Brandeis Magazine

I was honored to serve as co-chair of our 65th Reunion. Special thanks to class members, and Brandeis staff and students who helped make the weekend and the fundraising a success. Co-chair Max Perlitsh announced the Class of 1952 Endowed Scholarship now stands at $1,069,440. Over the past year, 53 percent of our class made gifts or pledges to the scholarship, which is the highest participation of any class, either Reunion or non-Reunion. Special thanks to Gene Saklad, P’78, for leading the memorial service for our classmates, and to Len Van Gaasbeek and Norma Meras Swenson for producing a beautiful yearbook, which was mailed to all class members who could not attend. Norma also produced a slideshow of photographs that elicited nostalgia, memories and tales. The consensus among attendees is that we must not wait five years for the next Reunion but should meet again in a year or two. Other class members who attended Reunion: June Saftel Goldman; Paul Goldstein, P’76; Alan Greenwald; Judy Marks Kass; Marvin March, P’94; Stephen Meltzer, G’10; Shayna Patkin Gochberg; and Joan (Feldman) Saklad, P’78. Also present were June’s grandson; Judy’s son; Diane Rafael Goldstein ’53, P’76; Sandy Greenwald; Rita Alstater March ’64, P’94; Steve’s grandson and his wife; and Hannah Perlitsh. Illness kept Paul Levenson, P’78, P’82, home at the last minute. Not able to attend but sending greetings: Penny Peirez Abrams and Julie Koss; Phylis Levins Acker and Sandy Acker; Anita Hershman Avital; Alex Banks, P’79, P’82, and Ruth Shiller Banks ’53, P’79, P’82; Herb Bloom; Tamar Soloff Brower; Arlyne Stone Brunswick; Inge Fleischman Fowlie; Gene Glick; Helene Dembitzer Lambert; Larry Nigrosh, P’96; Bernie Saklad; Dorothea Fruitkin Schafer, P’77; Helen Gruskin Steinman; Eleanor Baron Timberman; and Caroline Shaffer Westerhof. Among these classmates are several who are still working: lawyers Paul and Alan; Phylis, a designer; Eleanor, a psychotherapist; and Caroline, an internet teacher. Alex has been editor of his community’s newspaper for 20 years. Anita and Dorothea couldn’t attend Reunion because of their husbands’ illnesses. Dorothea recently stopped playing tennis but now plays pickle ball three times a week. Helen has moved to Manhattan after 31 years in Scarsdale. She still sees Scarsdale friends and has joined a book club in her building to meet new people. Tamar is active with the sisterhood at Temple Bat Yahm, in Newport Beach, California. Eileen Dorfman Kessler, P’76, G’09, has moved to an assisted-living facility in Londonderry, New Hampshire. Ed Stavis, G’10, was flown from Florida back to Boston due to illness (happy to report that by Reunion he was out of the hospital and in rehab). I visited Carol Schwartz Kessner ’53, P’80, G’15, and met her husband in their New York City apartment in March. I had lunch with Paul Goldstein and Diane Rafael Goldstein, P’76; Lois Spiro Robblee ’53; Muriel Goldberg, wife of the late Arnold Goldberg, P’79; and Naomi Isler ’56 a few days before Reunion.