Class Correspondent

Penny and Jon Bernstein have just completed their new home in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. It is the second home designed for them by architect extraordinaire/longtime friend Mark Simon. The design maximizes the 270-degree view up the Pacific to the west and across the Sea of Cortez to the east. “It feels like we are on top of the world,” they report. “Wait, we sort of are!” Four of Peter Gidal’s experimental films have been acquired for the Tate Gallery’s permanent collection. David Stephen Greenwald, P’02, is a proud grandfather. His daughter Anna Forman-Greenwald ’02 and her husband, Zachary Pelta-Heller ’02, have a 1-year-old, Harold Robinson, and a 6-year-old, Zadie Simone. David writes, “I am fortunate to spend every Thursday with the grandkids, helping with child care. The rest of my schedule goes to seeing patients in my private psychotherapy practice (after all this practice, I’ve finally gotten pretty good at it). Now, with the new political reality, I am adding activism to the mix.” Having read Bruce Springsteen’s autobiography, David wants to commend Jon Landau for being such a good friend, and providing business and creative support to a true national treasure. Linda (Abrams) and Marty Hoffman celebrated their 50th anniversary in June at Woodloch Pines Resort, in the Poconos, with their three sons; their daughters-in-law; and seven grandchildren, ages 4 to 22. They were joined by Marty’s brother and sister-in-law, and Linda’s cousin Beverly Nadelman ’59. Margo Jefferson won The Chicago Tribune’s Heartland Prize for nonfiction for her memoir, “Negroland,” which chronicles her coming of age among Chicago’s black elite in the 1950s and ’60s. The book, which also won the National Book Critics Circle award, places Jefferson’s life story within the broader context of the growth (and growing pains) of the African-American middle class. Ron Kronish, P’99, a Library Fellow at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute, is finishing “The Other Peace Process,” a memoir in which he reflects on the achievements and challenges of dialogue as a form of peace building. He again taught a seminar for master’s-degree candidates in the Coexistence and Conflict program at Brandeis’ Heller School for Social Policy and Management. Bob Lamm received a Lifetime Achievement Award in Corporate Governance from Corporate Secretary magazine. He writes, “Yes, it was truly the ultimate nerd prom but gratifying nonetheless.” Myra (Kotkin) and Charlie Novogrodsky will celebrate 50 years of marriage in June, joined in celebration by sons Noah and Tobias, five grandchildren, and other family and friends. Now retired, they spend two months each winter in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, and do volunteer work for Amistad Canada, a nonprofit that Charlie heads. They write, “The lessons about social change and social action we learned at Brandeis have guided us for half a century, though we had hoped to retire our marching shoes at age 70.” Four Brandeisians — Mike Leiderman ’66; Hermine Stern Leiderman ’67; Vicki Goldberg Nelson and her husband, John; and Eileen Sklaroff and her husband, Mark Kushner — unexpectedly found themselves on the same trip to Cuba in December. They visited Jewish communities, historic sites and cultural venues. Writes Eileen, “What are the odds that four people, all of whom were on campus together for at least two years in the 1960s, chose to go on the same trip? Don’t ask me. I was a psych major.” Lynn Silver has been an independent consultant in antibacterial discovery since taking early retirement from Merck in 2003. She advises pharmaceutical companies (large and small), nonprofits and venture capitalists in the area of antibiotics; writes scholarly reviews and book chapters; and co-edited a book, “Antibiotics and Antibiotic Resistance.” She also reviews manuscripts and grants for multiple journals and agencies. For the past few years, she has been involved in policy work, supporting the need for basic science research to enable novel antibiotic discovery and information sharing through such avenues as the Pew Charitable Trusts, and the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership. Mark Simon reports that “4,” a book on the work of Centerbrook Architects and Planners, will soon be published. The volume’s title has two meanings: The firm consists of Mark and three partners, and this is the fourth book showcasing their work. Howard Winant is a distinguished professor of sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he is also affiliated with the black studies, Chicana/o studies and Asian-American studies departments. He has worked and taught in Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. He says he was delighted to return to Brandeis in October for the 50th-anniversary celebration of the Waltham Group, of which he was a founder. Howie and his partner, Debbie Rogow, have three kids and two grandchildren. The couple are politically active, chiefly on anti-racist and feminist issues.

Photo of four alumni

CUATRO AMIGOS: Four Brandeisians — Eileen Sklaroff ’68; Mike Leiderman ’66 and his wife, Hermine Stern Leiderman ’67; and Vicki Goldberg Nelson ’68 — unexpectedly found themselves on the same trip to Cuba in December.

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