Brandeis Magazine

Ava J. Abramowitz writes, “Either COVID-19 defines us or we define it. I am lucky to be in the position where I am able to define it. One of my articles, ‘Bring Objective Science to Mediation,’ was published by mediate.com. I have an article, ‘How Collaborative Negotiators Settle Without Upending the Table,’ coming out in the fall in the Journal of the American College of Construction Lawyers, and an article on measuring police performance under review for publication. What did graduating from Brandeis in possibly the worst of its 70 years teach me? How to make lemonade. L’chaim to us all.” Roy DeBerry, MA’78, PhD’79, co-wrote “Voices From the Mississippi Hill Country: The Benton County Civil Rights Movement,” published by the University Press of Mississippi in July. The book is a collection of interviews with residents of Benton County, Mississippi, an area rich in civil rights history. DeBerry’s co-authors include Aviva Futorian ’59. Miriam Ivker Biale writes that her first great-grandson has joined almost 40 grandchildren. And after a new grandson was born during the pandemic, Miriam watched his brit milah on Zoom. Abby Kimmelman Leigh writes, “I am a painter living in New York City. I have been very lucky: My work is in the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney, the Guggenheim, the Met, Yale, Harvard, Wellesley — but not the Rose. Brandeis has always had the best taste! I was married to a wonderful man for more than 40 years, and I have two amazing kids. Contact me at abby@abbyleigh.com.” Arthur Levine teaches a course, The Future of Higher Education, at NYU’s Steinhardt Institute of Higher Education Policy. Samuel Pulten, P’99, is managing partner of AM radio station 980 WCAP, which has moved into new studio and office space in the Lowell, Massachusetts, historic district. Sam and his partners have owned and operated WCAP since 2011. He got his start in radio on WBRS and still broadcasts a show on big-band music that he started at Brandeis. He and son Benari ’99 are active in veterans affairs, including with the Red Sox Foundation and Home Base. Sam lives in Chelmsford with wife Gail, and also has two daughters, Geordarna and Johanna, and four grandkids. He recently retired from the Army Medical Service Corps. Richard Shapiro has had little contact with Brandeis since graduating. “However,” he writes, “I was planning to attend the 50th Reunion until COVID hit. Now I have attended two Zoom reunions and have ‘met’ classmates whom I never knew but remember from New Faces. I look forward to a real reunion if and when COVID can be gotten under control.” Wendy Wexler Salkin writes that she enjoyed attending the virtual 50th Reunion and sends best wishes to all her classmates.