Brandeis Magazine

Allan Cherkin, P’17, reports son Jeff ’17 is pursuing a combined BA/MA in international economics and finance, and is a member of the Brandeis tennis team. Jonathan Dordick, the Howard P. Isermann Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, and vice president for research at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, received the Food, Pharmaceutical and Bioengineering Division Award in Chemical Engineering from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Linda Drozdow, P’12, P’15, played Cassie Cooper in Neil Simon’s “Rumors” at the J’s Cultural Arts Theatre, in North Miami Beach. She and her twin sister, Laura, appeared in “Gotta Dance,” which toured South Florida in February and March. Edward Frim reports he still lives in Pittsburgh with his wife, Lori, and their 15-year-old daughter, Naomi. He left his position as director of the city’s Agency for Jewish Learning last year and now works as a consultant focused on helping synagogue communities become more inclusive of people with disabilities. Deborah Halber’s book, “The Skeleton Crew: How Amateur Sleuths Are Solving America’s Coldest Cases,” received a 2015 Silver Falchion award for best nonfiction. Joan Hantman married Laurence Conn in June 2015 in Marina del Rey, California. They live in Los Angeles. Joan is a nurse at UCLA Santa Monica Hospital. Reid Leonard retired from Merck after 25 years in discovery research, licensing and venture management. He is now senior VP for corporate development at Potenza Therapeutics, an immuno-oncology biotech company in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He is also a part-time venture partner at MPM Capital. Reid and his wife, Debbie, live in Cambridge. Deb devotes herself to full-time volunteer work, serving on the board of Ecclesia Ministries, providing spiritual, emotional and supportive care to Boston’s unhoused community. Their two adult sons are pursuing careers in the arts. Ryan is a clarinetist in Pittsburgh, and Mat is an actor in New York. Mark Matulef completed a yearlong Emerging Leaders Program at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. His team completed a paper on housing options for people returning to society from prison or jail. Mark’s triplets — Sam, Lydia and Nora — are middle-schoolers. He and his wife continue to adopt old pets. Michael Roffer’s new book, “The Law Book: From Hammurabi to the International Criminal Court, 250 Milestones in the History of Law,” was published in November 2015. The ABA Journal described it as “one of our favorites from the year” in its 2015 Gifts for Lawyers list. Michael is an associate librarian and professor of legal research at New York Law School. Paul Rosengard sold his interest in Boston Traders and reports he is taking a couple of months off before tackling the next opportunity, the final bridge before he can retire and be supported by his three children. His oldest daughter, Jillian, is currently his best hope, since she was recently appointed chief resident in neurology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Ellen is a sales assistant at NYC’s Lehmann Maupin art gallery, and Joey is a recent graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Jennifer Roskies became a grandmother and was named senior adviser to Dore Gold, recently appointed director general of Israel’s Foreign Ministry. Mark Sack and his wife, Aviv, welcomed their first grandchild, Sammy Rothstein (named after Mark’s late father); visited with Aaron Garland and his wife, Molly, at their home in Colorado; and received the King David Award from Israel Bonds for their commitment to Cleveland’s Jewish community, to Israel and to educating tomorrow’s leaders. Mark is working with former Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt — a former teammate and opponent in Israel’s professional basketball league — and his family on bringing Jewish teens and youth from diverse backgrounds to a summer experience in Israel involving basketball and meaningful touring. Elaine Tal-el directs AV Israel, an NGO for families of children with hearing loss. For her work, she received the Prime Minister of Israel’s Award for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Elaine, who has lived in Jerusalem since graduation, is married to Eli, a filmmaker. She has four daughters. Her niece Yael is a sophomore at Brandeis. Amy Beth Taublieb’s third book, “The Tail Wags the Dog: A Psychologist Reveals 200 Life Lessons Learned From Her Patients,” has been released.

A REOPENED DOOR: More than 30 alumni, parents and friends visited Old Havana’s Plaza Vieja and many other sites during an eight-day trip to Cuba, led by anthropology professor Elizabeth Ferry and organized by the Alumni Travel Program. The group met artists, politicians and members of the Jewish community for an insider’s view of the island nation. Photo by Lewis Brooks '80, P'16.