the 
service  of  connecting  isolated  Jewish 
elders  in  community  facilities  with  youth 
and  families  in  synagogues. 


1976 


Beth  Pearlman 

1773  Diane  Road 

Mendota  Heights,  MN  55118 

1976notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Thanks  to  those  who  wrote  to  express 
sadness  at  the  sudden  passing  of  two  of 
our  classmates,  Jeff  Pomeranz  and  Eric 
Shapiro,  which  was  announced  last 
issue.  That  makes  it  feel  even  more 
important  to  stay  in  touch,  so  please 
keep  everyone  up-to-date  through  "Class 
Notes"  and  personal  communication. 

Laurie  Gilbert  Albert 
Newton  Square,  Pennsylvania 
Abert  is  the  synagogue  administrator  for 
Or  Hadash,  a  Reconstructionist  congre- 
gation in  Fort  Washington. 

Jun-Phot  Chuasai 
Bangkok 

Chuasai  writes,  "I  am  now  in  Bangkok, 
working  as  managing  director  of  Leader- 
ship Management  International.  I  turned 
fifty  a  year  ago.  To  mark  the  milestone, 
1  walked  a  thousand  kilometers  from 
St.  Jean  Pied  de  Port,  France,  to  Santiago 
de  Compostela,  in  Spain.  I  did  it  to  raise 
funds  for  cataract  operations.  I  was  able 
to  help  six  hundred  underprivileged  peo- 
ple in  Thailand  receive  free  operations.  I 
have  one  son,  sixteen  years  old,  who  is  a 
secondary  school  student  in  the  UK." 


hill   •()-    I    lirMM.Ici..    I    IMN.T-il>     W.X'^.WUU 


67 


•lass  notes 


alumniprofile    Lauren  Stiller  Rikleen  '75 


Bruce  Heiman 

Bethesda,  Maryland 

Heiman  writes,  "After  twenty-seven  years 
of  policy  law  and  lobbying  at  the 
Washington,  D.C.,  office  of  Preston 
Gates  Ellis  (with  an  interruption  to  serve 
as  legislative  director  tor  former  U.S. 
senator  Daniel  Patrick  Moynihan),  I 
have  changed  law  firms — sort  of. 
Actually,  Preston  Gates  merged  with 
Kirkpatrick  &  Lockhart  Nicholson 
Graham  to  form  Kirkpatrick  &  Lockhart 
Preston  Gates  Ellis.  K&L  Gates,  as  the 
firm  is  now  known,  has  1,400  lawyers  in 
twenty-two  cities  on  three  continents.  I 
am  the  co-practice  area  leader  for  the 
firm's  policy  and  regulatory  practice  and 
a  member  of  the  firms  management 
committee.  The  last  tew  months  have 
been  special  in  other  ways  as  well.  My 
elder  daughter  was  accepted  to  her  first- 
choice  college  (my  other  daughter  is  a 
high  school  freshman).  My  wife  (a  recov- 
ered ex-lawyer)  tlnished  coauthoring 
See  Whiit  You  Can  Be,  an  inspirational, 
motivational  book  for  'tweens  on 
possible  careers,  to  be  published  by 
American  Girl  this  tall. " 

Raina  Chamovitz  Rosenberg 

lerusalem 

Rosenberg  writes,  "My  news  from 
Jerusalem  is  that  a  winter  of  treatments 
for  breast  cancer  is  behind  me.  My 
husband,  Zvika,  our  daughters,  Maia  and 
Tamar,  and  I  are  all  well.  After  her  army 
service,  Maia  backpacked  through  India, 
work  in  the  United  States,  and  back- 
packed  through  South  America.  She 
started  university  in  the  fall.  Tamar  is 
finishing  high  school  and  then  will  go  on 
to  her  army  service.  I  am  blessed  with  an 
incredible  family  and  a  return  to  health. " 

Jay  Spieler 

Miami 

Spieler  writes,  "I've  been  a  stockbroker 
most  of  my  adult  life,  the  past  eleven 
years  at  Oppenheimer  &  Co.  in  Miami, 
where  I  am  an  executive  director  of 
investments.  My  wife  of  more  than 
twenry-five  years,  Lucie,  recently  left 
teaching  to  join  Florida  Grand  Opera, 
where  she  edits  and  contributes  to  the 


Law  Review 

Lauren  Stiller  Rikleen  '75  wrote  the  book 
on  succeeding  in  the  demanding  world  ot 
law  firms.  Now  she  hopes  to  help  others  do 
the  same. 

A  senior  partner  with  Bowditch  &  Dewey 
in  Massachusetts,  Rikleen  last  year  published 
Etiding  the  Gauntlet:  Removing  Barriers  to 
Women's  Success  in  the  Law,  a  primer  on  ways 
to  make  the  profession  more  inclusive. 

"I  think  law  is  behind  other  workplace 
sectors  in  responding  to  the  needs  of  its  own 
talent  pool,"  Rikleen  says.  "One  ot  my 
hopes  tor  why  the  profession  has  to  change 
is  that  you  have  a  generation  coming  to  the 
workplace  saying,  'I'm  not  going  to  live  the 
kind  of  life  you  expect  me  to  live,  which 
means  sacrificing  everything  in  order  to  suc- 
ceed.'" 

Soon  after  she  joined  Bowditch  in  1988, 
Rikleen,  who  already  had  an  infant  son, 
gave  birrh  to  a  second  child,  a  daughter.  At 
first,  she  found  herself  one  ot  several  moth- 
ers with  young  children  who  worked  in 
firms  Trying  ro  juggle  rhe  commitments  of 
work  and  parenthood.  But  betore  long,  she 
was  one  of  just  a  handful  in  that  situation. 

"I  saw  so  many  women  make  heroic 
efforts  to  successfully  work  and  raise  a  fam- 
ily— and  then  ultimately  feel  they  had  to 
give  up, "  she  says. 

She  found  out  why  after  she  became 
president  ot  the  Boston  Bar  Association  in 
1998.  Conducting  research  for  a  task  force 
on  professional  challenges  and  family 
needs,  she  found  women  reported  experi- 
encing gender  bias  once  they  had  children, 
often  being  relegated  to  the  worst  assign- 
ments. They  also  complained  about  lack  of 
mentoring    and     meaningful     part-time 


opportunities  as  well  as  the  burden  of  the 
billable-hours  system,  which  rewards  inef- 
ficiency and  "face  rime." 

Working   to   facilitate   change,    Rikleen 
recendv  launched  the  Bowditch  Institute 


tor  Women's  Success.  The  institute  offers 
workshops  for  professional  women  to  help 
them  get  better  assignments,  generate  more 
business,  and  cultivate  mentors  while  main- 
taining flexibility  for  a  satisfying  family  life. 
In  addition,  Rikleen  consults  with  law 
firms  and  other  business  organizations, 
interviewing  employees  and  reviewing  poli- 
cies that  impact  women  in  the  workplace. 

Rikleen  credits  her  own  success  to  the 
support  and  flexibility  of  her  firm  and  her 
husband,  Sander,  also  an  attorney.  Of 
course,  she's  also  worked  hard,  often  from 
home  at  night. 

"You're  always  feeling  tugged,"  she  says, 
"but  one  tenet  I  tried  to  live  by  as  my  kids 
were  growing  up  is  that  I  would  never  sac- 
rifice their  needs  for  my  work." 

— Lewis  I.  Rice  '86 


program  notes  and  manages  subscriber 
systems.  Our  son  William  turned 
twenry'-four,  graduated  from 
Georgetown  Law  and  was  married  to 
Shahrzahd  Farzaneh  this  spring.  They're 
living  in  Alexandria,  Virginia,  and 
working  at  the  U.S.  Patent  Office. 
David,  twenty-one,  continues  his  stud- 
ies at  the  Learning  Experience  School 
and  has  starred  his  first  paying  job 
through  the  Hope  Center.  Frederic, 
nineteen,  is  an  honors  student  at  the 
University  of  Florida  majoring  in  elec- 
trical engineering  and  playing  guitar  on 


the  open-mike  scene  in  Gainesville. 
Aside  from  my  day  job,  my  most  daunt- 
ing task  has  been  taking  on  the  presi- 
dency of  Beth  David  Congregation, 
Miami's  oldest  synagogue.  The  good 
news  is  that  all  the  meetings  have 
forced  me  to  break  from  my  long-held 
habit  of  working  until  6:30.  I  should 
have  discovered  this  before!" 

Corinne  Varon-Green 
Swampscott,  Massachusetts 
Varon-Green  coordinates  bilingual  and 
English  language  acquisition  programs 


iiralideis  Lhliver.sitv  .Ma^aziiir  |  Fall  '07 


classiiotes 


for  the  Cambridge  public  schools.  In 
2004,  she  graduated  from  Harvard  with 
a  doctorate  in  education.  Also  in  2004, 
she  married  Richard  Green,  owner  of 
Massage  Therapy  Works  in  Davi.s 
Square,  Somerville,  and  bought  a  house 
in  Swampscott.  She  continues  pro- 
ducing visual  arts  and  participating  in 
group  exhibitions. 

Marc  Wine 
Potomac,  Maryland 
Wine  coauthored  his  first  book  on 
health  care.  Medical  Informatics  20120: 
Quality  and  Electronic  Records  through 
Collaboration  Open  Solutions  and 
Innovation.  This  is  a  breakthrough  book 
for  the  health-care  industry,  government, 
and  consumers  that  presents  the  new 
road  map  to  transforming  health  care 
driven  by  consumer  empowerment  and 
information  technology.  Wine  was 
appointed  to  the  faculty  of  the 
Department  of  Health  Services  Manage- 
ment and  Leadership  at  the  George 
Washington  University  School  of  Public 
Health  in  2005.  He  teaches  health  inlor- 
mation  technology  (IT)  systems  manage- 
ment and  develops  the  universit}'  health 
IT  education  program.  After  twenty-five 
years  with  the  U.S.  Department  of 
Veterans  Affairs  in  Washington,  D.C., 
he  is  working  in  IT  collaboration 
across  governments. 


1977 


Fred  Berg 

145  Fourth  Avenue,  #19-C 
New  York,  NY  10003 
igTynotesiSialumnl. brandeis.edu 

Steven  London 
Sharon,  Massachusetts 
London  has  joined  the  Boston  office 
o{  Pepper  Hamilton  as  a  partner.  A 
corporate  and  securities  lawyer  with 
more  than  twenry-five  years  of  experi- 
ence, he  was  previously  a  partner 
in  the  corporate  group  at  Brown 
Rudnick  Berlack  Israels. 


David  Nesson 

Morristown,  New  Jersey 
Nesson  was  recently  honored  for  his 
eighteen  years  of  service  as  spiritual  leader 
at  Morristown  Jewish  Center  Beit  Yisrael 
in  New  Jersey.  He  was  ordained  at  Jewish 
Theological  Seminary  in  1983.  He  is 
married  to  Ellen  and  has  two  children, 
Leora,  twenty-three,  and  Willie,  nineteen. 


1978 


Valerie  Troyansky 

10  West  66th  Street,  #8J 
New  York,  NY  10023 
1978notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Mel  Stoler 

Brookline,  Massachusetts 
Stoler  has  worked  for  the  Massachusetts 
Department  of  Mental  Health  since 
1982  and  currently  serves  as  the  assistant 
director  of  children's  services  for  the 
metro  Boston  area.  In  August,  he 
completed  his  twenty-first  annual 
Pan-Mass  Challenge  two-day  bicycle  ride 
to  raise  money  for  the  Jimmy  Fund  of 
the  Dana-Farber  Cancer  Institute.  Stoler 
and  his  wife,  Karen,  have  two  sons, 
Adam,  a  sophomore  at  Skidmore 
College,  and  Ari,  a  junior  at  Brookline 
High  School. 

Douglas  Wray 
Fairfield,  Connecticut 
Wray  writes,  "Last  year,  I  continued  to 
play  bass  with  singer-songwriters  Sloan 
Wainwright  and  Ben  Arvan,  touring 
with  Wainwright  and  appearing  regularly 
with  Arvan  at  the  Bitter  End  and  the 
Baggot  Inn,  both  in  Greenwich  Village. " 


1979 


Ruth  Strauss  Fleischmann 

8  Angler  Road 

Lexington,  MA  02420 

1979notes@alumni.brandels.edu 


Charles  Alexander 

New  York  City 

Alexander  joined  the  faculty  at  Berklee 
College  of  Music  as  an  associate 
professor  and  is  teaching  all  aspects  of 
music  production  and  engineering.  He  is 
also  an  adjunct  instructor  at  New  York 
University's  Clive  Davis  Department  of 
Recorded  Music.  As  an  artist,  producer, 
and  engineer,  he  has  a  client  list  that 
includes  himself  as  Prince  Charles  Alexan- 
der, Mary  J.  Blige,  Destiny's  Child, 
Diddy,  Alicia  Keys,  the  late  recording 
artists  Notorious  B.I.G.  and  Luther  Van- 
dross,  and  many  more.  Although  he  has 
garnered  three  Grammys  and  more  than 
forty  platinum  records,  his  proudest 
achievement  occurred  this  spring  when  he 
was  informed  that  his  eighteen-year-old 
son  was  accepted  to,  and  is  attending. 
Harvard  University  as  a  member  of  the 
Class  of  201 1.  On  top  of  that,  a  second 
marriage  took  place  on  October  7  to  his 
fiancee,  Candice  Coggins.  His  mother 
recently  had  cancer  surgery,  and  all 
thoughts  and  prayers  are  welcome  at 
pcalexander@berklee.edu.  Alexander  has 
also  reunited  with  his  twenty-seven-year- 
old  daughter  from  a  previous  relationship 
and  her  three-year-old  son.  From  the 
Eden  Ahbez  composition  "Nature  Boy," 
made  famous  by  Nat  King  Cole  in  1948 
(the  year  Brandeis  opened  its  doors), 
Alexander  quotes  the  following  lyrics  as 
his  life's  mantra:  "The  greatest  thing 
you'll  ever  learn  is  just  to  love  and  be 
loved  in  return." 

Richard  Jaffee 

Weston,  Connecticut 
Jaffe  writes,  "In  2004,  after  a  twenty- 
two-year  career  on  Wall  Street  at 
Citicorp,  Bear  Stearns,  and  Goldman 
Sachs,  I  left  to  begin  a  new  stage.  We 
moved  from  New  York  to  Weston, 
Connecticut,  which  we  re  enjoying  very 
much.  I've  recently  started  a  company 
that  will  offer  products  for  the  educa- 
tional market,  and  I  would  love  to  hear 
from  any  alumni  involved  in  this 
industry  (rijll27@optonline.net).  My 
kids  are  great:  Laura  is  a  high  school 
senior,  soon  applying  to  colleges,  Ben  is 
in  tenth  grade  and  is  taller  than  me, 
and  Mikey  is  starting  sixth  grade." 


I'.'ill    U"  I  Bi;iiiilt'is  I  iii\f-rsitv  Magazillt' 


69 


l^-' ^.^ .   ?^ 9  -<  -i  ■. *;^ i:  i^f^t  ^ 


rnarriaaes   unions 


Ashley  Blick  '98  and  Ben  Sternberg 


Sujan  Talukdar  '96  and 
Jonathan  White 


Braacli-is  I  iiiv.-rNilN    \l,i;;azuH'  |  I'all  '07 


Class Name 


Date 


1988 
1989 
1992 

1993 

1994 
1995 
1996 


1997 


1998 


1999 
2000 


2001 


2002 


2003 


2004 


2005 


GRAD 


Sharon  Lichten  and  Alexander  Barnett 

Monica  Harris  and  Steve  Susel 

Joshua  Slovin  and  Marci  Raschal 

Jonathan  Tunick  and  Amy  Paul 

Amanda  Golden  and  Peter  Charles 

Yfat  Reiss  and  Bradley  Howard  Gendell 

Karen  Haberlin  and  David  M.  Wilson 

Jessica  Weiss  and  Michael  Schwartz 

Aimee  Cegelka  and  Benjamin  Herman 

Danielle  Friedman  and  Adam  Dehner 

Hope  Frisch  and  Jeremy  Kalin 

Jessica  Kopito  and  Harris  Giddings 

Sujan  Talukdar  and  Jonathan  White 

Amanda  Mayer  and  Gregory  Alexander  Robbins 

Dina  Rovner  and  Aharon  Hadid 

Aleksey  Tsalolikhin  and  Natasha  Kelly 

Ashley  Blick  and  Ben  Sternberg 

Alexander  Heckler  and  Tiffany  Zientz 

Alexis  Hirst  and  Richard  Ludwig 

Abrah  Salk  and  Mark  Zion  Jr 

Ron  Kami  and  Mollie  Gordon 

Joshua  LeRoy  and  Sara  Jones 

Alayne  Manas  and  Daniel  Birnhak  '01 

Michelle  Rubino  and  John  McSweeney 

Joshua  Sunshine  and  Dara  Neuman 

Jennifer  Weiner  and  Bryan  Kaczmarek 

Joel  Christensen  and  Shahnaaz  Nistar 

Allison  Cohen  and  Erik  Sylvin  '99 

Amy  Leichtner  and  Dan  Deutsch 

Karen  Lerner  and  Brad  Chelin 

Meaghan  Morrison  and  Morgan  Rudolph 

Noaa  Rahav  and  Marc  Stoler 

Rachel  Zitsman  and  Andrew  Messinger 

Dana  Kaplan  and  Jake  Rubin 

Yanna  Krupnikov  and  Adam  Herman  '04 

David  Zaikin  and  Jessica  Miller 

Rochelle  Heller  and  David  Silver 

Mara  Michaels  and  Daniel  Braunfeld 

Rachel  Weber  and  Ephraim  Pelcovits  '02 

Heidi  Bornstein  and  Eric  Pound  '99 

Valerie  Cacace  and  Matthew  Sharpe 

Amanda  Davis  and  Brad  Fernandes 

Rachel  Kostegan  and  Adam  Jussaume 

Rebecca  Rowlands  and  Peter  Sylvaind 

Leila  Bilick  and  Reuben  Posner 

Shanna  Nussbaum  and  Dave  Goldstein 

Karen  Schreiber  and  Daniel  Zwillenberg 

Brian  Snyder  and  Bella  Zaslavsky 

Lea  Antolini.  MFA'02,  and  Charles  Lid 


July  1 

September  18.  2004 

July  3,  2005 

July  1 

October  14,  2006 

May  12 

November  11,  2006 

April  2003 

June  2 

June  10 

August  12 

November  2004 

April  29,  2006 

June  23 

August  6,  2006 

April  28 

September  2006 

June  2 

July  1 

August  12 

February  7,  2004 

April  14 

August  5 

May  5 

March  25 

April  29 

June  24 

May  19 

May  27 

August  5 

December  4.  2006 

March  18 

July  29 

September  3,  2006 

August  5 

July  2006 

August  18 

January  18 

June  11,  2006 

May  27 

July  14 

August  26 

July  22,  2006 

June  27 

June  17 

August  30 

June  17 

June  16 

July  2004 


Got  the  Picture? 


Brandeis  University  Magazine 
publislies  wedding  pliotos  on  a 
space-available  basis.  Both 
prints  and  digital  files  are 
acceptable.  Digital  files  should 
be  at  least  3  inches  by  5  inches 
scanned  at  300  dpi. 


Send  prints  to: 

Class  Notes  Editor 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

E-mail  digital  files  to: 
classnotes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


Michael  Lichtenstein 

Bethesda,  Maryland 

Lichtenstein  and  Larry  Levy  ran  the 

Long  Island  Half  Marathon  together  in 

May.  They  kept  up  their  spirits  (and 

aging  bodies)  by  recalling  the  good  times 

at  Brandeis. 

Steven  Sheinman 
Aventura,  Florida 

Six  friends  and  former  Brandeis  room- 
mates traveled  to  Costa  Rica  recently  to 
celebrate  their  fiftieth  birthdays  together. 
While  at  Brandeis,  the  six  were  members 
of  the  intramural  basketball  team  OK-Bye. 
They  were  the  topic  of  a  recent  Justice 
ardcle  written  by  Lauren  Ehrlich  '10.  In 
addition  to  Sheinman,  the  other  members 
ofOK-Bye  are  Alberto  Kriger,  Marc 
Ehrlich,  Gilbert  Drozdow,  David  Kessler, 
and  Neil  Petchers. 


1980 


Lewis  Brooks 

585  Glen  Meadow  Road 
Richboro,  PA  18954 
1980notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Joan  Hantman 

Belmont,  Massachusetts 

Hantman  graduated  from  nursing  school 

and  is  now  a  registered  nurse. 

Lisa  Hirsch 
Oakland,  California 
Hirsch  writes,  "I  left  Documentum  last 
November  after  eight  years  there  as  a 
technical  writer.  I'm  now  at  Google, 
documenting  the  Google  search  appli- 
ance and  Google  mini  (Google  is  a  great 
company  to  work  for).  I  earned  my 
nidan  in  Danzan-Ryu  jujitsu  in  2001, 
and  plan  to  open  my  own  jujitsu  dojo 
soon.  I'm  singing  in  a  new  chorus  with  a 
great  director.  My  partner.  Donna 
Odierna,  received  a  doctorate  from  the 
LJniversity  of  California-Berkeley  School 
of  Public  Health  last  year.  She's  now  a 
postdoctoral  fellow  at  the  University  of 
California-San  Francisco. ' 


class  notes 


Peggy  Levitt 

Concord,  Massachusetts 
Levitt  is  department  chair  and  associate 
professor  of  sociology  at  Weilesley 
College  and  a  research  fellow  at  Harvard, 
where  she  directs  the  Transnational 
Studies  Initiative.  Her  new  book,  God 
Needs  No  Passport:  Immigrants  and  the 
Changing  American  Religious  Landscape, 
was  published  in  July. 

Steven  Skulnik 

New  York  Ciry 

Skulnik  is  joining  the  litigation  practice 

group  of  the  New  York  office  ot  Squire, 

Sanders  &  Dempsey. 

Benson  Zoghlin 

Hilton,  New  York 
Zoghlin  writes,  "My  wife,  Mindy 
(Platzeker),  and  I  enjoyed  a  visit  from 
Ruth  Assaf  Nataf  (all  the  way  from 
Paris);  her  husband,  Roger;  and  rwo  of 
their  children,  Jonathan  and  Leah.  We 
last  saw  Ruth  on  a  European  trip  in 
1984  following  grad  school.  Mindy  and 
Ruth  reconnected  by  e-mail  recently. 
Ain't  technology  grand?  We  celebrated 
two  graduations  in  2007,  Rachel  from 
Vassar  and  Jacob  from  Hilton  High 
School.  Rachel  is  living  and  working  in 
D.C.,  and  Jacob  is  at  Haverford  College. 
Mindy  and  I  are  in  our  third  year  of 
making  wine,  the  perfect  blend  of  sociol- 
ogy and  science.  We  hope  our  Brandeis 
friends  can  come  by  for  a  taste!" 


1981 


David  J.  Allon 

540  Weadley  Road 
Wayne.  PA  19087 
1981notes'aialumni. brandeis.edu 

Sol  Bernstein 

Upper  Montclair,  New  Jersey 
Bernstein  has  joined  the  legal  depart- 
ment of  Amalgamated  Bank  in  New 
York  City  as  first  vice  president  and 
assistant  general  counsel.  He  had  previ- 
ously been  in  private  practice,  most 
recently  as  a  banking  partner  at  Herrick 
Feinstein.  He  and  his  wife,  Risa  Janoff 


Bernstein  '80,  have  three  sons,  Benji, 
fourteen,  Ari,  thirteen,  and  Coby, 
eleven.   Sol  can  be  reached  at 
solbernstein@amalgamatedbank.com. 

Larry  Coen 
Boston 

Coen  won  an  Elliot  Norton  Award 
(Boston's  Tony)  as  outstanding  actor  for 
his  performance  in  Miss  Witherspoon.  He 
was  recently  named  the  new  artistic 
director  of  Boston's  City  Stage  Company, 
which  uses  theater  to  overcome  barriers 
tor  underserved  audiences.  City  Stage 
travels  to  neighborhoods,  charges  no 
admission,  and  partners  with  social 
service  agencies  and  community  centers. 
For  information,  visit  www.cir)'stage.org. 

Dianne  Cutillo 

Adams,  Massachusetts 
Cutillo  won  the  Owen  J.  McNamara 
Award  for  Excellence  in  Writing  from 
the  New  England  Society  for  Healthcare 
Communications  for  her  speech 
"Rededication  of  the  Putnam  and  Had- 
den  Buildings,"  written  for  the  CEO  ot 
Southwestern  Vermont  Medical  Center 
Cutillo  is  marketing  and  public  relations 
manager  at  the  medical  center,  which  is 
based  in  Bennington,  Vermont. 

Lisabeth  Fisher  DiLalla 
Carbondale,  Illinois 

DiLalla  has  been  made  a  full  professor  at 
the  Southern  Illinois  University  School 
ot  Medicine.  She  writes,  "I  was  invited 
to  give  rwo  presentations  in  Portugal  last 
December — what  a  wonderful  trip!  My 
son  is  about  to  begin  college  at  St.  Louis 
Universit)'.  How  time  does  fly. " 

Jeannie  Finkel 
Agoura  Hills,  California 
Finkel  joined  TCW  Group  as  managing 
director  of  human  resources.  She  has 
more  than  twenty-five  years  of  human- 
resources  and  organizational-development 
experience.  At  TCW,  she  directs  the 
creation  and  execution  of  a  wide  range 
of  strategies  to  attract,  retain,  and 
develop  talent.  She  also  oversees  com- 
pensation structures,  along  with  equity 
and  benefit  strategies.  TCW  Group 
develops  and  manages  a  broad  range  ot 


innovative,  value-added  investment 
products  that  strive  to  enhance  and 
protect  clients'  wealth. 

Barbara  Cohen  Wankoff 
Hillsdale,  New  Jersey 
Wankoflf,  national  director  of  workplace 
solutions  at  KMPG,  testified  June  20 
before  a  subcommittee  of  the  House 
Education  and  Labor  Committee  chaired 
by  U.S.  Representative  Lynn  Woolsey. 
She  spoke  about  the  family-friendly 
policies  that  she  manages  for  KMPG  and 
how  they  benefit  both  the  firm  and  the 
employees.  Wankoff  and  her  husband, 
David,  have  two  children,  Eric, 
seventeen,  and  Rachel,  fourteen. 


1982 


Ellen  Cohen 

1007  Euclid  Street,  #3 
Santa  Monica,  CA  90403 
1982notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Brian  Donahue,  MA'93,  PhD'95 
Weston,  Massachusetts 
Donahue  was  among  the  five  recipients 
of  the  2007  River  Steward  Award,  which 
honors  organizations  and  individuals 
who  help  to  preserve  and  protect  the 
watershed  of  the  Sudbury,  Concord,  and 
Assabet  rivers.  Donahue,  an  environ- 
mental studies  professor  at  Brandeis, 
wrote  an  award-winning  history  ot  the 
Sudbury  River  Valley  in  colonial  times. 
He  is  a  cofounder  of  Land's  Sake,  a 
nonprofit  community  farm  in  Weston. 
He  also  leads  an  annual  history  paddle 
along  the  Sudbury  River,  which  was 
once  the  agricultural  heart  ot  the 
Sudbury  River  Valley. 

Lisa  Barman  Hills 

Newton,  Massachusetts 

See  Marcie  Schorr  Hirsch  '71. 

Rika  Levin  Reisman 

Ossining,  New  York 

Reisman  was  named  director  of  marketing 

and  public  relations  at  the  Jewish 

Education  Service  ot  North  America. 


ilii.s  I  nivcTsitv  Magazine  |  Fall   07 


Lori  Berman  Gans 

46  Oak  Vale  Road 

Newton,  MA  02468 

1983notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Wow,  and  I  always  thought  25th 
Reunions  were  for  the  old  folks!  Who 
knew?  Here  we  all  are,  a  quarter-century 
out  of  college,  with  various  personal  and 
professional  milestones  and  accomplish- 
ments under  our  belts,  and  though  we 
may  have  matured,  surely  we  haven't 
aged!?!  Well,  enough  about  me,  how 
about  you?  Be  sure  to  put  June  6  to  8, 
2008,  into  your  book,  BlackBerry,  or 
whatever  other  device  you  prefer  these 
days,  and  plan  to  come  back  to  Brandeis. 
If  you've  never  come  to  a  reunion,  or 
have  lost  touch  with  every  one  of  your 
old  friends,  or  doubt  that  anyone  has 
noticed  your  absence,  think  again.  We 
want  to  see  you.  Meantime,  check  in  by 
sending  a  Class  Note  to  let  us  know 
what  you've  been  up  to,  and  when  a 
classmate  calls  to  ask  you  to  support  the 
25th  Reunion  Class  Gift,  please  take  the 
call  and  respond  as  generously  as  you 
can!  See  you  in  June. 

Gary  Cohen 

Westport,  Connecticut 
Cohen  has  left  Gillette  after  eighteen 
years  to  become  senior  vice  president 
of  marketing  at  Playtex  Products  in 
Westport.  Cohen,  his  wife,  Carolyn, 
and  their  four  daughters  moved  from 
Wellesley,  Massachusetts,  to  Westport 
in  August. 

Pearl  Tendler  Mattenson 
West  Orange,  New  Jersey 
Mattenson  writes,  "After  twenty-five 
years  as  a  professional/consultant  in 
Jewish  education,  I  have  taken  a 
luxurious  left  turn  and  am  now 
practicing  as  a  certified  life  and  leader- 
ship coach.  The  accomplishments  of  my 
clients  inspire  me  every  day  as  they  make 
choices  and  changes  that  rejuvenate  their 
lives  and  enable  them  to  better  serve  our 
world.  1  coach  on  the  phone,  so  it  gives 


me  precious  time  for  our  boys,  Avi,  who 
is  starting  high  school  this  year,  and 
Akiva,  who  is  in  seventh  grade." 

Ira  Price 

Poughquag,  New  York 

See  Amy  Palman  Price  '84. 

Kim  Levitan  Schloss 

Middleton,  Massachusetts 
Schloss  writes,  "We  returned  to  the 
Brandeis  campus  for  the  first  time  in 
about  twenty  years,  this  time  to 
accompany  our  daughter,  Lauren  '11, 
to  the  open  house  for  accepted 
students.  Brandeis  is  more  impressive 
than  ever,  and  we  are  so  proud  that  our 
daughter  is  a  member  of  the  Class  of 
201 1 .  She  is  so  excited  about  her  new 
home  in  Shapiro!" 

Spencer  Sherman 
Sebastopol,  California 
Sherman  is  the  author  of  The  Cure  for 
Money  Madness,  scheduled  for  release  in 
January  2009.  He  was  also  selected  to 
write  the  chapter  "Money:  The 
Surprising  Aphrodisiac"  in  an  anthology 
on  relationships  that  also  features  writ- 
ings by  Deepak  Chopra,  Wayne  Dyer, 
Scott  Peck,  Thich  Nhat  Hanh,  and  oth- 
ers. This  book,  The  Marriage  of  Sex  and 
Spirit,  received  the  National  Book  Award 
for  best  health/sexuality  book  of  2006. 
He  currently  writes  a  column,  "Madness- 
Free  Money,"  for  the  philanthropy 
magazine  Benefit.  For  more  information, 
visit  www.curemoneymadness.com. 


1984 


Denise  Silber  Brooks 

585  Glen  Meadow  Road 
Richboro,  PA  18954 
1984notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Stephen  Coan.  MMHS'90,  PhD'97 
Pawcatuck,  Connecticut 
Coan,  chief  operating  officer  of  the 
Mystic  Aquarium  and  the  Institute  for 
Exploration  in  New  London,  has 
assumed  the  additional  position  of  presi- 
dent. He  recently  announced  a  nearly 


$35  million  refinancing  package  with 
Citibank  to  bolster  the  institution's  prof- 
itability and  strengthen  its  overall  finan- 
cial condition.  Mystic  Aquarium  is 
Connecticut's  top  tourist  attraction  and 
has  an  extensive  outreach  program.  It 
creates  and  distributes  high-end  educa- 
tional programming  and  focuses  on 
deep-sea  exploration. 

Lisa  Adier  Goldstein 

Jacksonville,  Florida 
Goldstein  writes,  "I  moved  to  Jack- 
sonville a  year  ago,  where  I  serve  as 
Jewish  community  educator  for  the 
Jacksonville  Jewish  Federation.  My  hus- 
band, Murray,  and  I  celebrated  our 
twentieth  wedding  anniversary  in 
September.  Our  son,  Kenny,  will  attend 
the  University  of  North  Florida  next 
year,  where  he  plans  to  major  in  art 
education.  Our  daughter.  Missy,  is  a 
high-school  junior." 

Amy  Palman  Price 

Poughquag,  New  York 
Price  is  executive  director  of  Supporting 
Emotional  Needs  of  the  Gifted  (SENG), 
a  national  nonprofit  organization.  SENG 
is  a  leader  in  providing  information  and 
resources  to  gifted  children  and  adults, 
their  families,  educators,  and  the  mental- 
health  community.  Price  and  her 
husband,  Ira  '83,  have  two  teenage  sons. 


1985 


James  R.  Felton 

26956  Helmond  Drive 
Calabasas,  CA  91301 
1985notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Karen  Lee  Chan 
Niskayuna,  New  York 
Chan  writes,  "I  am  now  working  as  an 
IT  project  manager  for  Applied  Under- 
writers in  Clifton  Park,  a  Berkshire 
Hathaway  subsidiary.  I'm  raising  my 
three  'boys,'  Andrew,  fourteen,  Alex, 
seven,  and  husband  Dan,  who  is  now 
chief  information  officer  for  New  York's 
Office  of  Temporary  and  Disability 
Assistance.  All  are  avid  soccer  players  and 


Fall  d""  I  Branilcis  l;niversily  Ma";aziii 


73 


!()tes 


fans  of  the  European  professional  league 
(go  Man  U!).  I  also  teach  spinning 
classes  at  the  Schenectady  Jewish  Com- 
munity Center  and  seem  to  be  meeting 
Brandeis  alumni  wherever  1  go.  I'd  like 
to  catch  up  with  any  former  members  of 
the  Brandeis  Asian  American  Student 
Association  from  1983  to  1987.  Please 
e-mail  me  at  klchan@yahoo.com." 

Beth  Goldstein 

Holliston,  Massachusetts 
Goldstein  writes,  "I  live  in  Holliston 
with  my  two  children,  Jacqueline  and 
Benjamin.  I  run  my  own  sales  and 
marketing  consulting  practice  (Brandeis 
was  one  ot  my  clients),  teach  entrepre- 
neurial marketing  at  Boston  University's 
School  of  Management,  and  recently 
released  my  first  book.  The  Ultimate 
Small  Business  Marketing  Toolkit.  I'd 
love  to  hear  from  fellow  classmates  at 
bethg@m-edge.com." 

Jonathan  Golub 

RockviUe,  Maryland 
Golub  works  in  commercial  real  estate 
in  Washington,  D.C.,  specializing  in 
leasing,  properry  management,  and  small- 
development  projects.  He  is  also  involved 
in  local  temple  affairs  and  Jewish  causes 
with  his  wife,  Cindy  (Kalb)  '88.  They 
have  three  children,  Rebecca,  eleven,  Ari, 
nine,  and  Jeremy,  six. 


Sharon  Kleinman 

New  Haven,  Connecticut 
Kleinman,  professor  of  communications 
at  Quinnipiac  University,  has  edited  a 
new  book.  Displacing  Place:  Mobile 
Communication  in  the  Twenty-first 
Century.  The  book  is  a  collection  of 
essays  discussing  how  mobile  informa- 
tion and  communication  technologies — 
cell  phones,  laptops,  BlackBerries, 
iPods,  and  more — are  changing  how 
people  work,  play,  learn,  and  live 
(vAvw.displacingplace.org).  Kleinman  is 
an  avid  mountain  biker,  photographer, 
yoga  practitioner,  and  golfer. 


births   adoptions 

Cla<;>; 

Rranripi*;  Parpnt(<;) 

r.hilrt'<;  Name 

1978 

Burton  Kiiman 

llan  Pinkhas 

1984 

Leah  Binder  and  Sam  Elowitch  '92 

Fanya  Rosa 

1987 

Reva  Schlesinger  Winston 

Leo  David 

1988 

Erica  Brunwasser  Thompson 

Luclnda  Neil 

1989 

Rachel  (Zuckerman)  and  Mark  Lebowitz  '87 

Meira  Avigayl 

1991 

Leslie  Stein  Lloyd 

Soren  Philip 

Samantha  Supernaw 

Shayna  Elizabeth 

1992 

Gregory  Bland 

Sarah  Emily 

Ayala  Cohen 

Shirl  Helen 

Selentia  Parson  Moore 

Joslah  Deacon 

Pla  Strother  McCusker,  MSF'OO 

Megan  Riley 

Jennifer  (Neal)  and  Eugene  Hoffman 

Samantha  Lyn 

Lauren  Sueskind  Theodore 

Annabel  Ruby 

1993 

Stacy  Lefkowltz  Brown 

Hayden  Zachary 

Melissa  Rubin  FInkelstein 

Sophie  Dillon 

Melissa  Gettlnger  Welner  and  Richard  Welner  '92 

Jacob  Lev 

1994 

Audrey  Latman  Gruber  and  Jeremy  Gruber  '93 

Caleb  Dylan 

Sara  Guyer 

Sadie  Chapin 

Barbara  Tarter  Hirsch 

Haley  Stella 

Dana  Blasbalg  Schnelderman  and 

Cory  Jacob  and  Ethan  Matthew 

Steven  Schnelderman  '93 

1995 

Joseph  Andrews 

Michael  Joseph 

Joshua  Blumen 

Alexander  Solomon 

Arren  Goldman 

Ryan  Luke 

David  Harrison 

Isaac  Ari 

Allison  Kaplan 

Tamra  Michelle 

Jessica  Sobczak  Mukherjee 

Gabriel  James 

Karin  Nachlnoff  Potik 

Zachary  Miguel 

Erica  MIchals  Silverman 

Gabriel  Ethan 

1996 

Jennifer  (Wolf)  Yoel 

Samantha  Madison 

Paul  Shipper 

Joshua  Jacob 

1997 

Kristen  Wool-Lewis  and  Rouven  Wool-Lewis  '95 

Cameron  John 

1998 

Emily  Brannen 

Ian  Emerson 

Katarlna  Stern  Raphael  and  Neil  Raphael 

Emma  Madeline 

Scott  Shandler 

Max  Isaac 

1999 

Jennifer  Lorell  Levlson  and  Michael  Levison  '95 

Nathaniel  Joseph 

2001 

Yelena  Taksa  Gurevich 

Noah  Thomas 

Marina  Zlatklna  Levlt.  MA'02,  and 

Benjamin  Isaiah 

Igor  Levit.  MA'02 

Shayna  (Aronson)  Singer 

Zachary  Jacob 

Robyn  Treadwell 

Mia 

2002 

Sharena  Soutar  Frith 

Naja 

Carine  Marie  Valbrun-Luxama 

Zachary 

2003 

Eliza  Agrest  Varadi 

Daniel 

2004 

Rumena  (Sotirova)  Turkedjiev 

Adrian  Ivov 

GRAD 

Jennifer  (Hoch)  Koenig,  MA'97,  and 
Eduardo  Koenig  '95 

Gabriella  Brooke  and  Zachary  Ian 

Amy  Markovitz 

Bayside,  New  York 

Markovitz  earned  master's  degrees  in 

social  work  and  public  administration. 

She  runs  a  large,  multispecialty  medical 

practice  on  Long  Island. 

Leo  Slater 
Washington,  D.C. 
Slater  recently  began  a  new  job  as 
historian  at  the  Naval  Research  Laboratory 
(NRL).  He  provides  historical  support  to 
the  NRL  command,  maintains  the  labora- 
tory's corporate  memory,  administers  the 
oral-history  program,  and  carries  out  other 


preservation  duties.  NRL  is  the  Navy's 
corporate  laboratory,  conducting  a  broad 
program  of  scientific  research,  technology, 
and  advanced  development.  Slater  has 
lived  in  Washington  tor  three  years. 

Kim  Coughlin  Tellez 

Northridge,  California 

Tellez  is  a  part-time  sixth-grade  teacher  at 

a  dual-language  charter  school.  She  also 

works  as  an  insurance  agent,  primarily 

serving  die  Spanish-speaking  community. 


liraiidi-ls  University  Magiizinc  |  I'all   ()7 


class 


note 


1986 


Beth  Jacobowitz  Zive 

16  Furlong  Drive 

Cherry  Hill,  NJ  08003 

1986notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Deborah  Gordon 
Norvvaik,  Connecticut 
Gordon  is  happily  divorced  as  of 
January.  She  lives  with  her  six-year-old 
daughter,  Sarah.  After  a  long  corporate 
career,  Gordon  began  her  own  business, 
DGB  Consulting  and  Coaching.  She 
also  coauthored  a  book,  Creative 
Intelligence.  She  welcomes  hearing  from 
friends.  You  can  visit  her  Web  site  at 
www.dgb-consulting.com  and  contact 
her  at  Deborah@dgb-consulting.com. 

Jon  Lichtenstein 
New  York  City 

Lichtenstein  is  a  partner  in  a  New  York 
City  litigation  defense  firm.  He  has  writ- 
ten a  book  with  his  wife,  Elissa  Stein, 
Don't  Just  Stand  There,  a  labor  guide  for 
new  lathers.  The  book  was  inspired  by 
Lichtenstein's  ineptitude  in  the  delivery 
room  for  his  eldest  child,  Isabel. 

Robin  Richman 
Washington,  D.C. 
Richman  is  founder  and  owner  of 
Steppin  Out  Adventures,  an  adventure 
travel  company  with  a  focus  on  group 
trips  for  solo  travelers.  The  company  is 
now  incorporating  service  projects  to 
help  locals  in  the  communities  visited  as 
a  way  of  educating  participants  and 
giving  back  to  the  host  countries. 

Rebecca  Rae  (Miller)  Stern 
Los  Angeles 

Stern  writes,  "It's  a  time  of  second  chances 
for  me  and  my  boys.  I'm  dedicated  to  my 
work  at  the  U.S.  Department  of  Home- 
land Security,  bringing  all  my  positive 
energy  and  sense  of  social  justice  to  the 
federal  hearings  in  which  I  represent  the 
government  as  a  scniot  chief  counsel;  then 
1  rush  home  to  pick  up  my  two  boys,  who 
are  now  both  attending  UCLA  Elemen- 
tary School  (the  younger  is  in  kinder- 
garten). We  have  a  cat  named  Muffin,  a 


beautiful  little  Spanish  house  in 
Wesrwood,  and  are  happily  filling  up  our 
days  at  work,  camp,  school,  and  home, 
making  puppets  and  stories  to  go  with 
them,  running  in  the  sprinkler,  reading 
books,  dancing,  singing,  and  being  as  silly 
as  possible.  In  August,  I  took  a  vacation  to 
Istanbul  with  my  oldest  best  pal,  Barry 
"Ber"  Lieber  '85."  E-mail  Stern  at 
rrstern@alumni.brandeis.edu. 


1987 


Vanessa  B.  Newman 

33  Powder  Horn  Drive 
Suffern,  NY  10901 
1987notes@alumni.brandels.edu 

Kyneret  (Goldsmith)  Albert 

Pittsfield,  Massachusetts 
Albert  was  recently  appointed  medical 
director  of  HospiceCare  in  the 
Berkshires.  She  has  been  associate 
medical  director  of  HospiceCare  since 
2005  and  has  also  served  as  a  primary- 
care  physician  at  Berkshire  Health 
Systems.  She  was  recently  certified  as  a 
diplomare  of  the  American  Board  of 
Hospice  and  Palliative  Medicine,  and  she 
also  directs  HospiceCare's  Palliative  Care 
program.  She  is  married  to  Dr.  David 
Albert  and  has  two  children. 

Alan  Halperin 
New  York  City 

Halperin  writes,  "My  wife,  Wendy,  and  I 
welcomed  twin  boys  on  June  25.  Mother 
and  babies  are  doing  well,  and  their  two 
older  siblings  are  thrilled  with  the  new 
additions.  1  continue  to  practice  com- 
mercial bankruptcy  law  at  my  firm, 
Halperin  Battaglia  Raicht,  in  New  York. 

Tamar  Wyner  Herman 
Springfield,  New  Jersey 
Herman  writes,  "I  had  a  great  time  at 
our  20th  Reunion.  I  met  a  lot  of  great 
people.  Thanks  for  a  great  weekend." 

Judith  Charry  Nelkin 

Dublin,  Ireland 

Nelkin's  younger  daughter,  Sarah  Dafne, 

recently  turned  three.  Nelkin  is  very 


active  in  the  Dublin  Jewish  community, 
giving  lectures  on  Judaism  to  non-Jewish 
groups  of  all  ages  and  doing  extensive 
interfaith  representation  of  the  Jewish 
community.  She  recently  met  the 
Catholic  archbishop  of  Dublin  and  the 
Catholic  primate  of  Ireland  at  an 
ecumenical  conference. 

Nina  Bacher  Reuven 

Rehovot,  Israel 

Reuven  writes,  "After  graduation,  I  went 
to  the  Weizmann  Institute  in  Israel  to 
earn  a  master's  degree  in  biology.  During 
this  time,  I  met  my  husband,  Itzik,  and 
we  were  married  when  I  finished  my 
degree.  We  returned  to  the  United  States 
after  that,  where  I  worked  as  a  research 
assistant  at  the  University  of  Connecticut 
Health  Center.  Our  children,  Ma'ayan 
(born  in  1991)  and  Roni  (born  in 
1995),  were  also  born  during  this  period. 
In  1995,  we  returned  to  Israel,  where  1 
pursued  a  doctorate  at  the  Weizmann 
Institute.  In  2000,  we  were  back  in  the 
United  States  for  a  postdoc,  and  our  son 
Lior  was  born  in  2003.  In  2004,  we 
returned  to  Israel  again,  this  time 
permanently.  I  work  as  a  staff  scientist  at 
the  Weizmann  Institute." 

Deborah  (Schatz)  and  Glen  Rosenfeld 
West  Hartford,  Connecticut 
The  Rosenfelds  celebrated  the  bar 
mitzvah  of  their  eldest  son,  Joshua,  on 
March  10.  In  attendance  were  grandpa 
Michael  Schatz  '61,  grandma  Judith 
Leavit  Schatz  '61,  great-great  aunt 
Bernice  (Teeda)  Berman  Rose  '54, 
great-aunt  Marcia  Leavitt  '65,  Abbie 
Nagler  Sender  '87,  Philip  Schuiz  '82, 
Howard  Rosenbaum  '74,  David  Silver 
'82,  Karen  Murad  Silver  '87  and  David 
Silver  '87.  There  were  many  graduates 
from  the  Classes  of  1961  and  1987  who 
could  not  attend.  The  Rosentelds  also 
have  a  ten-year-old  son,  Benjamin,  anil  .i 
seven-year-old  daughter,  Sarah.  Glen  is  .i 
partner  in  his  anesthesia  group  and  chair 
of  the  anesthesia  department  at  Bristol 
Hospital.  For  the  occupation  line  on 
forms,  Debbie  fills  in  "at-home/in-car 
mom."  She  is  an  active  volunteer  in  her 
kids'  schools,  the  synagogue,  Jewish  com- 
munity centet,  and  Hadassah. 


I;ill   ()~  I  liiMiiihis  University  Maj;iiziiic 


75 


Alumni 

Larry  Shotz  '52 

Novato,  California 

Mr.  Shotz  died  April  6,  surrounded  by 
Judie  Butman  Shotz  '54,  his  wife  of 
fifty-three  years;  his  children;  and  his 
siblings.  An  avid  boater,  Mr.  Shotz  was  a 
member  of  the  Bel  Marin  Keys  Cover 
Yacht  Club.  He  had  earned  lifetime  mem- 
bership in  the  Marin  Power  Squadron  for 
his  contributions  as  a  teacher. 

Sheldon  Sterling  Shatz  '53 

Clay,  New  York 

Mr.  Shatz  died  August  23  at  the  age  of 
seventy-five.  After  graduating  from 
Brandeis,  he  earned  a  doctorate  in 
optometry  from  Illinois  College  of 
Optometry.  Mr.  Shatz  was  a  past 
president  and  longtime  member  of 
Congregation  Ner  Tamid  in  North 
Syracuse,  as  well  as  a  member  of  the 
Aircraft  Owners  and  Pilots  Association 
and  Flying  Optometrists  of  America. 
He  leaves  his  wife,  Angela;  three  sons, 
Clifford,  L.  Zachary,  and  David;  rwo 
daughters,  Erika  and  Lisa;  a  stepson. 
Marc;  a  stepdaughter,  Zoe;  and 
grandchildren. 

Irma  Hoffman  '54 
Holh'wood,  Florida 
Dr.  Hoffman,  a  special-education  and 
elementary-school  teacher  for  more  than 
thirty  years,  died  June  18.  After  retiring 
from  teaching.  Dr.  Hoffman  practiced 
psychology  until  her  retirement,  in  2006. 
She  leaves  a  son,  Kenneth;  four  daughters, 
Lynn,  Paula,  Karen,  and  Sheryl;  a  brother, 
Seymour;  and  eighteen  grandchildren. 

John  Kirkwood  '56 
Fox  Chapel,  Pennsylvania 

Mr.  Kirkwood,  a  steel-industry  executive 
and  entrepreneur  who  devoted  his  later 
years  to  fostering  peace  and  economic 
development  in  Northern  Ireland,  died 
September  7  of  brain  cancer.  He  helped 
pioneer  labor-management  cooperation 
in  the  steel  industry,  efforts  that  were 
chronicled  in  John  P.  Hoerr's  book  And 
the  Wolf  Finally  Came.  At  Brandeis, 
Mr.  Kirkwood  was  a  scholarship  football 
player.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Addie;  three 


daughters,  Koleen  Virostek,  Kimberly 
Bonvissuto,  and  Kelly;  a  brother, 
William;  and  ten  grandchildren. 

Richard  Millman  '57 

Sante  Fe,  New  Mexico 
Mr.  Millman,  an  attorney  and  business 
executive,  died  May  21  in  his  home.  He 
worked  more  than  twenty  years  as  a  chief 
executive  officer  for  companies  engaged 
in  global-growth  businesses.  He  also 
practiced  law  and  had  extensive  experi- 
ence in  administrative  and  appellate 
litigation,  lobbying,  federal  housing,  and 
the  aerospace  indusrry.  During  his  free 
time,  Mr.  Millman  raced  cars  profession- 
ally. He  leaves  his  wife,  Kathleen 
(Haggerty),  and  a  brother,  John. 

Mark  Selig  '58 
Cambridge,  Massachusetts 
Mr.  Selig,  president  of  the  corporate  and 
commercial  photography  firm  Fay  Foto 
of  Boston,  died  July  25  of  lung  cancer. 
He  had  a  passion  for  sports  and  was  an 
active  supporter  of  the  city's  business  and 
cultural  life.  He  leaves  a  son.  Matt;  a 
daughter,  Jane  Goldstein;  and  two 
grandchildren. 

Leonard  Mendelsohn  '59 

Montreal 

Dr.  Mendelsohn,  who  taught  English 
literature  at  Concordia  University  for 
thirty  years,  died  May  8.  At  the  time  of 
his  death,  Dr.  Mendelsohn  was  editing  a 
two-volume  history  on  the  American 
Shakers,  A  Utopia  Still  Standing.  He 
leaves  three  sons,  David,  Yosef  and 
Moshe. 

Joel  Woldman  '59 

Alexandria,  Virginia 
Dr.  Woldman,  a  diplomat,  scholar, 
research  specialist,  and  antiques  dealer, 
died  May  6  after  a  long  battle  with 
leukemia.  He  leaves  his  twin  brother, 
Murray  '59.  of  Alexandria,  Virginia, 
and  a  sister,  Karen  Sorkin,  of  Marble- 
head,  Massachusetts. 

Steven  Millman  Rappaport  '64 
Eugene,  Oregon 

Mr.  Rappaport  died  July  4  after  suffering 
a  heart  attack  while  vacationing  in 


Hawaii.  He  was  sixty-four.  While  at 
Brandeis,  Mr.  Rappaport  and  his  cousins, 
John  Spirt  and  Robert  Rappaport,  formed 
the  singing  group  the  Ran-Dells.  Their 
novelry  single  "Martian  Hop "  reached 
No.  1 6  on  the  Billboard  charts  and  No.  I 
in  many  foreign  countries.  During  the 
1970s,  Mr.  Rappaport  became  a  civil- 
liberties  attorney,  working  as  a  public 
defender  in  Miami.  He  also  became 
interested  in  electronic  music,  and  in 
1990  he  founded  Interactive  Records.  Mr. 
Rappaport  retired  to  Eugene, 
Oregon,  in  2002.  He  leaves  a  wife, 
daughter,  stepson,  and  granddaughter. 

R.  Michael  Marsh,  PhD'70 

Salem,  Virginia 

Dr.  Marsh  died  July  17  at  the  age  of 

seventy-eight.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Helen; 

a  son,  Raymond;  a  daughter,  Nira;  two 

sisters,  Jane  and  Edith;  and  three 

grandchildren. 

Jonathan  Freedman,  MA'72,  PhD'73 

.Atlanta 

Dr.  Freedman  died  June  29  of  natural 
causes  at  the  age  of  seventy-one.  Most 
recently,  he  was  an  associate  professor  of 
sociology  at  Kennesaw  State  University, 
where  he  was  a  perennial  favorite  among 
his  students.  He  was  also  developing  a 
new  master's  program  in  sociological 
administration.  He  was  an  active  mem- 
ber of  Congregation  Bet  Haverim.  He 
leaves  his  wife,  Jo;  three  sons,  Lorin, 
Michael,  and  Noah;  two  brothers,  Eric 
and  Matthew;  six  grandchildren;  and  his 
Vietnamese  extended  family. 

Rosalind  R.  Chernoff  '74 
New  York  Cit>' 

Mrs.  Chernoff,  executive  vice  president 
and  director  of  global  planning  at  the 
advertising  and  marketing  agency 
Publicis  USA,  died  September  13  of 
complications  of  endometrial  cancer.  At 
Publicis,  she  was  responsible  for  the 
in-depth  research  and  senior  strategic 
planning  for  all  of  the  agency's  Procter  & 
Gamble  brands,  which  earned  her  a  cov- 
eted Gold  Lion  from  Cannes  and  two 
Effie  awards.  She  leaves  her  parents, 
Bernard  and  Zelma  Rivin;  her  husband, 
Carl  G.;  two  sons,  Jason  and  Sam;  two 


Bianclcis  riiivcisitv  Maeazine  j  Kail  "07 


'lassnotes 


brothers,  Richard  and  Jonathan  Rivin;  and 
a  sister,  Anne  Stanfield. 

Jonathan  B.  Casper  79 
Bethel,  Connecticut 

Mr.  Casper  died  September  1 5  at  the  age  of 
fifty-two.  He  is  survived  by  his  parents, 
Daniel  and  Jane  (Gilman);  his  wife,  Carol 
(Weissbein)  79;  a  son,  Benjamin;  a  bro- 
ther, Peter;  a  sister,  Susan;  and  two  nephews. 

Linda  Blazer  Hankin  '83 

Medway,  Massachusetts 
Mrs.  Hankin  died  in  February  of  liver  fail- 
ure after  a  brave  battle  with  breast  cancer. 
She  leaves  her  husband,  Brad;  two  daugh- 
ters, Kyra  and  Raya;  a  sister,  Rhonda;  and 
a  brother,  Stephen. 

Frederick  Inkley,  MMHS'83 

Milan,  New  Hampshire 
Mr.  Inkley,  former  executive  director  of 
the  Northern  New  Hampshire  Council  on 
Alcoholism,  died  July  28.  Mr.  Inkley's 
proudest  accomplishment  was  the 
establishment  of  Friendship  House  in 
Bethlehem,  which  was  the  first  long-term 
total  rehabilitation  program  in  New 
Hampshire.  He  leaves  his  wife,  Janet;  three 
sons,  Kevin,  Bradford,  and  Frederick;  and 
twelve  grandchildren. 

David  Sokolov  '92 
Lansdowne,  Pennsylvania 
Mr.  Sokolov,  a  national  sales  manager  of 
healthcare-related  software,  died  August  28. 
He  played  on  the  rugby  team  at  Brandeis 
and  studied  politics  and  philosophy.  He  is 
survived  by  his  parents,  Harold  Sokolov 
and  Annie  and  Bob  Uris;  two  sisters,  Leslie 
and  Robin;  and  several  nieces  and  nephews. 


Faculty 

Thompson  F.  Tony  Williams 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 

Mr.  Williams,  former  dean  of  students  who 
directed  and  taught  in  the  Transitional  Year 
Program  at  Brandeis  tor  more  than  twenty- 
five  years,  died  October  10  at  the  age  of 
sixty-eight.  He  leaves  a  sister,  Thomasine 
Yates;  a  daughter,  Toni;  his  partner,  Susan 
Haskell;  and  a  grandson. 


Class  of  1988 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

PC  Box  549110 

Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

1988notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Kevin  Cameron 

Ballwin,  Missouri 

See  Carmen  Bumgarner  '91. 

Paul  Cohen 

Kings  Park,  New  York 
Cohen  graduated  from  the  New  York 
College  of  Osteopathic  Medicine  in 
199.^  and  completed  his  residency  at 
North  Shore  University  Hospital.  He  is 
board  certified  and  became  one  of  the 
youngest  tellows  of  the  American  Board 
of  Family  Medicine.  He  is  medical 
director  of  the  United  Cerebral  Palsy 
Association  of  Greater  Suffolk  County. 
He  is  married  and  has  a  son,  Benjamin. 

Beth  Gates 

West  Orange,  New  Jersey 
Gates  is  in  her  fourth  year  as  a  program 
director  with  Precept  Medical  Communi- 
cations, a  subsidiary  of  Young  &  Rubi- 
cam.  She  works  with  Forest  Laboratories 
on  medical-education  initiatives  to  pro- 
mote Namenda,  an  Alzheimet's  medica- 
tion. She  was  married  on  May  25  in 
Summit;  many  fellow  Brandeisians  were 
in  attendance. 

Cindy  (Kalb)Golub 
Rockville,  Maryland 
See  Jonathan  Golub  '85. 

Sharon  Lichten 
Framingham,  Massachusetts 
Lichten  married  Alexander  Barnett  on 
July  1  in  Woodcliff  New  Jersey.  Lichten 
is  an  assistant  vice  president  and  a  senior 
communications  manager  at  MFS 
Investment  Management.  Barnett  is  a 
sales  representative  for  mutual  iunds  at 
John  Hancock. 


Harold  SImansky 

Brookline,  Massachusetts 
Simansky  is  happy  to  announce  the 
arrival  of  Ethan  Samuel,  born  on 
December  16,  2006.  Ethan  was  wel- 
comed home  by  his  suspicious  older 
brothers,  Aaron,  five,  and  Jacob,  three. 

Olivier  Sultan 

New  York  City 

Sultan  is  a  talent  agent  at  Creative  Artists 
Agency  in  New  York  City,  representing 
writers,  composers,  directors,  and  chore- 
ographers. His  clients  recently  won  a 
bucket-load  of  Tony  Awards  for  the  play 
Spring  Awakening.  He  lives  in  a  former 
sweatshop  on  the  Lower  East  Side  with 
his  wife,  Birgitte,  and  four-year-old 
daughter,  Amelie. 


1989 


Class  of  1989 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

1989notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Monica  Harris 

West  New  York,  New  Jersey 
Harris  is  a  director  and  senior  compli- 
ance adviser  in  the  private-wealth 


SHOOT  \T 

•^     FROM  THE 


ROOFTOPS 


Win  an  award?  Get  a  promotion? 
Move  cities?  Have  a  baby?  Share 
your  good  news  with  classmates 
and  fellow  alumni. 

Mail  your  news  to: 

Class  Notes 

MS  124,  Brandeis  University 

415  South  Street 

Waltham,  MA  02454 

You  may  also  e-mail  your  news  to 
your  class  correspondent  or  tc^ 
classnotes@alumni. brandeis.edu, 
or  complete  the  online  form  at 
http://alumni.brandeis.edu/web/ 
classes/classnotes.html. 


lall    ir  I  lii;iM(lri.s  I  niv.Tsity  Via'- 


77 


jiioles 


management  division  of  Deutsche  Bank 
Securities  in  Manhattan.  In  2002,  she 
relocated  from  Manhattan  to  Baltimore 
for  her  job  with  Deutsche  Bank,  and  met 
her  soon-to-be  husband,  Steve  Susel,  a 
mere  six  weeks  later.  They  were  married 
on  September  18,  2004,  and  welcomed  a 
daughter,  Sasha  Rose,  on  November  1, 
2006.  Harris  and  her  family  moved  back 
to  the  New  York  area  in  March.  She  can 
be  reached  at  monica.r.harris@db.com. 

Mark  Saloman 
Basking  Ridge,  New  jersey 
Saloman  was  selected  by  the  New  Jersey 
Lau'  Joiiriiiil  iov  inclusion  in  its  annual 
"40  under  40"  issue.  The  issue  recog- 
nizes lawyers  under  forty  years  old  who 
have  "developed  practice  niches,  demon- 
strated leadership  potential  by  work  in 
practice  groups  or  committees,  and 
amassed  a  thick  book  of  business  and  a 
solid  record  of  trial,  appellate,  or  transac- 
tional work."  Saloman  writes,  "Since  I 
was  only  able  to  say  that  I  was  'under 
forty'  for  a  few  weeks  after  my  selection, 
it  was  all  the  more  special." 

Philip  Solomon 
Hollywood,  Florida 
Solomon  and  his  wife,  Joanna, 
welcomed  a  daughter,  Daniella,  on 
November  13,  2006. 


1990 


Judith  Libhaber  Weber 

4  Augusta  Court 

New  City,  NY  10956 

1990notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Marc  Borodin 

Fairkix,  Virginia 

Borodin  and  his  wife,  Alexandra,  wel- 
comed a  son,  Weston,  on  May  1 1 .  He 
writes,  "For  the  past  thirteen  years,  I've 
lived  in  the  Washington,  D.C.,  area, 
practicing  environmental  law  for  the 
government.  Since  2000,  I've  worked  at 
the  U.S.  Department  of  Justice,  Environ- 
mental Enforcement  Section." 

Jessica  Miller 

Ciroton,  Massachusetts 

Miller  and  her  husband,  Alan,  welcomed 

a  son,  Jacob  Adam,  on  July  16.  His  big 

brother,  Gabriel,  five,  is  thrilled. 

Lee  Ryan  Miller 

Modesto,  Calilornia 

Miller  and  his  wife,  Beth,  welcomed  a 

daughter,  Brenna  Esmee  Au,  on  June  8. 

Paul  Ruggerio  Namaste 

Grand  Rapids,  Michigan 

Namaste  and  his  wife,  Nina,  welcomed  a 

daughter,  Samira,  on  December  15,  2006. 


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AND  YOUR  BUSINESS  WILL  GROW 


AND 

STRONG. 


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I 


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781-736-4220  or 
e-mail  magazine@brandeis  .edu 


Samira  made  a  grand  entrance  by  not 
waiting  to  go  to  the  hospital,  and  was 
delivered  in  the  Namaste  family  living 
room  by  Mom,  Dad,  and  a  very  helpful 
91 1  operator. 

Wendy  Shiensky 
Huntington  Station,  New  York 
Shiensky  writes,  "During  the  last  two 
years,  I  have  moved  from  the  Boston 
area  to  Long  Island,  gotten  married,  and 
switched  jobs.  Life  is  ever-changing  and 
very  exciting." 


1991 


Andrea  C.  Kramer 

Georgetown  University 
113  Healy,  Box  571250 
Washington,  DC  20057 
1991notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Phillip  Alan  Bahar 

Minnetonka,  Minnesota 

Bahar  and  his  wife,  Keri,  welcomed 

their  third  child,  Talia  Saltzman,  on 

November  20,  2006.  Tali  is  a  doll  and 

joins  Zachary,  tour,  and  Ghana,  three. 

Matthew  Breman 

Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Bremen  writes,  "My  wife,  Rachel 
Blankenstein  Breman  '96,  and  I 
recently  moved  to  the  Boston  area  after 
completion  of  my  two-and-a-half-year 
tour  as  Peace  Corps  country  director  in 
Cape  Verde.  I  am  a  senior  manager  for 
a  Boston-based  national  nonprofit 
called  Citizen  Schools  (www.citizen- 
schools.org),  and  Rachel  is  a  program 
officer  for  a  Waltham-based  nonprofit, 
working  on  maternal  and  child-health 
issues  in  the  Dominican  Republic." 

Carmen  Bumgarner  and  Kevin 

Cameron  '88 
Ballwin,  Missouri 
Bumgarner  and  Cameron  adopted 
Dexter  Lang  on  July  5.  He  was  born 
February  18,  2006. 


Rranilcis  I  iii\rt>ilv  M;i^;i/iiic  |  lall    07 


;iH)(es 


Amy  Schomer  Greenbaum 
Pittsburgh 

Greenbaum,  a  rabbi  at  the  Beth  Israel 
Center  in  Pittsburgh,  was  recently 
selected  as  one  ot  the  city's  "Top  10 
Moms  of  the  Year,"  and  was  featured  in 
an  article  in  the  online  magazine  Whirl. 
She  and  her  husband,  Rabbi  Alex 
Greenbaum,  have  three  sons  and  are  in 
the  final  stages  of  adopting  a  daughter 
from  China. 

Hedy  Helfand 
Chicago 

Helfand  writes,  "I  am  a  bilingual  school 
counselor  in  the  Chicago  public 
schools.  I  married  Patrick  Kelly  in 
2005,  am  stepmother  to  Sean  and 
Gabrielle,  and  mother  to  Rowan,  born 
in  February.  Life  is  good!" 

Larry  Kahn 

Marblehead,  Massachusetts 
Kahn  writes,  "My  wife,  Risa,  and  I  are 
now  the  parents  of  two  children, 
Benjamin  Sloan,  who  was  born  on 
May  1,  2004,  and  our  newest  addition, 
Arielle  Nicole,  who  was  born  March  12. 
We  are  involved  in  several  communit)' 
organizations  and  are  active  golfers.  I  am 
a  managing  partner  of  New  Dimensions 
in  Technology  in  Salem,  a  high- 
technolog)'  recruiting  and  executive  search 
firm  serving  New  England,  Silicon  Valley, 
and  the  Pacific  Northwest.  Risa  and  1  had 
the  pleasure  of  attending  my  15th 
Reunion  in  June  2006,  where  I  had  the 
chance  to  catch  up  with  so  many  great 
people  whom  I  had  not  seen  since 
graduation.  We  look  forward  to  the  next 
one.  1  would  enjoy  hearing  from  my 
former  classmates.  You  can  reach  me  at 
lk@ndt.com." 

Robin  Kempf 
Topeka,  Kansas 

Kempf  was  recently  named  inspector 
general  of  the  Kansas  Health  Policy 
Authority  Board.  In  the  newly  created 
position,  she  audits,  investigates,  and 
conducts  performance  reviews  for  the 
Medicaid  program,  MediKan,  and  the 
State  Children's  Health  Insurance 
Program,  with  the  goal  of  rooting  out 
Medicaid  waste  and  fraud.  She  has  been 


associate  general  counsel  for  the  Kansas 
Board  ot  Regents  since  2005.  She  is 
married  to  Peter  Haxton  and  has  a 
daughter,  Alison. 

Jason  Levine 
Potomac,  Maryland 

Levine  and  his  wife,  Melissa,  are  pleased 
to  announce  the  birth  of  their  second 
daughter,  Sloane  Hailey,  on  June  28  in 
Washington,  D.C.  Levine  is  a  partner  at 
the  law  firm  McDermott  Will  &  Emery 
in  Washington. 

Michele  (Satz)  Melsler 

Hopkins,  Minnesota 
Meisler  welcomed  another  child,  Abigail, 
on  May  4,  2006.  The  family  recently 
moved  to  Minnesota,  where  Michele's 
husband  is  the  director  of  investments  for 
Affiance  Financial.  They  are  excited  to  be 
relocating  to  an  area  where  they  have  kin. 

Arthur  Nunes-Harwitt 
Rochester,  New  York 

Nunes-Harwitt  writes,  "My  son,  Seth, 
was  born  on  June  3,  2006.  At  fourteen 
months,  he  is  a  cheerful  toddler  whose 
favorite  word  is  'car.'  Some  of  Seth's 
playmates  include  the  sons  of  Gwen 
Leifer  and  Jeremy  Goldman." 

Samantha  Supernaw 
Georgetown,  Texas 

Supernaw  writes,  "My  partner,  Margaret, 
and  I  are  thrilled  to  announce  the  birth 
of  our  daughter,  Shayna  Elizabeth,  on 
January  3.  She  is  amazing!  We  were  sorry 
to  miss  Reunion  2006,  but  I  was  too  ill 
with  all-day  morning  sickness  to  attend. 
After  almost  five  years  as  a  therapist  at 
Helping  Hand  Home  for  Children,  I 
accepted  the  position  of  sexual  assault 
program  director  at  Hope  Alliance,  a 
local  agency  serving  survivors  of 
domestic  and/or  sexual  violence." 

Amanda  Trigg 
New  City,  New  York 
Trigg  was  named  partner  in  the  law  firm 
Lesnevich  &  Marzano-Lesnevich,  which 
has  offices  in  Hackensack  and  Manhat- 
tan. She  was  also  named  a  "Rising  Star" 
by  Super  Lawyers  of  New  Jersey  magazine. 
Trigg  practices  exclusively  family  law. 


1992 


Lisa  Davidson  Fiore 
34  Van  Ness  Road 
Belmont,  MA  02478 
1992notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Ellen  Bloom 

Falls  Church,  Virginia 

Bloom  writes,  "Our  only  child,  Ethan, 

celebrated  his  first  birthday  in  July.  I'm 

lucky  that  I'm  able  to  stay  home  with 

him  because  we're  both  having  a  ball." 

Selena  (Luftig)  Cousin 

Franklin,  Massachusetts 

Cousin  welcomed  a  son,  Benjamin 

Noah,  on  August  8. 

Alison  Goldstein  Lebovitz 
Chattanooga,  Tennessee 

Lebovitz  was  named  the  2007 
Chattanooga  Woman  of  Distinction  for 
her  extensive  involvement  with  volunteer 
projects  and  community  leadership. 

Joshua  Slovin 

North  Easton,  Massachusetts 

Slovin  has  worked  as  the  director  of 

education  at  Temple  Sinai  in  Sharon  for 

the  past  eight  years.  He  married  Marci 

Raschal  on  July  3,  2005. 

Jonathan  Tunicl< 
New  York  City 

Tunick  married  Amy  Paul  on  July  1  at 
Whitby  Castle  in  Rye.  He  is  a  talent 
agent;  books  music,  comedy,  and 
lectures;  and  runs  his  own  company, 
Main-StageProductions.com.  His  wife  is 
vice  president  and  director  of  client 
development  at  Alliance,  an  entertain- 
ment marketing  agency.  They  live  on  the 
Lower  East  Side. 

Jennifer  Rogin  Wallis 

Fairfield,  Connecticut 

Wallis  wecomed  a  son,  Noah  Edward,  on 

June  20. 


I  ,'ill    0"  I  liiMn.lii-  I   Miv.Tsiiv    \hmaziiii- 


79 


class  notes 


Joshua  Blumenthal 
135  Edisto  Court 
Chapel  Hill,  NC  27514 
1993notes@alumni.brandeis.eciu 

Tobias  Dienstfrey 

Alexandria,  Virginia 

Dienstfrey  and  his  wife,  Eiisheva, 

welcomed  a  daughter,  Hadassah  Lailey, 

on  June  1 1.  She  joins  brother  Akiva, 

tour,  and  sister  Margaiit,  six.  Dienstfrey 

is  a  high-school  math  teacher  in  Fairfax. 

Beth  Collier  Groves 
Washington,  D.C. 
Groves  and  her  husband,  Curtis, 
welcomed  their  second  son,  Harry 
Lucas,  on  June  5. 

Heather  McCallum  Hahn 

Takoma  Park,  Maryland 

Hahn  and  her  husband,  Jim,  welcomed  a 

son,  Kai-Jin  Macallum,  on  May  19.  Jim's 

daughters.  Sierra,  thirteen,  and  Kira, 

nine,  love  having  a  baby  brother. 

Stephanie  Lehman 
New  York  City 

Lehman  recently  joined  the  law  firm 
WolfBlock  as  a  partner  in  the  private- 
client  services  group  in  the  New  York 
office.  She  focuses  her  practice  on 
matrimonial  law  and  related  tax  matters. 
Eight  months  before  being  asked  to  join 
WolfBlock,  Lehman  had  started  her  own 
practice.  She  is  engaged  to  Eric  Schutzer, 
and  a  wedding  date  of  December  15  has 
been  set.  Rabbi  Michael  Stanger  will 
perform  the  ceremony,  and  Dina  Poolin 
Lieser,  Beth  Barman  Wechsler,  Stacey 
Silver  Blansky  '94,  and  Leslie  Effron 
Levin  '94  will  be  in  the  wedding  party. 

Sue  Lowcock,  Ml\/I'98 
Hong  Kong 

Lowcock  writes,  "1  returned  home  to 
Hong  Kong  six  years  ago,  and  1  am  now 
working  as  a  development  manager  at  an 
early-intervention  center.  1  have  become 
a  keen  dragon  boater  and  married  a 
tellow  paddler  from  Australia  last  year. 


I  hope  to  start  a  family  soon  and  return 
to  the  United  States." 

Deborah  Waller  Meyers 
Arlington,  Virginia 

Meyers  published  an  article,  "The  United 
States  Needs  Immigrant  Labor: 
Unauthorized  Immigrants  Are  Only  a 
Symptom  of  an  Outdated  System,"  in 
Americas  Qiiarterly.  She  is  designing 
seminars  for  senior  ministry  officials  in 
the  Mexican  government  on  behalf  of  the 
Migration  Policy  Institute. 

Yfat  Reiss 
New  York  City 

Reiss  married  Bradley  Howard  Gendell 
on  May  12  in  Lenox,  Massachusetts.  She 
is  a  founder  of  Foundry  Literary  & 
Media,  a  literary  .igency  in  New  York. 
Previously,  she  was  a  literar\'  agent  at 
SharpMan  Media,  an  author-develop- 
ment company  that  she  originally  found- 
ed as  a  book  publisher  in  1998.  She  has 
also  written  several  women's  health 
books  with  her  father,  an  obstetrician 
and  gynecologist.  Her  husband  is  a 
hedge  fund  manager  at  Cumberland 
Associates,  an  investment  advisory  com- 
pany in  New  York.  He  is  also  chairman 
of  JazzReach,  a  nonprofit  organization 
devoted  to  promoting  the  appreciation 
of  live  jazz. 


1994 


Sandy  Kirschen  Solof 

108  Cold  Spring  Road 

Avon,  CT  06001 

1994notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Jeffrey  Davis 

New  York  City 

Davis  and  his  wife,  Jennifer,  welcomed  a 

son.  Mason  Alexander,  on  May  20. 

Josh  Freed 
Washington,  D.C. 

Freed  left  his  post  as  administrative  assis- 
tant to  U.S.  Rep.  Robert  Andrews  to 
become  a  vice  president  at  the  political 
consulting  and  advertising  firm  Greer, 
Margolis,  Mitchell,  Burns,  and  Associ- 


ates, where  he  will  focus  on  clients  in  the 
social-advocacy  and  foundation  realm. 

Karin  Haberlin 

East  Hartford,  Connecticut 
Haberlin  married  David  M.  Wilson  on 
November  1 1 ,  2006,  at  the  historic 
Publick  House  in  Sturbridge, 
Massachusetts.  She  is  a  research  analyst 
at  the  Connecticut  Department  of 
Mental  Health  and  Addiction  Services. 
Her  husband  is  a  senior  Medicare  audi- 
tor with  Mutual  of  Omaha.  The  couple 
met  through  mutual  friends  who  shared 
their  love  of  science  fiction  and  fantasy. 

Rachel  Loonin 

Bronx,  New  York 

Loonin  gave  birth  to  her  third  child, 
Ezra  Menachem  Zion,  who  joins  four- 
year-old  Nistar  and  rwo-year-old 
Elimelech.  Loonin  and  her  husband, 
Joshua  Steinerman,  are  living  ir  up  in  the 
Bronx  and  recently  became  the  proud 
owners  of  a  minivan. 

Rachel  Nash 
New  York  City 

Nash  is  an  administrative  law  judge 
for  New  York  City's  Environmental 
Control  Board.  The  youngest  judge  to 
be  selected  for  the  position,  she  hears 
cases  involving  violations  ot  New  York's 
administrative  code  and  rules  involving 
the  departments  of  buildings,  sanitation, 
health,  parks,  and  fire.  She  writes,  "I  am 
single  and  dating,  living  in  Manhattan.  I 
have  a  few  boyfriends,  but  no  one  I  am 
serious  about  yet.  I  will  be  traveling  to 
Guatemala,  Honduras,  and  the  Domini- 
can Republic  this  year.  1  look  forward  to 
seeing  everyone  at  the  next  Reunion.  My 
sister,  Esther  Nash,  will  be  appearing  on 
upcoming  episodes  of"  The  Tyra  Banks 
Show  as  a  fashion  correspondent,  so  be 
sure  to  watch." 


1995 


Suzanne  Lavin 

154  W.  70th  Street.  Apt.  lOJ 
New  York,  NY  10023 
1995notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 


lirundiMs  Universiiy  MajJuziiic  |  l':ill  '07 


classnotei- 


Jennifer  (Jacobs)  and  Barry  Berk 
Needham,  Massachusetts 
The  Berks  welcomed  a  daughter,  Serena 
Robin,  on  July  7. 

Wendy  (Morris)  and  Marc  Berliner 

West\vood,  Massachusetts 
The  Berliners  welcomed  their  second 
child,  Jacob  Daniel,  on  July  20.  Jacob  is 
clearly  a  Red  Sox  fan,  as  Wendy  went 
into  labor  at  Fenway  Park  during  the 
first  inning  of  a  game  against  the  White 
Sox.  After  a  cab  ride  to  the  hospital, 
everything  proceeded  smoothly,  which 
couldn't  be  said  for  the  Red  Sox.  The 
family  writes,  "Although  the  Red  Sox 
lost  the  game,  in  the  end  we  are 
certainly  the  winners." 

Rachel  (Frankei)  and  Richard 

Greenfield 
New  York  City 

The  Greenfields  welcomed  a  daughter, 
Hannah  Leah,  on  August  3. 

Francyne  Davis  Jacobs 
Houston 

Jacobs,  a  cantor  at  Congregation  Beth 
Shalom  in  Bryan,  Texas,  was  recently 
named  a  GenNEXT  winner  by  the 
Texis-hnsed  Jewish  Herald-Voice,  an 
honor  given  to  Jewish  community 
leaders  in  their  twenties  and  thirties.  In 
addition  to  her  duties  at  Beth  Shalom, 
Jacobs  co-leads  the  Shabbat  Yachad 
service  at  Congregation  Beth  Yeshurun 
and  helps  lead  services  at  congregations 
Emanu  El  and  Beth  Yeshurun.  She  is 
married  to  Kevin  Jacobs. 

Michael  Levison 

New  York  City 

See  Jennifer  Lorell  Levison  '99. 

Michael  Papper 

Holdcn,  Massachusetts 

See  Michelle  Harel  Papper  '98. 

Sabra  Sasson 

New  York  City 

Sasson  relocated  her  law  office  from  Long 

Island  to  the  Lincoln  Building.  Her 

practice  focuses  on  commercial  and 

residential  real-estate  transactions; 

landlord-tenant,  estate-collections,  family, 


and  divorce  mediations;  and  general 
practice.  She  has  also  moved  her 
residence  from  Long  Island  to  the 
Upper  West  Side  of  Manhattan. 

Alison  (Wyner)  Strong 
New  York  Ciry 

Strong  was  elected  to  membership  in  the 
New  York  law  firm  Cozen  O'Connor. 
She  practices  in  the  business-law  depart- 
ment and  focuses  on  real-estate  law.  She 
was  also  designated  as  a  "Pennsylvania 
Super  Lawyer — Rising  Star "  in  2006  and 
was  named  one  of  "25  Women  on  the 
Verge"  by  the  Legal  Intelligencer/ 
Pennsylvania  Law  Weekly. 

Jessica  Weiss-Schwartz 

Stamford,  Connecticut 

Weiss  married  Michael  Schwartz  in  April 

2003  in  New  York  Ciry.  Their  son,  Jared, 

celebrated  his  first  birthday  in  July. 

Aryeh  Zarchan 
Scarsdale,  New  York 
Zarchan  was  elevated  to  partner  in  the 
corporate  finance  and  securities  practice 
in  the  New  York  office  of  Sidley  Austin. 
His  practice  focuses  on  corporate  and 
securities  transactions,  with  an  emphasis 
on  capital  raising  through  public  offer- 
ings and  private  placement  of  securities. 


1996 


Janet  Lipman  Leibowitz 

29  Pond  Street,  #9 
Sharon,  MA  02067 
1996notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

My  husband,  Mark,  and  I  welcomed  our 
first  child,  Noam  Yehudah,  on  June  3.  I 
love  being  at  home  with  my  son.  When 
my  maternity  leave  is  over,  I  will  return 
to  work  as  a  clinical  psychologist. 

Jennifer  Adier 

Providence,  Rhode  Island 

Adler  became  director  of  communications 

at  Dimock  Community  Health  Center  in 

Roxbury,  Ma.ssachusetts,  in  April. 


Becky  Sternberg  Aronchick 

Seattle 

Aronchick  welcomed  her  first  child, 

Henry  Peter,  on  July  8. 

Ramon  C.  Barquin  III 

Guaynabo,  Puerto  Rico 

Barquin,  who  is  pursuing  a  PhD,  is  the 

author  of  management  texts  and  is 

writing  two  books  about  Cuba. 

Rachel  Blankenstein  Breman 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
See  Matthew  Breman  '9L 

Amanda  Scampoli  Bray 

Raynham,  Massachusetts 

Bray  welcomed  a  son,  Evan  Scott,  on 

October  11,  2006. 

Garen  Corbett 

Newton,  Massachusetts 
Corbett  writes,  "In  June  2006,  I  moved 
from  Florida  back  to  Boston  with 
Stacey  Stein  '99,  MBA'05.  I  also 
returned  to  Brandeis,  accepting  a  posi- 
tion as  deputy  director  of  the  Health 
Industry  Forum  at  the  Heller  School  and 
associate  director  for  the  new  master's  in 
public  policy  program.  I  really  enjoy  the 
policy-analysis  work  and  the  interaction 
we  have  with  a  broad  range  of  health- 
care stakeholders,  but  it's  truly  a  perk  to 
be  back  at  Brandeis  after  a  decade  away." 

Danielle  Friedman 

West  Roxbury,  Massachusetts 
Friedman  married  Adam  Dehner  on 
June  10  on  the  beach  at  the  Groton 
Long  Point  Yacht  Club  in  Groton  Long 
Point,  Connecticut.  The  couple  met 
because  Dehner  is  the  brother-in-law  of 
Friedman's  best  friend.  Friedman  earned 
a  master's  degree  in  nursing  from  the 
Massachusetts  General  Hospital  Institute 
of  Health  Professions  and  is  a  pediatric 
nurse.  Dehner  teaches  special-education 
classes  at  the  Lunenberg  School  in 
Mattapan.  He  is  also  a  studio  musician, 
record  producer,  and  lead  guitarist  in 
three  area  bands.  He  enrolled  at  Suffolk 
University  Law  School  this  fall. 


I  ;j||   iC  I  Mi;iiiilfi^  I  iii\iTsit\"  Magazine 


81 


ii  lores 


Hope  Frisch 

Minneapolis 

Frisch  married  Jeremy  Kalin  on 

August  12.  In  attendance  were  fellow 

Brandeisians  Jason  Porth,  Abby 

Michelson  Porth  '97,  Jennie  (Nuger) 

Goldfarb,  and  Dan  Goldfarb. 

Jessica  Kopito  Giddings 

Great  Neck,  New  York 
Giddings  married  Harris  Giddings  in 
October  2004.  She  is  a  designer  handbag 
specialist  at  Saks  Fifth  Avenue. 

Laura  Nell  Hodo 

Salt  Lake  City 

Hodo  finished  her  residency  in  family 
medicine  in  June  2006  and  now  works 
for  a  local  community  health  center.  The 
center's  patients  are  predominantly  poor, 
uninsured  or  underinsured,  and  do  not 
speak  English. 

Daja  Meston 
Newton,  Massachusetts 
Meston's  memoir  Comes  the  Peace:  My 
Journey  to  Forgiveness  was  published  in 
March.  Abandoned  by  his  American 
parents  to  a  Tibetan  monastery  at  the 
age  of  six,  Meston  describes  his  journey 
from  a  child  monk  to  a  political  symbol 
of  freedom.  In  his  twenties,  Meston  sur- 
vived a  desperate  escape  from  Chinese 
interrogations,  an  event  that  became  an 
international  incident  and  propelled  him 
into  the  media  spotlight.  Meston  is  now 
a  human-rights  activist  and  is  married  to 
Kim  Dolma  Meston  '05. 

Cheri  Jo  Pascoe 

Oakland,  California 
Pascoe  and  her  partner,  Megan 
Sheppard,  welcomed  their  first  child, 
Spencer  Avery,  on  July  29. 

Heather  Austen  Price 
Cleveland 

Price  writes,  "My  husband,  Adam,  and  I 
moved  to  Cleveland  rwo  years  ago,  and 
in  January  2007  1  gave  birth  to  twins,  a 
boy  and  a  girl.  As  I  write  this,  they  are 
four  months  old  and  the  joy  of  our  lives. 
I'm  still  working  as  a  sales  director,  and 
Adam  is  still  a  middle-school  teacher." 


Guy  Raz 

Washington,  D.C. 
Raz  writes,  "I'm  back  at  NPR  after 
leaving  for  two  years  to  serve  as  CNN's 
Jerusalem  correspondent.  I'm  now  the 
defense  correspondent  for  NPR." 

Nancy  (Fishman)  and  Brad  Silverman 
Irvington,  New  York 
The  Silvermans  welcomed  a  boy.  Jack 
Owen,  on  April  9.  Brad  practices  law  at 
Storch  Amini  &  Munves,  a  leading  liti- 
gation boutique  in  New  York.  Nancy  is  a 
risk-management  consultant  at  Willis. 

Sujan  Talukdar 
Arlington,  Massachusetts 
Talukdar  married  Jonathan  White  on 
April  29,  2006,  in  Topsfield.  Former 
Brandeis  chaplain  and  assistant  dean 
Nathaniel  Mays  performed  the  service. 
Alumni  in  attendance  were  Amy 
Rosenberg,  Julie  Schwartz,  Matthew 
Ball  '05,  Edward  Almeida  '95,  Hugh 
Lacy  '95,  Cornell  Caines,  David 
Twombly  '95.  Jarrett  Lovett  '97  and 
Ana  Yoselin  Bugallo  '03.  Also  attending 
was  Erika  Smith,  director  of  the  Transi- 
tional Year  Program  at  Brandeis.  From 
December  2002  until  July  2006,  Talukdar 
served  as  director  of  the  Intercultural 
Center  at  Brandeis.  She  now  works  as  the 
K-12  director  of  the  Metropolitan 
Council  for  Educational  Opportunity 
program  for  the  Brookline  public  schools. 


1997 


Joshua  Firstenberg 

5833  Briarwood  Lane 

Solon,  OH  44139 

or 

Pegah  Hendlzadeh  Schiffman 

58  Joan  Road 

Stamford,  CT  06905 

1997notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Edward  Albowicz 

Linden,  New  Jersey 
Albowicz  was  designated  by  Super 
Lawyers  as  a  "Rising  Star"  in  New  Jersey. 
The  magazine  highlights  up-and-coming 
attorneys  who  are  either  under  forty  or 


have  practiced  for  ten  years  or  fewer. 
Albowicz,  an  associate  at  Wilentz, 
Goldman  &  Spitzer,  concentrates  his 
practice  primarily  in  banking,  financial 
services,  and  corporate  law.  He  also  has 
an  entertainment  practice. 

Rafael  Blumenthal 

New  York  City 

Blumenthal  is  engaged  to  Elysa  Jacobs. 

He  is  a  college  adviser  at  Ramaz  School  in 

Manhattan,  and  she  is  a  senior  project 

editor  at  McGraw-Hill.  A  June  2008 

wedding  is  planned. 

Ruben  Cohen 
New  York  City 

Cohen  finished  his  residency  at  Allegheny 
General  Hospital  in  June  and  has 
relocated  to  New  York  City  to  practice  as 
an  oral  and  maxillofacial  surgeon. 

Tara  Cook-Littman 

Fairfield,  Connecticut 
Cook-Littman  writes,  "I  am  very  busy 
with  three  kids.  It  feels  like  yesterday  that 
1  W.IS  rwenry-one  and  a  senior  at 
Brandeis.  I  blinked  and  had  three  kids. 
Spencer  turned  four  in  August.  Ava  Bailey 
was  born  on  July  24,  200S.  Grace  Alexa 
was  born  on  April  6.  In  my  free  time  (and 
I  can't  believe  1  have  any),  I  am  on  the 
board  of  directors  of  Operation  Hope, 
which  is  a  homeless  shelter  and  social- 
services  agency  in  Fairfield.  I  am  passion- 
ate about  this  organization  and  its 
purpose.  It  also  keeps  my  mind  working 
and  allows  me  to  use  my  legal  degree 
while  still  being  home  with  the  kids.  I 
very  badly  wanted  to  attend  Reunion.  1 
loved  my  years  at  Brandeis  and  often  feel 
so  sad  that  those  days  are  over." 

Gela  Wax  Fuxman 

Medford,  Massachusetts 
Fuxman  and  her  husband,  Shai  '99, 
are  the  proud  parents  of  Nadav  Samuel, 
born  on  June  29,  2006. 

Avi  and  Jam!  (Bleichman)  Josefson 

C^hicago 

The  Josefsons  joyously  welcomed  twin 
girls,  Orli  Faye  and  Zoe  Mina,  on 
February  6.  Big  brother  Gabriel  is 
adjusting  well. 


BrandiMs  I  iiiversiiy  Magazine  |  Fall   07 


class  Holes 


Eric  Kabakoff 
Long  Island  Cit\',  New  York 
KabakofF  recently  became  the  research 
director  for  WABC-TV  in  New  York, 
where  he  is  responsible  for  the  analysis 
and  dissemination  of  all  the  ratings  for 
the  most-watched  television  station  in 
the  country. 

Amanda  Mayer 
New  York  Cit)' 

Mayer  married  Gregory  Alexander 
Robbins  on  June  23  in  New  York  City. 
In  attendance  were  Cheri  Brisson 
Salazer,  Justin  Kattan,  David  Schaer, 
Melissa  David  '98.  and  Geoffrey 
Grove  '98.  Mayer  recently  received  a 
diploma  in  culinary  arts  from  the 
Institute  of  Culinary  Education  in  New 
York.  Robbins  heads  a  commercial- 
lending  group  at  Golub  Capital,  a 
finance  company  in  New  York. 

Dina  Rovner 

lersuseiJem 

Rovner  married  Aharon  Hadid  of 

Mevaseret  Zion  on  August  6,  2006. 

Aleksey  Tsalollkhin 
Camperdown,  Australia 
Tsalolikhin  married  Natasha  Kelly  on 
April  28  at  Terrigal  Beach,  two  hours 
north  of  Sydney,  in  a  beautiful  ceremony 
involving  elements  of  Judaism  and 
Scientology.  Tsalolikhin  moved  to 
Sydney  on  February  14  to  be  with 
Natasha,  a  sixth-generation  Australian 
and  an  executive  at  an  occupational 
health-and-safety-training  firm.  They 
met  through  the  Church  of  Scientology 
and  are  both  active  in  promoting  human 
rights.  Tsalolikhin  can  be  reached  at 
alex@lifesurvives.com  and  would  enjoy 
hearing  from  his  classmates. 

Regina  Volynksy  Weisel 
Stamford,  Connecticut 
Weisel  and  her  husband,  Jeffrey, 
welcomed  a  girl,  Sabrina  Marti,  on 
Januarv'  19. 

Nadav  Zeimer 

New  York  City 

Zeimer  teaches  physics  at  an  inner-city 

school  in  Brooklyn.  He  also  runs  an 


after-school  robotics  program.  This 
year,  his  students  (80  percent  of  whom 
live  below  the  poverty  line)  took  first 
place  in  a  competition  against  robotics 
teams  from  more  than  sixty  other  New 
York  City  schools.  If  you  want  to  know 
more  about  how  robotics  can  bring 
science  and  engineering  to  inner-city 
teens,  you  can  read  a  study  conducted 
at  Brandeis,  or  e-mail  Zeimer  at 
354@gwestrobotics.com,  and  hell  send 
vou  a  free  DVD. 


Alexis  Hirst 

58-19  192nd  Street 

Fresh  Meadows,  NY  11365 

1998notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Believe  it  or  not,  our  10th  Reunion  is  in 
just  a  few  months.  It  seems  like  only  a 
short  time  ago  that  we  got  together  for 
our  5th  Reunion,  let  alone  freshman 
orientation.  Please  mark  your  calendars 
and  plan  to  be  in  Waltham  June  6  to  8, 
2008,  for  a  terrific  weekend.  On  a  per- 
sonal note,  I  married  Richard  Ludwig 
on  July  1  at  the  Mohonk  Mountain 
House  in  New  Paltz,  New  York.  Bran- 
deisians  Dori  Goldberg,  J.  D.  Siegel 
'96,  Sara  Marks,  Nancy  (Fishman) 
Silverman  '96,  and  Brad  Silverman 
'96  celebrated  with  us.  I  am  a  vice 
president  in  marketing,  and  Richard  is  a 
real-estate  developer. 

Jocelyn  Auerbach 
Mount  Laurel,  New  Jersey 
Auerbach  is  engaged  to  Oren  Klein,  and 
the  couple  is  planning  a  March  2008 
wedding.  She  has  opened  her  own  law 
office  and  is  practicing  immigration  and 
nationality  law. 

Ross  Berger 

Los  Angeles 

Berger  served  as  a  writer-consultant  for 

the  popular  Internet  show  Lo>ielyGir/15. 

In  addition,  he  won  first  place  in  the 

Scriptapalooza  TV-writing  competition 

in  the  category  of  one-hour  dramas  for  a 


spec  script  of  the  show  House  M.D. 
(episode  title  "No  Shirt,  No  Shoes,  No 
Service").  He  has  dabbled  in  creating 
brain  games,  and  had  his  first  one,  a 
hybrid  of  logic  and  pop-culture  trivia. 
Name  Metamorphosis,  published  in 
Games  magazine  in  May.  Berger  is  now 
writing  a  screenplay  loosely  based  on  a 
Homeland  Security  sting  operation 
created  to  thwart  homegrown  drug 
tratficking  within  the  U.S.  military. 

Ashley  Blick 

San  Francisco 

Blick  married  Ben  Sternberg  in 

September  2006.  She  has  happily  left  the 

law  and  is  teaching  third  grade  at  San 

Francisco's  Hamlin  School  for  Girls. 

Emily  Brannen,  MFA'99 

Chico,  California 

Brannen  writes,  "I  have  moved  back  to 
my  hometown,  where  I  teach  theater  at 
Butte  College,  write  features  for  the  local 
weekly  paper,  and  continue  to  write 
plays,  which  are  performed  here  and  in 
New  York  City."  She  welcomed  a  son, 
Ian  Emerson,  on  August  30.  In  the 
spring,  she  will  resume  teaching  at  Butte 
and  begin  teaching  at  California  State 
University-Chico. 

Jillian  Cantor 

Philadelphia 

Cantor  graduated  from  Jefferson  Medical 
College  of  Thomas  Jefferson  University 
on  June  1.  She  completed  a  clerkship  in 
psychiatry  and  will  complete  a  residency 
in  psychiatry  at  Thomas  Jefferson 
University  Hospital. 

Amy  Finstein 

Framingham,  Massachusetts 
Finstein  and  her  husband,  Charles 
Schneider,  welcomed  their  first  child, 
Zachary  Joseph,  on  January  25.  Finstein 
is  pursuing  a  doctorate  in  architectural 
history  at  the  University  of  Virginia, 
where  her  research  focuses  on  the  impact 
of  the  automobile  on  architecture  and 
urban  design  in  the  early  twentieth  cen- 
tury. This  past  fall,  her  article  "Before 
the  Big  Dig:  Boston's  Central  .\rtery  as  a 
Construct  of  Mid-Century  Modernity" 
won  the  Public  Works  Historical  Soci- 


F;ill  "(>"■  I  linni.l.-i~  I  ^l^.•l-llv  \lai;a 


83 


>(".es 


ety's  2006  award  for  outstanding  contri- 
bution to  the  history  ot  pubhc  works. 

Adam  M.  Greenwald 
Valencia,  Cahfornia 

Greenwald  is  director  of  development  for 
the  American  Jewish  University  (formerly 
the  University  of  Judaism)  in  Los 
Angeles.  He  and  his  wife,  Laura  Dawn 
Hacker  Greenwald  '99,  welcomed  a 
daughter,  Ayla  Eden,  on  September  1. 

Wendy  Stein  Harsfield 
Sharon,  Ma.ssachusetts 
Harsfield  writes,  "I  am  taking  time  off 
from  work  as  a  special-ed  teacher 
working  with  kids  on  the  autism 
spectrum  to  stay  home  with  my 
eighteen-month-old  son,  Matthew.  My 
husband,  Scott,  and  I  are  expecting 
another  child  in  December. " 

Alexander  Heckler 
Weston,  Florida 

Heckler  married  Tiffany  Zientz  on 
June  2  at  the  Four  Seasons  Hotel  in 
Miami.  He  is  a  lawyer  with  Shutts  & 
Bowen,  a  Miami  law  firm,  and  repre- 
sents companies  that  do  business  with 
the  government.  He  is  also  a  national 
finance  committee  member  for  Hillary 
Rodham  Clinton's  presidential 
campaign.  Heckler  is  in  charge  of 
fundraising  at  the  Women's  Fund  of 
Miami-Dade  County,  a  nonprofit  organ- 
ization that  distributes  grants  to  pro- 
grams that  help  girls  and  women. 

Artemio  Jongco  III 

Bronx,  New  York 

Jongco  defended  his  dissertation  in 
September  2006  and  is  completing  his 
fourth  year  of  medical  school  as  part  of 
the  medical  scientist  training  program  at 
Albert  Einstein  College  of  Medicine. 

Michelle  Harel  Papper 

Holden,  Massachusetts 

Papper  and  her  husband,  Michael  '95, 

welcomed  a  son,  Zachary  Alexander,  on 

May  9. 

Abrah  Salk 

New  Bedford,  Massachusetts 

Salk  married  Mark  Zion  on  August  12. 


Leonie  (Weiss)  Kahn  was  in  attendance. 
Salk  runs  the  IT  department  at  Coastline 
Elderly  Services  in  New  Bedford. 

Jared  Wasserman 

Brookline,  Massachusetts 

Wasserman  welcomed  a  son,  Noah  Alan, 

on  August  22. 


1999 


David  Nurenberg 

20  Moore  Street,  #3 
Somerville,  MA  02144 
1999notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Ari  Bloom 
Boston 

Bloom  writes,  "I  recently  moved  back 
to  Boston  to  attend  Harvard  Business 
School.  It'll  be  fun  to  be  back  in  school, 
and  I  am  looking  forward  to  a  few  more 
years  in  Boston.  I've  spent  the  past 
eight  years  in  corporate  retail  while 
living  in  San  Francisco  and  New  York 
City.  1  worked  in  apparel  as  director  of 
merchandising  with  Gap  Inc.,  and  also 
in  home  goods  as  a  buyer  with 
Williams-Sonoma's  West  Elm  brand." 

Laura  Dawn  Hacker  Greenwald 

Fort  Defiance,  Arizona 

See  Adam  M.  Greenwald  '98. 

Ron  Kami 
St.  Louis 

Kami  is  in  his  last  year  of  an  otolaryngo- 
logical  residency  at  Washington 
University  School  of  Medicine  in  St. 
Louis.  He  married  Mollie  Gordon,  a  psy- 
chiatry resident,  on  February  7,  2004. 
The  couple  welcomed  a  son,  Jacob  Eli, 
on  March  6. 

Jennifer  Lorell  Levison 
New  York  City 

Levison  married  Michael  Levison  '95  in 
2005,  with  a  wedding  parry  that  included 
eight  Brandeis  graduates.  Levison  writes, 
"Little  did  we  know,  our  paths  crossed 
years  earlier  when  Mike  graduated  with 
my  sister.  They  even  sat  next  to  each 
other  at  the  history  department  mini- 


commencement  ceremony.  It  took 
another  eight  years  tor  us  to  meet."  The 
Levisons  welcomed  a  son,  Nathaniel 
Joseph,  on  April  3.  Mom,  dad,  and  baby 
are  doing  great. 

Debra  (Cutis)  Milgram 

Boston 

Milgram  and  her  husband,  Eitan, 

welcomed  a  son,  Ranon  Izzy,  on 

February  13. 

Eric  Pound 

Maiden,  Massachusetts 

See  Heidi  Bornstein  '04. 

Stacey  Stein,  MBA'05 

Newton,  Massachusetts 
See  Garen  Corbett  '96. 

Erik  Sylvin 

New  York  City 

See  Allison  Cohen  '01. 


2000 

Matthew  Salloway 

304  West  92nd  Street,  #5E 

New  York,  NY  10025 

2000notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Joshua  LeRoy 

West  Palm  Beach,  Florida 

LeRoy  married  Sara  Jones  on  April  14  at 

Sweetwater  Branch  Inn  in  Gainesville. 

After  Brandeis,  LeRoy  attended  the 

University  of  Florida's  Levin  College  of 

Law.  He  is  now  employed  by  the  Palm 

Beach  County  Office  of  the  Public 

Defender.  Jones  is  also  a  lawyer  and 

works  tor  the  State  of  Florida's  15th 

Judicial  Circuit. 

Michelle  Rubino  McSweeney 
Portland,  Maine 

Rubino  married  John  McSweeney 
on  May  5  in  New  Hampshire.  In 
attendance  were  David  Salama,  Joy 
Budewig  Harms  '99,  Merissa  Wintner, 
and  Sarah  (Kahn)  Samnick. 


liriHid.is  I  iiiviT-ilx   NhiunziiM-  |  Kill   07 


alumnipiofile    Daniel  B.  Smith  '99 


Losing  His  Senses 


Ernest  Hemingway  was  so  determined  to 
get  the  story  right  that  he  reportedly  pre- 
pared for  his  Spanish  Civil  War  novel  For 
Whom  the  Bell  Tolls  by  joining  a  group  of 
guerillas  to  blow  up  a  bridge.  Nonfiction 
author  Tracy  Kidder  spent  a  year  in  a  fifth- 
grade  classroom  before  penning  Among 
Schoolchildren.  And  Daniel  B.  Smith  '99 
conducted  research  for  his  recent  book 
Muses,  Madmen,  and  Prophets,  a  chronicle  of 
people  throughout  history  who  have 
claimed  to  hear  disembodied  voices,  in  part 
by  going  out  of  his  senses. 

No,  the  New  York— based  journalist  did 
not  surrender  his  sanity  to  the  cause — he 
simply  tried  to  get  closer  to  his  subject  by 
spending  an  hour  in  a  sensory  deprivation 
chamber  set  up  in  a  West  Twenty-third 
Street  apartment. 

Smith  had  taken  on  the  topic  in  order  to 
gain  a  better  understanding  of  his  own 
father,  who  was  plagued  by  voices  all  his 
life.  The  sometime  AtLintic  Monthly  edi- 
tor's initial  notion,  when  he  began 
researching  the  book,  was  that  "hearing 
voices "  was  typically  a  form  of  mental  ill- 
ness, and  that  those  who  claimed  to  hear 
them  were  typically  insane.  But  as  he 
delved  deeper  into  the  subject  and  learned 
of  the  often-mystical  experiences  of  voice- 
hearers  like  Moses,  Joan  of  Arc,  Socrates, 
and  Teresa  of  Avila,  his  skepticism  abated. 
He  began  to  think  of  such  aural  phe- 
nomena as  simply  beyond  the  range  of  our 
everyday  understanding. 

"I  had  come  to  the  subject  with  a  sort  of 
snooty  attitude,  thinking  of  those  who  heard 
voices — and  particularly  religious  figures 
who   heard   voices — as   simply  odd,"   says 


Smith,  an  atheist.  Today  he  believes  such 
experiences  are  "very  real  for  certain  people. " 
The  idea  of  entering  the  sensory  depriva- 
tion chamber  was  that  it  might  free  Smith 


from  sensory  distractions  so  he  could  hear 
his  own  still,  small  voice  within.  But 
instead  of  isolating  the  writer  from  audi- 
tory experiences,  it  seemed  to  make  him 
hypersensitive  to  them. 

Did  he  hear  any  words?  None  except  his 
own  thoughts.  Smith  reports. 

The  release  of  Smith's  book  earlier  this 
year  has  propelled  him  into  the  public  eye. 
An  appearance  on  NPR  led  to  calls  from  an 
array  of  self-proclaimed  voice  hearers,  each 
of  whom  had  a  compelling  story  to  relate. 

"When  you  hear  tales  like  those  with 
enough  regularity,"  he  says,  "it  kind  of 
chips  away  at  your  skepticism." 

— Theresa  Pease 


Joshua  Sunshine 
Columbia,  Maryland 
Sunshine  married  Dara  Neuman  on 
March  25  in  Rockville,  Maryland. 
Sunshine  earned  a  master  of  arts  in 
teaching  and  a  certificate  of  advanced 
graduate  study  in  school  administration 
and  supervision  from  Johns  Hopkins 
University.  He  is  working  as  a  high- 
school  assistant  principal  in  Rockville. 
Neuman  is  an  internal  medicine  resident 
at  Hopkins. 


Jennifer  Weiner 
East  Rutherford,  New  Jersey 
Weiner  married  Bryan  Kaczmarek  on 
April  29  at  the  Grand  Marquis  in  Old 
Bridge.  Alumni  in  attendance  included 
Emily  (Romoff)  Bronstein,  Sharon 
Meiri  Fox,  Ari  Fox  '99,  Jennifer  Grief 
Green,  Dan  Green  '99,  Debra  Rafson, 
liana  Blatt-Eisengart,  Proma  Paul,  and 
Amy  Lurie  '01. 

Rachel  Zitsman 

New  Rochelle,  New  York 

Zitsman  married  Andrew  Messinger  on 


July  29  in  Farmingdale.  Zitsman  is  a 
mathematics  teacher  at  Ramaz  Middle 
School,  a  Jewish  day  school  in  Manhat- 
tan, and  director  of  the  Division  for 
Older  Children  at  Bank  Street  Summer 
Camp,  a  day  camp  in  Manhattan.  She  is 
a  candidate  for  a  master's  degree  in  ado- 
lescent mathematics  education  at  Hunter 
College.  Messinger  is  an  associate  for  cor- 
porate law  at  Fried,  Frank,  Harris,  Shriv- 
er  &  Jacobson,  a  Manhattan  law  firm. 


2001 


WenLin  Soh 

5000  C  Marine  Parade  Road,  #12-11 

Singapore  449286 

or 

Class  of  2001 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

2001notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Wendl  Adelson 

T.illahassee,  Florida 
Adelson  writes,  "My  husband,  Danny 
Markel,  and  I  just  finished  up  a  year  in 
Miami  and  are  back  to  the  thriving 
metropolis  that  is  Tallahassee.  I  am  an 
adjunct  professor  at  Florida  State 
University  Law  School  and  director  of  the 
antihuman-trafficking  program.  We  will 
spend  our  weekends  fighting  off  the 
alligators,  hiking,  biking,  and  sampling 
local  produce  from  TomatoLand." 

Joel  Christensen  and  Shahnaaz  Nistar 
Queens,  New  York 

Christensen  and  Nistar  were  married  on 
June  24  in  Middletown,  Connecticut. 
In  attendance  at  the  wedding  were  lellow 
Brandeisians  Jake  Millette,  Nick 
Gannon,  Timothy  Gerolami  '99,  Sara 
Hellmold  '00,  Gerry  Carroll  '96, 
Aaron  Ostrow  '07,  and  classics  professor 
Leonard  Muellner.  Christensen  received 
a  doctorate  in  classics  from  New  York 
University  and  recently  started  a  job  at 
the  University  ot  Texas,  San  Antonio. 
Nistar  has  entered  her  final  year  of 
dental  school  at  Columbia  University. 


l-^ill    0"  I  lii,iii.l.-i>  riiivcr,il\    M;i 


85 


Allison  Cohen 
New  York  City 

Cohen  married  Erik  Sylvin  '99  at  the 
Ritz-Carlron  Hotel  in  Rose  Hall, 
Jamaica,  on  May  19.  The  ceremony  was 
performed  by  Cohen's  Brandeis  room- 
mate. Rabbi  Bhat  Weiss.  Other 
Brandeisians  in  attendance  were  Chari 
Cohen,  Scott  Hirshson,  Jennifer 
Rosengarten,  Jessica  Kagen,  Lisa 
(Noik)  Genser,  liana  Brand,  Pooja 
Patel,  Ariella  Softer,  Brooke  Wallock, 
Christos  Tsiamis  '99,  and  Rich 
Miller  '99,  The  couple  honeymooned  in 
Tahiti.  Cohen  works  at  Lehman  Brothers 
in  fixed-income  middle-market  sales,  and 
Sylvin  is  a  surgical  resident  at  Columbia 
Universiry  Medical  Center. 

Rachel  Davis 
Louisville,  Kentucky 
Davis  bought  her  father's  dental  practice 
on  February  23  and  has  been  busy  being 
a  dentist  and  business  owner.  The 
practice's  new  name  is  Davis  Dental 
Center,  in  Louisville.  The  Web  site  is 
davisdentalcenter.  net. 

Diana  Coben  Einstein 
New  York  Cit)' 

Einstein  and  her  husband,  Heath,  are 
proud  to  announce  the  birth  of  a  daugh- 
ter, Levyn  Anabelle,  on  July  30.  Levyn 
was  born  a  month  early  and  weighed  six 
pounds,  six  ounces.  The  Einsteins  are 
thrilled  to  have  her  in  their  lives. 

Seth  Goldstein 

New  York  Cit>- 

Goldstein  graduated  from  law  school  last 

year  and  is  now  working  as  in-house 

counsel  for  MusicNet,  an  online  digital 

music-services  company. 

Laurel  Johnson 
Gates  Mills,  Ohio 

Johnson  is  featured  as  Lucy  Call  opposite 
Donnie  Wahlberg  on  the  Spike  TV 
miniseries  The  Kill  Point.  The  eight-hour 
miniseries  centers  on  a  tense  standoff  as 
a  group  of  Iraq  veterans-turned-robbers 
takes  hostages  in  a  Pittsburgh  bank, 
trying  to  figure  out  a  way  to  evade  the 
police  who  surround  them,  Johnson  has 
also  been  featured  as  Christina  in  Red 


Light  Winter  and  Lindsay  in  Some 
Girl(s),  both  at  the  Bang  and  the  Clatter 
Theatre,  and  as  Nancy  in  Holy  Ghosts  at 
the  Beck  Center. 

Valerie  Koiko 

Carrboro,  North  Carolina 
Kolko  writes,  "After  Brandeis,  I  graduated 
in  2003  from  Indiana  University  with  a 
master's  degree  in  higher  education  and 
student  affairs.  I  worked  for  Hillel:  The 
Foundation  for  Jewish  Campus  Lite  for 
four  years,  two  at  Ohio  State  Universiry 
and  two  at  North  Carolina.  In  July,  I 
began  a  new  position  in  the  Office  of 
Judicial  Affairs  at  Duke  University.  This 
summer,  I  also  served  as  production 
manager  for  Te?i  by  Ten  at  the  Triangle 
international  ten-minute  play  festival  here 
in  Carrboro." 

Gabe  Leibowltz 

Brooklyn,  New  York 
Leibowitz  writes,  "I  am  now  full  owner 
(managing  director)  of  Aboveground 
Realty,  and  we've  just  moved  to  a  new 
office  at  26  East  33  rd  Street.  We  hope  to 
have  an  even  stronger  presence  in  the 
Manhattan  and  Brooklyn  sales  and 
rentals  real-estate  market.  If  you  or 
anyone  you  know  is  looking  to  rent  or 
buy  an  apartment  (or  rent  out  or  sell  a 
property),  we'd  be  thrilled  to  assist. 
Please  have  them  contact  me 
(gabe@abovegroundrealty.com)  and 
mention  your  name,  and  I'd  be  happy  to 
give  them  a  discount.  Hope  to  hear  from 
old  friends  soon,  whether  it's  to  gtab 
coffee  or  talk  real  estate," 

Amy  Leichtner 
Brooklyn,  New  York 
Leichtner  married  Dan  Deutsch  on 
May  27  in  Needham,  Massachusetts. 
Rabbi  Sarah  Reines  '90,  MA'92, 
officiated.  Brandeis  alumni  in  atten- 
dance included  Leichtner's  parents,  Alan 
'73  and  Judith  Siegel  Leichtner  '73, 
Ari  Bader-Natal,  Liz  Witkow  '05, 
Josh  Turnof  '99,  Jessica  Braunfeld, 
Michelle  Zeitler,  Adam  Marks  '00, 
Sarah  Chandler,  Jen  Silber,  Mindy 
Milberg  '74,  Brian  Eisenstein  '97, 
Robbi  Nahum  '76,  Barbara 
Silverstein  Wolke  '73,  Joe  Wolke  '73, 


Meyer  Drapkin  '74,  and  Phil 
Benjamin  '73.  Deutsch  works  for 
Moody's  Financial  Services,  and 
Leichtner  is  working  toward  a  master's 
degree  in  Jewish  education  at  the  Jewish 
Theological  Seminary. 

Karen  Lerner 

Skokie,  Illinois 

Lerner  married  Brad  Chenlin  on 
August  5  in  Chicago.  Julie  Fabricant 
and  Noaa  Rahav  served  as  bridesmaids. 
Other  Brandeis  alumni  in  attendance 
were  Alex  Lerner,  Adam  Smoler,  Rory 
Anderson,  Jonathan  Hanus  '02,  and 
Joel  Gorenstein  '98.  Lerner  works  in 
fundraising  for  a  large  hospital  and  lives 
in  suburban  Chicago. 

Adam  Lieb 

Springfield,  New  Jersey 
Lieb  is  assistant  director  of  the  recreation 
department  and  Web  site  coordinator  for 
the  borough  of  Mountainside.  He  serves 
on  the  Democratic  Party  committees  in 
Springfield  and  Union  County.  In 
August,  he  traveled  to  Alaska  and  British 
Columbia  on  a  cruise. 

Meaghan  Morrison 

Melrose,  Massachusetts 

Morrison  married  Morgan  Rudolph  on 

December  4,  2006,  in  the  Virgin  Islands. 

Jessica  (Jama)  Nussenbaum 
Paris 

Nussenbaum  writes,  "After  spending  a 
year  completing  a  master's  degree  in  the 
School  of  International  and  Public 
Affairs  at  Columbia  University,  I 
returned  to  Paris,  where  I  married 
Adrien  Nussenbaum  in  2003.  I  have 
been  working  for  the  auction  house 
Christie's  in  Paris  for  three  years,  and  am 
a  sales  coordinator  for  Latin  American 
paintings  and  specially  export  between 
Paris  and  New  York.  I'd  like  to  congratu- 
late my  classmate  Jason  Kohn  for  his 
documentary  Manda  Bala  and  wish  him 
all  the  success  he  deserves." 

Steven  Pickman 

Washington,  D.C. 

Pickman  writes,  "After  two  years  in 

graduate  school  on  the  West  Coast,  1  just 


lirjindfis  I'tiiversitv  Magazine  |  Fail  "07 


alumni-to-aluinni    business  directory 


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Suit<'  71.3 
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www.lhazan.com 
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BUSINESS  LITIGATION  &  TRANSACTIONS 


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J^eativity  Network 

Teambuilding,  Seminars  &  Retreats 
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lall    (I-  I  lirMrMlri>  I   iiiv.-rsilv  Maflazilir 


class 


notes 


finished  my  coursework  at  the  UCLA/ 
Getty  master's  program  in  conservation 
of  archaeological  and  ethnographic 
materials,  during  which  time  I  served  as 
the  Camilla  Chandler  Frost  Objects 
Conservation  Intern  at  the  Los  Angeles 
County  Museum  of  Art.  During  that 
time,  my  wife,  Nava,  finished  her  MBA 
in  nonprofit  management.  In  order  to 
complete  my  degree,  we  recently  moved 
to  Washington,  D.C.,  so  I  could  accept 
an  offer  to  become  the  Neukom  Family 
Foundation  Intern  at  the  U.S.  Holocaust 
Memorial  Museum  for  2007-08." 

Noaa  Rahav 
Montclair,  New  Jersey 
Rahav  married  Marc  Stoler  on  March  1 8 
in  Tucson,  Arizona.  The  bridesmaids 
were  Rahav's  sisters,  Maya  (Rahav) 
Shifrin  '97  and  Michal  Rahav 
Herman  '95,  as  well  as  Karen  Lerner 
and  Trysa  Shulman-Shy.  Other  alumni 
in  attendance  were  Julie  Fabricant, 
Brian  Herman  '95,  Michelle  Herman 
'93,  and  Laura  Surwit  '98,  MA'99. 
Rahav  is  working  as  a  museum  educator. 

Rebecca  Rausch 

Brookline,  Massachusetts 
Rausch  recently  became  associated  with 
the  Boston-based  law  firm  Krokidas  & 
Bluestein.  She  joins  the  firm's  health-law 
practice.  She  advises  hospitals,  commu- 
nity health  centers,  group-care  facilities, 
special-education  schools,  nursing 
homes,  and  other  health-care  providers 
in  a  variety  of-  litigation  and  transactional 
health-care  matters. 

Michael  Schakow 
New  York  City 

Schakow  is  a  student  at  the  New  York 
University  School  of  Law.  Over  the  sum- 
mer, he  completed  judicial  internships  at 
the  Supreme  Court  of  Texas  in  Austin 
and  with  a  federal  district  judge  in 
Houston.  In  the  winter,  he  will  be  chap- 
eroning another  Birthright  Israel  trip 
through  March  of  the  Living  to  Poland 
and  Israel. 


Rachel  (Simonds)  Segaloff 
Waltham,  Massachusetts 
Segaloff  writes  that  there  have  been  many 
exciting  changes  in  her  life,  including  a 
new  job  working  tor  Birthright  Israel  and 
buying  her  first  house. 

Mollie  Shuman 
Baltimore 

Shuman  was  appointed  chair  of  the 
Young  Lawyers'  Division  Council,  Bar 
Association  of  Baltimore  Ciry  (BABC). 
She  previously  served  as  secretary  and 
chair  of  the  Continuing  Legal  Education 
Committee  of  the  Young  Lawyers' 
Division,  as  well  as  serving  as  an  elected 
member  of  the  executive  council  of  the 
BABC.  Shuman  is  an  associate  with  the 
Baltimore  law  firm  Wright,  Constable, 
and  Skeen. 

Matthew  Sieger 
Flushing,  New  York 

Sieger  is  training  to  be  an  anesthesiologist 
at  Maimonides  Medical  Center  in 
Brooklyn.  This  is  his  second  postgraduate 
year  after  Mount  Sinai  School  of 
Medicine,  and  he  will  have  two  more 
years  of  residency  training  after  this  year. 

Michael  Spire 

Philadelphia 

Spiro,  an  attorney  at  Flaster/Greenberg's 
office  in  Cherry  Hill,  New  Jersey, 
received  the  2007  Graduate  Tax  Faculty 
Award  from  Temple  University  School  of 
Law.  The  award,  granted  annually  to  one 
graduating  master  of  laws  in  taxation 
student,  recognized  Spiro  for  his  out- 
standing academic  achievement  while  at 
Temple.  Spiro  is  a  member  ot  the  estate 
planning,  taxation,  and  corporate 
practice  groups  at  Flaster/Greenberg. 

KrishanthI  Subramaniam 
Rego  Park,  New  York 
Subramaniam,  a  doctoral  candidate  at 
the  Albert  Einstein  College  ot  Medicine, 
has  been  selected  to  attend  the  2007 
Kadner  Institute.  The  institute  is  man- 
aged by  the  American  Society  for  Micro- 
biology and  sponsored  by  the  National 
Institute  of  Allergy  and  Infectious  Dis- 
eases and  the  Burroughs  Wellcome 
Fund.  Its  main  objective  is  to  provide 


intensive  opportunities  and  experiences 
to  promising  young  graduate  students 
and  postdoctoral  scientists  who  may 
choose  to  pursue  careers  in  microbiology. 
Subramaniam  earned  a  master's  degree  in 
immunology  and  microbiology  at 
Einstein.  She  has  published  several 
papers  and  has  served  as  an  adjunct  pro- 
fessor at  Yeshiva  University's  Stern  Col- 
lege for  Women.  She  is  also  a  member  of 
the  American  Society  of  Microbiology. 


2002 


Hannah  R.  (Johnson)  Bornstein 

130  Tudor  Street,  Unit  G 
Boston,  MA  02127 
2002notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Jason  Cohen 

Eden  Prairie,  Minnesota 
Cohen  is  in  his  second  season  as  an 
associate  counsel  with  the  Minnesota 
Vikings,  handling  various  legal  and 
business  affairs  for  the  National  Football 
League  team.  After  graduation,  Cohen 
spent  six  months  volunteering  with 
Right  to  Play  in  Zambia,  an  organization 
dedicated  to  health  education  through 
sport.  He  received  a  law  degree  from 
Rutgers  in  2006. 

Rachel  Goldstein 
New  York  Ciry 

Goldstein  earned  a  doctor  of  medicine 
and  master's  in  public  health  from 
Mount  Sinai  School  of  Medicine  on 
May  1 1 .  She  was  previously  inducted 
into  Alpha  Omega  Alpha,  the  national 
medical  school  honor  society.  She  also 
was  selected  for  a  Doris  Duke  Clinical 
Research  Fellowship  for  a  research 
project  in  hand  surgery,  and  was  the 
initial  recipient  of  the  Judith  and  Nathan 
Kase  Prize  for  Humanities  in  Medicine. 
On  July  1 ,  she  began  her  residency  in 
orthopedic  medicine  at  New  York 
University  Medical  Center. 

Dana  Kaplan  and  Jake  Rubin 

Washington,  D.C. 

Kaplan  and  Rubin  were  married  on 

September  3,  2006,  in  Santa  Ana  Pueblo, 


liriiiidrir.  I'liiviTsily  Magazino  |  hall  "(17 


class 


notes 


New  Mexico.  Twent}'  Brandeis  alumni 
attended:  Aaron  Fischlowitz- 
Roberts  '03;  Philip  Shreiber;  Adam 
Frost  '02,  MA'02:  Ramneet  Wadehra: 
Georg  Muzicant  '02,  MA'03:  Jason 
Moloff;  Doug  Herman;  Lex  Friedman; 
Michael  Corwin  '05;  Lauren  Stroger; 
Eli  Friedman;  Emily  Randall  Walker; 
Leda  Blodgett;  Erin  Waxenbaum  '02, 
MA'02;  Lisa  (Katzen)  Herman; 
Heather  Davidson;  Jon  Latner;  Ross 
Schulman;  Robert  Tanenbaum  '04; 
and  Brad  Dennison.  Rubin  is  director 
of  press  advance  for  the  Chris  Dodd  for 
President  campaign,  and  Kaplan 
prosecutes  child-abuse  cases  as  an 
assistant  attorney  general  for  the  District 
of  Columbia. 

Yanna  Krupnikov 
Ann  Arbor,  Michigan 
See  Adam  Herman  '04. 

Hinda  Mandell 
Berlin,  Germany 

Mandell,  formerly  editor  oi  the  Jewish 
Advocate  in  Boston,  headed  to  Berlin  in 
September  for  a  journalism  fellowship. 
As  a  McCloy  Fellow,  a  program  spon- 
sored by  the  American  Council  on 
Germany,  she  is  studying  Jewish  renewal 
in  Germany  and  tensions  within  the 
Jewish  community. 

Ephraim  Pelcovits 

Atlanta 

See  Rachel  Weber  '03. 

Dannah  Rubenstein 

Philadelphia 

See  Ross  Breitbart  '03  tribute,  page  90. 

David  Zaikin 
Houston 

Zaikin  writes,  "After  graduation,  I  came 
to  Houston  with  the  Teach  for  America 
program  and  taught  science  for  two 
years  in  a  local  public  school.  I  subse- 
quently spent  time  in  yeshiva  in 
Jerusalem  and  later  returned  to  Houston 
to  begin  medical  school  at  Baylor  Col- 
lege of  Medicine,  where  I  recently  fin- 
ished my  second  year.  In  July  2006, 
I  married  my  lovely  wife,  Jessica.  Class- 
mate Joshua  Berman  braved  the  Texas 


summer  heat  to  attend  the  wedding. 
Jessica  works  as  an  attorney  for  West 
Legal  Publishing.  We  are  quite  active 
with  our  local  shul  community. " 


Caroline  Litwack 

325  Summit  Avenue,  #6 
Brighton,  MA  02135 
2003notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Kara  Fitzgerald 

Houston 

Fitzgerald  started  work  this  fall  on  a 

doctorate  in  neuropsychology  at  the 

University  of  Houston. 

Lisa  Josephson 

Yonkers,  New  York 

Josephson  is  engaged  to  Stewart  Dolgotf 

An  August  2008  wedding  is  planned. 

Miriam  Kingsberg,  MA'03 

Berkeley,  California 

Kingsberg  has  been  awarded  a  Fulbright 
scholarship  to  continue  her  studies  in 
Asian  economic  history  in  China  next 
year.  She  is  a  doctoral  candidate  at  the 
University  of  California-Berkeley. 

Mara  Michaels  and  Daniel  Braunfeld 
New  York  City 

Michaels  and  Braunfeld  were  married  on 
January  18  in  Woodclifif  Lake,  New 
Jersey.  Michaels  is  director  of  education 
at  Temple  ShaarayTefila  in  Bedford 
Corners,  and  Braunfeld  teaches  history 
at  Facing  History  High  School  in 
Manhattan.  The  couple  recently  moved 
to  the  Upper  West  Side  of  Manhattan 
after  spending  two  years  in  Los  Angeles. 

Scott  Milgroom 

Dashoguz,  Turkmenistan 
Milgroom  has  been  serving  as  a  Peace 
Corps  volunteer  since  October  2006.  He 
teaches  English  at  the  American  Corner, 
a  resource  center  and  library.  He  is  also 
learning  both  the  Turkmen  and  Russian 
languages.  He  plans  to  stay  abroad  until 
December  2008. 


Phillip  Reisman 

Newton,  Massachusetts 
Reisman  writes,  "I  now  work  as  a 
Java/JLEE  developer  for  uLocate 
Communications  in  Framingham.  The 
company  markets  WHERE,  a  GPS- 
based  location  application  for  cell 
phones  that  allows  users  to  look  up  local 
weather,  events,  driving  directions, 
nearby  restaurants,  hotels,  maps  of  their 
current  location,  and  much  more.  I 
encourage  everyone  to  check  out 
wvvw.where.com.  We  are  constantly 
adding  new  widgets,  and  WHERE  will 
soon  be  available  on  several  carriers." 

Yaser  Robles 

Bronx,  New  York 

Robles  is  a  doctoral  student  in  the 
Department  of  Latin  American, 
Caribbean,  and  U.S.  Latino  Studies  at 
the  University  at  Albany,  where  he  is 
teaching  a  course  on  Latin  American 
culture  this  fall.  He  conducted  research 
and  worked  as  an  intern  at  the  College 
Board's  Government  Relations  Office  in 
Albany  during  the  summer. 

Morgan  Rosenheck  and  Solomon  Sheena 
Newton,  Massachusetts 
Rosenheck  and  Sheena  were  married  on 
October  14  in  New  Jersey.  The  bridal 
party  included  Deborah  (Sheena) 
Lincoln  '98,  Yaser  Robles,  Rebecca 
Frisch,  Robin  Zebrowitz  '04,  and 
Joshua  Sheena  '08.  Rosenheck  grad- 
uated from  New  England  School  of  Law 
in  May.  Sheena  started  a  new  job  as  a 
development  officer  for  the  Young 
Leadership  Division  at  Combined  Jewish 
Philanthropies. 

David  Silver  and  Rochelle  Heller 
Trenton,  New  Jersey 
Silver  and  Heller  were  married  at 
Capitale  in  New  York  City  on  August  18. 
The  couple  met  the  first  week  of  fresh- 
man year  in  1999  and  have  been  together 
ever  since. 

Kate  Tansey 

Ithaca,  New  York 

Tansey  is  working  toward  an  MBA  at 

Cornell  University. 


I  ;ill   0"  I  li(Mrnli-i>  rnivcrsitv  Magazine 


89 


iot.es 


tribute    Ross  Breitbart  '03 


Eliza  Agrest  Varadi 

Charleston,  South  CaroHna 
Varadi  graduated  with  a  medical  degree 
from  the  Medical  University  of  South 
Carolina  and  will  do  a  residency  in 
pediatrics  as  MUSC  Children's  Hospital. 

Sabrina  (Assayag)  Victor 

Miami 

Victor  recently  returned  from  a  year  in 
Israel  and  South  Africa.  In  Israel,  she 
worked  at  the  Association  of  Rape  Crisis 
Centers,  providing  legal  and  development 
assistance.  In  South  Africa,  she  offered 
free  legal  counseling  to  Central  African 
refugees  seeking  asylum  in  Cape  Town. 

Rachel  Weber 
New  York  Cir\' 

Weber  married  Ephraim  Pelcovjts  '02 
on  June  11,  2006,  in  Atlanta.  Alumni  in 
the  wedding  parry  were  Shira  Silton, 
Michael  Koplow  '02,  and  Levi  Pinsky 
'02.  Other  alumni  in  attendance  includ- 
ed Deborah  Lipstadt,  MA'72,  PhD'76; 
Barbara  Rosenblit  '70;  Samara  Minkin 
'94;  David  Brickman  '02;  Tovah 
(Sherman)  Koplow  '02;  Rachel 
Wolkinson  '02;  Anna  Plunkett  '03;  and 
Morty  Rosenbaum  '03.  The  couple  live 
in  Manhattan,  but  will  be  traveling  to 
Israel  for  Pelcovits's  rabbinical  studies, 
and  Weber  will  be  working  on  a  Ful- 
bright  grant  there. 


2004 


Rebecca  Incledon 
21R  Union  Avenue 
Jamaica  Plain,  MA  02130 
2004notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

In  May,  I  vacationed  in  Morocco  with 
Matt  Mauro  and  Cari  Brown  '05.  We 
visited  Susan  Peterson,  who  spent  a  year 
teaching  at  the  American  Language  Center 
in  Rabat,  and  Drew  Meyerson,  who  is  a 
Peace  Corps  volunteer  in  Safi. 

Heidi  Bornstein 

M;dden,  Massachusetts 

Bornstein  married  Eric  Pound  '99  on 

May  27  at  the  Hyatt  Harborside  Hotel 


A  Gentle  Giant 

Dr.  Ross  Breitbart  '03  died  unexpectedly  on 
August  13.  His  wife,  Dannah  Rubinstein  '02, 
shares  memories  of  her  husband. 

What  impressed  me  most  about  Ross  was 
his  tender  regard  for  the  people  around  him. 
He  enjoyed  entertaining,  often  cooking  or 
hosting  barbecues, 
and  was  an  amaz- 
ing pen  pal.  Ross 
maintained  close 
contact  with  his 
childhood  friend 
Dashiell  Lehrman, 
who  served  two 
tours  of  duty  in 
Iraq,  and  talked  often  with  Anant  Jani  03, 
Karl  Ching  '03,  Raghu  Krishnan  '03,  and 
Jon  Goldstein  '03,  and  even  visited  Margalit 
Younger  '02  in  Atlanta.  Ross  also  devoted 
time  to  his  family,  visiting  New  York  for 
birthdays  and  holidays,  and  talking  to  his 
grandmother  ever)'  day. 

Though  he  was  six-foot-three,  broad 
shouldered  and  well  built,  Ross  spoke  gently 
and  dealt  kindly  with  people.  This  was  evi- 
dent in  his  choice  to  pursue  health  policy  as 
a  career,  a  passion  that  was  kindled  at 
Brandeis  in  Stuart  Altman's  class  on  the 
American  health  system.  He  was  struck  not 
only  by  Professor  Airman,  but  also  by  the 
obvious  need  for  improving  management  of 
the  U.S.  health-care  system. 

As  part  of  his  medical  training  at  the 
Philadelphia  College  of  Osteopathic  Medi- 


cine (PCOM),  Ross  completed  a  master's 
degree  in  health  policy  at  the  University  of 
the  Sciences  of  Philadelphia  (USP).  Ross's 
research  with  Dr  David  Nash  at  Thomas 
Jefferson  Medical  College  and  Dr.  Robert 
Field  at  USP,  and  his  work  in  evidence- 
based  medicine  with  Dr.  Eugene  Mochan  at 
PCOM  were  proof  of  the  talent  and  passion 
of  this  young  man  and  the  potential  for 
change  he  could  have  effected. 

The  things  I  will  miss  most  about  my 
husband  are  his  smile,  his  humor,  and  his 
gentle  embrace;  his  love  for  me  was  uncon- 
ditional. There  are  many  people  left 
behind  who  feel  Ross's  absence,  but  it  is 
most  acute  for  our  families:  Bonnie 
Breitbart,  Sheldon  Breitbart  and  Beth 
Gavin,  Lauren  Breitbart,  Rose  Breitbart, 
Marilyn  Oshman,  William,  Rachel  and 
Sam  Breitbart,  Steven  and  Elaine  Oshman, 
Halina  and  Boris  Rubinstein,  Noam 
Rubinstein,  Rachel,  Justin,  Aviya  and 
Amitai  Cammy,  and  Paul  and  Kate  Oliver. 
We  want  to  extend  our  gratitude  and  love 
to  all  the  friends  who  have  supported  us 
during  this  difficult  time.  May  our  memo- 
ries comfort  us  and  bring  us  peace. 

The  Breitbart  and  Rubinstein  families 
have  created  the  Ross  E.  Breitbart  '03 
Memorial  Lectureship  Endowment  in 
his  memory. 

For  information  about  making  a  gift  to  sup- 
port the  lectureship,  contact  Michael  Sivartz 
at  781-736-4057  sivartz@brandeis.edu. 


in  Boston.  Bornstein  earned  a  master's 
degree  at  Boston  University  School  of 
Public  Health  in  May  and  now  works  for 
New  England  Medical  Center  in  Boston. 
Pound  earned  a  master's  and  a  doctorate 
from  BU's  School  of  Medicine  and  is  a 
medical  resident  at  Boston  Medical 
Center.  The  couple  honeymooned  on 
Mexico's  Yucatan  Peninsula. 

Amanda  Davis 

Needham,  Massachusetts 
Davis  married  Brad  Fernandes  on  August 
26  in  Boston.  The  couple  met  while  work- 
ing at  New  England  Cable  News.  Davis 
recently  started  a  new  job  at  Channel  5. 


Mehrun  Etebari 

Durham,  New  Hampshire 

Etebari  won  $130,100  during  a  six-night 

run  on  Jeopardy!  x\\3.x.  ended  May  31.  He 

earned  the  seventh-highest  total  in  the 

show's  history.  He  is  pursuing  a  master's 

degree  in  international  relations  at  Yale. 

Adam  Herman 
Ann  Arbor,  Michigan 
Herman  married  Yanna  Krupnikov  '02 
on  August  5  at  the  DeCordova  Museum 
and  Sculpture  Park  in  Lincoln, 
Massachusetts.  Brandeis  alumni  in  the 
wedding  parry  included  Michaela 
May  '03,  Brooke  Ismach  '02,  Janna 
Cohen-Rosenthal  '03,  Joshua  F.  A. 


litandeis  I  nivcrsitv  Magazine  |  Fail   07 


)i!(»les 


Peck  '02,  and  Alyssa  Krop.  Other 
Brandeis  alumni  in  attendance  included 
Steve  Laferriere  '03;  Joshua 
Brandfon  '05:  professor  Stephen 
Whitfield,  PhD'72;  Lee  Whitfield  '90, 
MA'90,  PhD'97;  Ari  Rabin-Havt  '01; 
Ana  Yoselin  Bugallo  '03;  Jonathan 
Sclarsic  '03;  Daniel  Silverman  '05; 
Igor  Pedan  '05;  Marci  Surkes  '03; 
Sara  Horowitz;  and  Ben  Brandzel  '03. 
Brandeis  staff  in  attendance  included 
Rick  Saw\'er,  Alwina  Bennett,  Jean  Eddy, 
and  David  Wisniewski.  The  ceremony 
was  officiated  by  Rabbi  Allan  Lehmann, 
Brandeis's  former  Jewish  chaplain. 

Rachel  Kostegan 

Methuen,  Massachusetts 
Kostegan  married  Adam  Jussaume  on 
July  22,  2006,  at  the  Fairmont  Copley 
Plaza  in  Boston.  The  ceremony  was 
performed  by  the  Rev.  David  Michael, 
a  former  Brandeis  chaplain.  Alumni  in 
attendance  included  Stephanie  Levine, 
Audra  Lissell,  Danielle  Fitzpatrick, 
and  Michael  Weinstein, 

Sarah  Lichtenstein 

Boston 

Lichtenstein  is  pursuing  an  MBA  at 

Harvard  Business  School. 

Zachary  f^abel 

Ann  Arbor,  Michigan 

Mabel  moved  to  Ann  Arbor  to  pursue 

his  dancing  ambitions  (jazz  and  break 

dancing)  while  attending  the  Gerald 

Ford  School  of  Public  Policy  at  the 

University  of  Michigan. 


2005 


Judith  Lupatkin 

200  W.  82nd  Street,  #5W 
New  York,  NY  10024 
2005notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

1  completed  NBC's  page  program  in 
March  and  accepted  a  position  at  USA 
Network  working  for  the  senior  vice 
president  of  marketing  and  brand  stratcg)'. 


Vanessa  Anik 
Calabasas,  California 
Anik  earned  a  master's  degree  in  educa- 
tion and  teaching  credential  from 
Pepperdine  University.  She  is  teaching 
ninth-  and  tenth-grade  English  at  Bright 
Star  Secondary  Charter  Academy  in 
Southern  California. 

Oren  Bachar 

North  Woodmere,  New  York 

Bachar  started  a  PhD  program  in  school 

and  clinical  child  psychology  at  Yeshiva 

University. 

Ariele  Bernard 
Washington,  D.C. 

Bernard  was  accepted  to  the  London 
School  of  Economics  and  Peking 
University  dual  master's  program  in 
international  relations.  She  will  spend 
the  first  year  in  Beijing  and  the  second 
year  in  London. 

Matt  Bettinger 
New  York  City 

Bettinger,  Ori  Blum,  Michael  Corwin, 
and  Justin  Peck  recently  held  a 
reunion  in  the  kitchen  of  7  Banks 
Street.  Bettinger  is  in  his  third  year  at 
Fordham  Law  School,  Blum  began  at 
Northwestern  Law  this  fall,  Corwin  is 
in  his  third  year  as  an  analyst  at  Gold- 
man Sachs,  and  Peck  recently  left  his 
position  at  a  top-tier  presidential  cam- 
paign to  begin  a  doctoral  studies  pro- 
gram in  political  science  at  the 
University  of  Virginia. 

Leila  Bilick  and  Reuben  Posner 
Washington,  D.C. 
Bilick  and  Posner  were  married  on 
June  17.  They  are  spending  the  year 
working  for  the  Joint  Distribution 
Committee  in  India. 

Keren  Salamon  Birnbaum 

Flushing,  New  York 

Birnbaum  welcomed  a  daughter,  Heidi 

Brooke,  on  March  28. 

Jason  Cloen 

Ann  Arbor,  Michigan 

Cloen  graduated  from  the  Universiry  of 

Michigan  in  December  2006  with  a 


master's  in  social  work.  He  is  a  social 
worker  at  Arbor  Hospice  in  Ann  Arbor. 

Ashley  Firestone 

New  York  City 

Firestone  graduated  from  New  York 

University  with  a  master's  in  performing 

arts  administration  and  subsequently 

accepted  the  position  of  special-events 

assistant  at  the  Roundabout  Theatre 

Company. 

Wendy  Glaberson 

Voorhees,  New  Jersey 
Glaberson  will  complete  a  neuroscience 
program  at  the  University  of  Pennsylvania 
in  May  2008.  She  recendy  accepted  a 
research  position  with  the  Center  for 
Applied  Genomics  at  Children's  Hospital 
of  Pennsylvania.  She  and  Matthew 
Bial  '06  traveled  to  Israel  in  August  for 
three  weeks  and  will  be  moving  to  Fort 
Lauderdale,  Florida,  in  fall  2008. 

Edward  Greenberg 

Rochester,  New  York 

Greenberg  worked  the  past  two  years 

conducting  cancer  research  at  the  Broad 

Institute  of  MIT  and  Harvard.  He 

matriculated  at  the  University  of 

Rochester  School  of  Medicine  this  tall. 

Rebecca  Hanus 

Skokie,  Illinois 

Hanus  graduated  from  Columbia 
Universiry  School  of  Social  Work  with  a 
master  of  science  in  social  work  and  a 
minor  in  law. 

Nicole  Katz 

New  York  City 

Katz,  Maya  (Cohen)  Abitbol,  and  Ari 
Teman  produced  Sensi,  an  event  and 
art  auction  to  benefit  Meir  Panim 
Relief  Centers  in  Israel.  The  event 
raised  almost  $500,000  and  featured 
renowned  auctioneer  Simon  de  Pury. 
Artists  included  Brandeis  alumni 
Alison  (Beker)  Judd  '04,  David  Elia, 
and  Teman. 

Aron  Klein 

Jerusalem 

Klein  and  Keren  Gorban  '07  were 

engaged  in  February  and  are  planning  a 


l-;ill  O^  I  IJraniiri.s  I  Uiversitv  .Magazine 


91 


1 1  ( )tes 


alumniprofile    Munther  Samawi  Vl 


July  2008  wedding.  They  are  both  first- 
year  rabbinical  students  at  Hebrew  Union 
College-Jewish  Institute  of  Religion  and 
are  living  in  Jerusalem  tor  the  year. 

Ahron  Lerman 

Springfield,  Massachusetts 
Lerman  worked  on  a  biodynamic 
organic  farm  in  Hawaii  after  graduating, 
spent  some  time  on  a  family-owned 
cattle  and  sheep  ranch  in  Montana  last 
winter,  and  looked  after  a  tree  house  and 
six  Iditarod  sled  dogs  in  Clam  Gulch, 
Alaska,  over  the  summer. 

Elana  Lichtenstein 
New  York  City 

Lichtenstein  works  for  the  American 
Israel  Public  Affairs  Committee  in  New 
York,  doing  community  development  in 
southern  Connecticut  as  a  leadership- 
management  director.  She  participates  in 
the  Hiatt  Career  Center's  Shadowing 
Experience  program  and  is  available  to 
speak  with  those  unsure  about  their 
post-Brandeis  plans.  E-mail  Lichtenstein 
at  elichten@alumni.brandeis.edu. 

Brett  Lowitz 
Brooklyn,  New  York 
Lowitz  was  promoted  to  assistant 
director  of  volunteer  services  at  the 
Jewish  Association  for  Services  for  the 
Aged,  New  York  City's  largest  senior- 
services  nonprofit  organization. 

Kim  Dolma  Meston 

Newton,  Massachusetts 
See  Daja  Meston  '96. 

Shanna  Nussbaum 

Oceanside,  New  York 

Nussbaum  married  Dave  Goldstein  of 

Queens,  New  York,  on  August  30. 

Samantha  Papurt 

Irvine,  California 

Papurt  has  moved  to  Southern  California 

to  pursue  a  master's  degree  in  social  work 

at  the  University  of  Southern  California. 

Louis  Pasek 

Jerusalem 

Pasek  changed  his  name  to  Shaul 

Goldberg  and  has  moved  to  Israel. 


A  Kingly  Initiative 

As  Munther  Samawi  '05  was  starting  his 
first  year  at  Brandeis,  the  king  of  his  native 
Jordan  was  calling  for  remodeling  that 
country's  public-education  system  as  Jor- 
dan sought  to  position  itself  as  the  inlorma- 
tion-technology  hub  of  the  Middle  East. 

Just  a  year  after  graduating  from 
Brandeis,  Samawi  was  traveling  back  to 
Amman  to  work  for  the  Education  Reform 
for  the  Knowledge  Economy  Support  Pro- 
ject, or  ESP,  a  five-year,  $380  million 
reform  program  funded  in  part  by  the  U.S. 
Agency  tor  International  Development. 
Launched  in  2003,  the  program  involves 
restructuring  curricula,  improving  school 
infrastructure,  and  expanding  access  and 
use  of  technology  in  classrooms. 

"Higher  education  in  Jordan  is  strong, 
particularly  in  fields  like  engineering,"  says 
Samawi,  an  economics  and  business  major. 
"King  Abdullah  saw  a  need  to  focus  a  lot  of 
money  and  effort  on  high-school  educa- 
tion, especially  in  fields  that  will  help  sus- 
tain economic  progress. " 

The  ESP  program  is  creating  public 
kindergartens  and  developing  an  accredita- 
tion system.  It  has  also  helped  put  together 
an  information-technology  curriculum  tor 
high-school  students. 

As  a  consultant,  Samawi  spent  a  year 
developing  the  business  components  of  the 
new  Management  and  Information  Stream 
(MIS)  curriculum.  He  translated  American 
case  studies  into  Arabic  for  textbooks  and 
wrote  new  case  studies  about  profitable 
enterprises  from  Microsoft  to  soccer  teams. 

Samawi  and  his  colleagues  also  traveled 
throughout  the  country  instructing  teachers 
about    project-based    learning — a    method 


popular  in  the  West,  but  used  by  Jordanians 
only  in  private  schools — and  integrating 
technology  into  classroom  instruction. 


I  I         1         T'     II!  I.' 


In  February,  Samawi  returned  to  Boston 
and  resumed  his  work  in  media  analytics  and 
planning  for  Hill  HoUiday,  the  communica- 
tions megafirm.  The  twenty-five-year-old 
builds  models  to  forecast  advertising  returns 
and  advises  clients  like  America  Online  and 
Dunkin'  Donuts  about  where  to  spend 
advertising  dollars.  After  gaining  more  expe- 
rience, he  plans  to  return  to  Jordan  and 
apply  his  skills  to  fields  like  education  to 
help  his  country's  global  development. 

"The  great  thing  about  media  is  their 
extraordinary  ability  to  break  barriers  and 
move  across  borders  where  humans  can't 
always  go, "  says  Samawi.  "They  encourage 
cooperation." 

— Carrie  Simmons 


Nam  Pfian 

Quincy,  Massachusetts 
Phan  is  a  third-year  student  at  Boston 
University  School  of  Dental  Medicine, 
and  he  still  coaches  the  Brandeis  men's 
volleyball  club.  He's  looking  for  volun- 
teer dental  patients.  Contact  him  at 
nam.m.phan@gmail.com. 

Alissa  PiasetskI 

Shanghai 

Piasetski  moved  to  Shanghai  to  study 
Mandarin  and  work  as  a  marketing  and 
public  relations  manager  for  a  chain  of 


health-care  clinics.  She  notes  that  there 
are  quite  a  few  Brandeisians  living  and 
working  in  the  Far  East. 

Jennifer  Ross 

Miami 

Ross  is  engaged  to  Yuval  Ezer  '07. 

Karen  Schrelber 

New  York  City 

Schreiber  married  Daniel  Zwillenberg 
of  Lower  Merion,  Pennsylvania.  She 
is  also  beginning  her  first  year  as  a 
doctoral  student  in  the  clinical 


Braiufci.'i  University  Magazine  |  Fall  "07 


motes 


psychology  program  at  Fairleigh 
Dickinson  University. 

Yanina  Seltzer 

Arlington,  Virginia 

Seltzer  works  at  the  Inter-American 

Bank  in  Washington,  D.C. 

Naomi  Skop 

New  York  City 

Skop  received  a  master's  in  social  work 

from  Hunter  College  in  May. 

Jennifer  Stella 
Ebolowa,  Cameroon 
Stella  has  been  a  Peace  Corps  volunteer 
in  the  health,  water,  and  sanitation  pro- 
gram in  Cameroon  in  Central  Africa 
since  October  2005.  She  works  at  a 
district  hospital  in  a  small  village  in  the 
middle  of  the  rainforest,  doing  public 
health  work  and  outreach — HIV  testing, 
work  on  nutrition,  malnutrition,  etc.  She 
will  be  completing  her  service  in 
December  and  plans  to  travel  through- 
out Africa. 

Tamara  Lauterbach  Sturges 
Cambridge,  Massachusetts 
Sturges  is  a  student  at  Northeastern 
University  School  of  Law  in  Boston. 

Ari  Teman 

Teaneck,  New  Jersey 
Teman  cofounded  JCorps,  the  Jewish 
Volunteer  Network,  in  December  2006. 
The  organization  now  has  more  than 
1 ,200  members  from  some  1 00  colleges 
and  universities  across  all  continents,  and 
is  the  largest  Jewish  volunteer  network  in 
the  world.  JCorps  volunteers  have  served 
more  than  10,000  meals  and  visited 
hundreds  of  seniors,  as  well  as  aided 
urban  park  and  renewal  projects.  For 
more  information,  visit  www.jcorps.org. 
Teman  is  CEO  of  12gurus,  an  innova- 
tion firm  that  designs  products,  media, 
and  Internet  experiences  for  corpora- 
tions. He  also  performs  stand-up 
comedy  at  clubs  around  New  York  City. 

Hayley  Tozeski 

New  York  Cir\- 

Tozeski  is  attending  Georgetown 

University  Law  School. 


Alison  Warren 

Brooklyn,  New  York 
Warren  has  started  a  master's  program  in 
English  at  Teachers  College  at  Columbia 
University.  She  expects  to  graduate  in 
May  2008.  She  is  also  engaged  to  Saul 
Chernin  of  Cheam,  England,  and  is 
planning  a  July  2008  wedding. 

Jonathan  Washington 

Seattle 

Washington  finished  a  master's  in  lin- 
guistics at  the  University  of  Washington 
this  summer.  In  September,  he  headed  to 
Kyrgyzstan  for  ten  months  on  a  Ful- 
bright  scholarship  to  study  dialectal  vari- 
ation in  the  Kyrgyz  language. 

Nate  Westheimer 

New  York  Cit)- 

Westheimer  founded  BricaBox  last  year, 
and  the  company  will  be  launching  its 
product  at  BricaBox.com  this  fall.  He 
was  also  the  alumni  speaker  to  members 
of  the  Class  of  201 1  and  their  parents  on 
August  26  at  Brandeis. 


2006 


Carol  Ortenberg 
2  Oak  Terrace  #3 
Somerville,  MA  02143 
2006notes@ialumni.brandeis.edu 


2007 


Class  of  2007 

MS  124  Brandeis  University 

PO  Box  549110 

Waltham,  MA  02454-9110 

2007notes@alumni.brandeis.edu 

Yuval  Ezer 

Randolph.  Massachusetts 

See  Jennifer  Ross  '05. 

Keren  Gorban  '07 

Jerusalem 

See  Aron  Klein  '05. 


GRAD 


Norbett  Mintz,  PhD'57 

Lexington,  Massachusetts 

Mintz  closed  his  clinical  practice  in  2005 

and  resigned  from  the  Massachusetts 

School  of  Professional  Psychology  in 

June  after  thirty  years  of  teaching. 

Karen  Uhlenbeck,  MA'67,  PhD'58 
Austin,  Texas 

Uhlenbeck  was  elected  to  the  American 
Philosophical  Society  in  Class  I:  Mathe- 
matical and  Physical  Sciences.  The  soci- 
ety promotes  useful  knowledge  in  the 
sciences  and  humanities  through  excel- 
lence in  scholarly  research,  professional 
meetings,  publications,  library 
resources,  and  community  outreach. 
Uhlenbeck  is  professor  and  Sid  W. 
Richardson  Foundation  Regents  Chair 
in  Mathematics  at  the  University  of 
Texas,  Austin.  In  June,  she  received  an 
honorary  degree  from  Harvard. 

Barbara  Wallace  Grossman,  MA'70 

Newton,  Massachusetts 
Grossman  was  honored  at  the  thirteenth 
annual  Y^CA  Boston  Women's  Leader- 
ship Gala  and  Benefit  Auction  on 
June  13,  when  she  was  inducted  into  the 
organization's  Academy  of  Women 
Achievers.  She  chairs  the  Department  of 
Drama  and  Dance  at  Tufts  University, 
where  she  has  been  a  faculty  member 
since  1991.  Her  specialties  include 
American  popular  entertainment,  women 
in  theater,  and  the  Holocaust  on  stage 
and  screen.  Grossman  was  a  presidential 
appointee  to  the  National  Council  on  the 
Arts  (1994-99)  and  the  U.S.  Holocaust 
Memorial  Council  (2000-05). 
Massachusetts  governor  Deval  Patrick 
has  appointed  her  vice  chair  of  the 
Massachusetts  Cultural  Council. 

John  Kavelin,  MFA'70 
Salt  Spring  Island,  British  Columbia 
Kavelin  writes,  "I  recently  retired  after 
sixteen  years  as  an  imagineer  with  Walt 
Disney,  the  past  five  spent  as  director  of 
design  at  Tokyo  Disneyland.  I  have 
moved  permanently  to  Canada,  where  I 
am  the  art  director  of  the  Virtues  Project, 


Kill    ir  I  Hr;niilcis  I  iiivorsily  M;i 


93 


lotes 


which  1  cofoLinded  with  my  sister  and 
her  husband  in  1990.  It  is  an  interna- 
tional character-education  program 
now  in  eighty-five  countries.  We  are  part- 
nering with  the  National  Education 
Association  to  produce  its  first  online 
professional-development  course  on  char- 
acter education  based  on  the  principles 
and  materials  of  the  Virtues  Project." 

James  Horton,  MA72,  PhD'73 
Reston,  Virginia 
Horton  is  a  historian  at  George 
Washington  University  and  a  historian 
emeritus  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution. 
He  has  been  a  Fulbright  professor  in 
Europe  and  has  appeared  in  many 
documentaries  about  the  Civil  War  and 
African-American  history.  He  has  also 
authored  or  coauthored  ten  books. 

Ruben  Rumbaut.  MA73,  PhD'78 
Irvine,  California 

Rumbaut  is  a  professor  of  sociology  at  the 
University  of  California,  Irvine.  He  pub- 
lished an  article,  "On  the  Past  and  Future 
of  American  Immigration  and  Ethnic 
History:  A  Sociologists  Reflections  on  a 
Silver  Jubilee,"  in  the  Journal  of  Aitiericau 
Ethnic  History.  He  also  coauthored  "'If 
That  Is  Heaven,  We  Would  Rather  Go  to 
Hell':  Contextualizing  U.S. -Cuba  Rela- 
tions" in  Societies  Without  Borders. 

Roger  Lohmann,  PhD'75 
Morgantown,  West  Virginia 
Lohmann  was  named  to  the  Nonprofit 
Titnes's  "Power  and  Influence  Top  50"  list 
along  with  other  leaders  in  fundraising 
and  nonprofit  management  throughout 
the  United  States.  Lohmann  is  professor 
of  social  work,  West  Virginia  University's 
Benedum  Distinguished  Scholar,  and 
director  of  the  WVU  Nova  Institute.  For 
the  past  seven  years,  he  has  also  served  as 
editor  of  Nonprofit  Management  and 
Leadership,  a  quarterly  journal  considered 
by  many  to  be  the  leading  publication  of 
its  kind  in  the  world. 

Janet  Neipris,  MFA'75 

New  York  City 

Neipris  was  selected  for  inclusion  in  a 

ground-breaking  anthology,  Next  Stop 

Hollywood.  Her  short  story  "The  Piano" 


was  selected  from  more  than  six  hundred 
submissions  from  around  the  world.  Next 
Stop  Hollyivood  is  a  collection  of  fifteen 
previously  unpublished  short  stories,  all  of 
which  have  potential  as  movies.  A 
synopsis  of  each  story  and  author  bios  are 
at  www.nextstophollywood.org. 

Ellen  Rothman,  MA'75,  PhD'81 
Watertown,  Massachusetts 
Rothman  joined  the  Jewish  Women's 
Archive  as  deputy  director  after  serving 
for  eleven  years  as  associate  director  of  the 
Massachusetts  Foundation  for  the 
Humanities.  While  trained  as  an 
.icademic  historian,  Rothman  has  spent 
most  of  her  career  in  the  public  humani- 
ties, working  in  museums,  developing 
curricula,  producing  programs  for  public 
radio  and  college-level  distance  learning, 
and  creating  an  electronic  almanac  of 
Massachusetts  history,  "MassMoments." 
She  also  wrote  Hands  and  Hearts:  A 
History  of  Courtship  in  America. 

Alex  Dupuy,  MA'76 

Middletown,  Connecticut 
Dupuy  is  chair  of  the  sociology  depart- 
ment at  Wesleyan  Universit)'.  He 
authored  an  article,  "Haiti  Election  2006: 
A  Pyrrhic  Victory  for  Rene  Preval? "  in 
Latin  American  Perspectives  and  wrote  a 
book.  The  Prophet  and  Power:  Jean- 
Bemwid  Aristide.  the  International 
Community,  and  Haiti. 

Lynn  Ackerberg  Golberstein,  MA'76 
Minneapolis 

Golberstein's  art  is  on  display  through 
December  13  in  an  exhibition  titled 
Uprooted  Lights:  An  Installation  of 
Handmade  Paper  and  Fiber  Sculpture  by 
Leah  Golberstein,  at  the  Form  +  Content 
Gallery  in  Minneapolis.  Golberstein's 
work  was  inspired  by  a  recent  trip  to 
Rliodes,  Greece,  and  gives  life  to  the 
simultaneous  beauty  and  pain  she  found 
embedded  in  this  Mediterranean  island 
civilization.  Golberstein  was  on  the 
faculty  at  the  Minneapolis  College  of  Art 
and  Design  from  1995  to  2005.  She  has 
participated  in  national  and  international 
juried  competitions  since  1994  and  has 
won  awards  from  curators  at  the 
Guggenheim  and  Smithsonian  museums. 


Carl  Whidden,  MFA'77 

Pasadena,  California 

Whidden  directed  Austin  Pendleton's  play 
Booth  and  performed  in  The  Robber 
Bridegivom  for  Cleveland  State  University's 
Summer  Professional  Repertory. 

Dilek  Barlas,  PhD78 

Bedford,  Massachusetts 
Barlas  was  named  vice  president  of 
engineering  for  Kenet  Inc.,  a  developer 
of  revolutionary,  low-power,  analog 
mixed-signal  products.  He  has  more 
than  twenty-five  years  of  experience  in 
strategic  technology  planning  and  prod- 
uct development,  and  he  most  recently 
served  as  vice  president  of  chip  design  at 
Magnolia  Btoadband.  At  Kenet,  Batlas 
oversees  all  aspects  of  the  company's 
engineering  efforts  and  product 
development,  deploying  best-practice 
design  techniques  and  design-for- 
manufacturing  methodologies. 

Luis  Rubio,  MA78,  PhD'83 

Houston 

Rubio  is  general  director  of  the  Centro 
de  Investigatcion  para  el  Desarrollo  in 
Mexico.  He  published  an  article,  "Las 
reriidas  elecciones  de  Mexico,"  in  Foreign 
Affairs  and  coauthored  "Mexico: 
Democracia  Ineficaz/Ineffective 
Democracy"  and  "Getting  Mexico  on 
Track"  in  the  Christian  Science  Monitor 

Michael  Smith.  MFA'85 
Hamden,  Connecticut 
Smith  writes,  "I  am  in  my  twenty-third 
year  of  working  as  the  head  of  fine  arts 
at  Hamden  Hall  Country  Day  School. 
Our  three  kids  have  all  attended  the 
school  for  their  entire  precollege 
schooling.  I  am  keeping  my  acting  chops 
up  as  a  member  of  the  Elm  Shakespeare 
Company,  a  small  Equity  theater  that 
has  presented  free  performances  in 
Egerton  Park  in  New  H.iven  for  the  past 
twelve  years.  This  year,  we  presented  As 
You  Like  It  and  The  Three  Musketeers.  " 

Charles  Fox,  PhD'86 

Wichita,  Kansas 

Fox,  associate  dean  of  the  College  of 

Health  Professions  at  Wichita  State 

University,  attended  the  management- 


i^i-aiiiliMs  Lini\ersil\-  Magazine  |  Kali  '07 


class 


notes 


development  program  at  the  Harvard 
University  Graduate  School  of  Education 
during  the  summer. 

Jim  Wallis,  MFA'91 
Burbank,  California 

For  his  work  as  art  director  on  the  televi- 
sion series  Ugly  Betty,  Wallis  won  a  2007 
Art  Director's  Guild  Award  for  Excellence 
in  Production  Design  in  the  single- 
camera  TV  series  categor)'.  He  was  also 
nominated  for  a  Primerime  Emmy. 

Liqun  Luo,  MA'92,  PhD'93 
Palo  Alto,  California 
Luo,  a  professor  in  Stanford  University's 
Department  of  Biological  Sciences,  won 
the  American  Association  of  Anatomists' 
2007  Harland  Winfield  Mossman  Award 
in  Developmental  Biolog)'.  The  award  is 
presented  annually  to  recognize  young 
investigators  who  have  made  important 
contributions  to  the  field  of  develop- 
mental biology  and  have  demonstrated 
remarkable  promise  of  future  accom- 
plishments. Luo  was  cited  for  inventing 
ingenious  new  techniques  to  address 
fundamental  issues  in  developmental 
neurobiology.  In  2005,  he  was  recog- 
nized as  a  Howard  Hughes  Medical 
Institute  Investigator. 

Joseph  Wronka,  PhD'92 

Amherst,  Massachusetts 
Wronka's  new  book.  Human  Rights  and 
Social  Justice:  Social  Action  and  Service 
for  the  Helping  and  Health  Professions, 
will  be  published  in  December.  It  will  be 
available  at  www.sagepub.com. 

Ronald  Greenwald,  MA'94 

Waban,  Massachusetts 
Greenwald,  an  adjunct  profes.sor  of 
history  at  Mount  Ida  College,  won  a 
National  Endowment  for  the  Humanities 
grant  to  study  at  Calvin  College  in  Grand 
Rapids,  Michigan,  during  the  summer. 
He  was  one  of  twenty  faculty  members 
from  colleges  and  universities  selected  to 
participate  in  the  institute.  Teaching  the 
Reformation  in  a  Pluralist  Age.  Mount 
Ida  recently  presented  Greenwald  the 
Ignacio  Juaregui  Award  as  the  most 
compassionate  professor  on  campus. 


Scott  Brickman,  PhD'96 

Fort  Kent,  Maine 

Brickman  was  promoted  to  professor  of 

music  and  education  at  the  University  of 

Maine  at  Fort  Kent,  where  he  has  taught 

since  1997. 

Amelia  Marquez  de  Perez, 

PhD'96,  MA'97 
Punta  Paitilla,  Panama 
De  Perez  is  coordinator  of  the  Unit  for 
Monitoring,  Evaluation,  and  Strategic 
Issues  at  the  United  Nations  Develop- 
ment Programme  in  Panama.  In  2006, 
she  served  as  coordinator  of  Panama's 
technical  group  for  the  follow-up  on  the 
millennium  development  goals. 


Lea  AntolJni,  MFA'02 

Sparta,  New  Jersey 

Antolini  is  an  adjunct  professor  in  the 
theater  department  at  Centenary 
College  in  Hackettstown.  She  is  also  an 
artist-in-residence  at  the  Growing  Stage 
Theatre  Company,  where  she  recently 
performed  in  Seussical,  A  Year  with  Frog 
and  Toad,  A  Midsummer  Night's  Dream, 
and  The  Nutcracker.  She  married  Charles 
Lid  in  2004. 

Meron  Langsner,  MFA'04 
Somerville,  Massachusetts 

Langsner  was  selected  to  be  the  play- 
wright in  residence  at  New  Repertory 
Theatre  in  Watertown  for  the  2007-08 
season  through  a  grant  by  the  National 
New  Play  Network. 

Izzy  Einsidler,  MFA'05 
Santa  Maria,  California 
Einsidler  writes,  'A  year  or  so  after  grad 
uating  from  Brandeis,  I  moved  out  to 
Santa  Maria  to  serve  as  resident  lighting 
director  for  the  Pacific  Conservatory  of 
the  Performing  Arts  (PCPA)  Thearrefest. 
At  PCPA,  I  designed  many  large-scale 
musicals,  including  Beauty  and  the  Beast, 
A  Little  Night  Music,  and  Oliivr  After  a 
year  at  PCPA,  I  accepted  a  teaching  job 
at  Fresno  State  University  and  am  now 
assistant  professor  of  lighting  and  sound 
in  the  theater  arts  department.  At  Fresno 
State,  I  design  a  full  season  of  plays  and 
musicals.  I  look  forward  to  designing 


more  shows  in  New  York  City  later  this 
year  and  in  early  2008." 

Kathleen  Martin,  MA'06 
Wayne,  Pennsylvania 
Martin  is  acting  as  the  head  of  the  Pan 
American  Disaster  Response  Unit 
(PADRU)  in  Panama.  PADRU  is  a 
Red  Cross  response  unit  based  in 
Panama  that  can  be  quickly  deployed 
to  send  relief  supplies  to  thousands  of 
families  in  the  region  at  a  moment's 
notice.  PADRU  sent  planes  of  supplies 
to  Pisco,  Peru,  for  earthquake  relief. 
Martin  has  been  with  the  American 
Red  Cross  for  several  years  and  has 
been  in  Panama  for  a  year.  In  addition 
to  earthquake  relief,  she  was  also 
involved  in  relief  efforts  following 
flooding  in  Bolivia. 

Michael  Jarrett,  MFA'07 
New  York  City 

Jarrett  was  awarded  a  Gilbert  Hemsley 
internship  at  Lincoln  Center,  where 
he  will  assist  with  lighting  for  the  New 
York  City  Ballet,  New  York  City 
Opera,  and  Lincoln  Center  Festival. 
A  selection  committee  of  theater 
artists  and  educators  awards  the 
nine-month  internship  to  one 
outstanding  student  annually  after  a 
nationwide  application  process. 


SVA0V3^ 

-*     FROM  THE 


ROOFTOPS 


Win  an  award?  Get  a  promotion? 
Move  cities?  Have  a  baby?  Share 
your  good  news  with  classmates 
and  fellow  alumni. 

Mail  your  news  to: 

Class  Notes 

MS  124,  Brandeis  University 

415  South  Street 

Waltham,  MA  02454 

You  may  also  c-mail  your  news  to 
your  class  correspondent  or  to 
classnotes@alumni.brandeis.edu, 
or  complete  the  online  form  at 
http://alumni.brandeis.edu/web/ 
classes/classnotes.html. 


I  .ill    (I"  I  liiMMilii-  I  nJMTsiiv  \liif!azine 


95 


photofinish 


Private  Screening  By  Mike  Lov.h 

Over  six  years  of  photographing  hfe  at  Brandeis,  I  have  dehghted  in  creating  a  visual  record  of 
performances  by  the  Brandeis  Theater  Company.  I  show  up  just  before  final  dress  rehearsal,  when 
hopefully  all  the  kinks  have  been  worked  out.  Folks  buzz  around  like  bees  at  a  hive.  Costumers  sew 
up  last  minute  alterations.  Stage  crew  members  hammer,  reposition  duct  tape,  adjust  overhead  lights. 
Sound  engineers  do  the  obligatory,  "testing  one,  two,  three."  Actors  rehearse  fight  scenes,  love  scenes, 
and  everything  in  between.  I'm  convinced  they'll  all  run  out  of  time.  Then,  miraculously,  as  at  this 
recent  runthrough  of  The  Threepenny  Opera,  the  lights  dim  and  a  pleasant  voice  welcomes  me  to  the 
Spingold  Theater  and  reminds  me  to  turn  off  my  cell  phone.  My  private  screening  begins.  The  next 
morning,  there's  invariably  a  voicemail  from  my  buddy  Scott  Edmiston,  director  ot  the  Office  of  the 
Arts,  asking  me,  "How  was  it?"  I  feel  like  a  waiter  at  TGI  Friday's  who's  been  asked  what's  good  on 
the  menu.  All  I  can  say  is,  "Scott,  it's  all  good." 


96 


Hranilcis  Univi-rsiry  Magaziiu-  |  Fall   07 


iiRia 


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Brandeis  Universny 


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or  call  781-736-4111.