Hello to our wonderful Brandeis members, | | |
We hope you have been able to spend some of your summer with Brandeis friends enjoying the many and varied Summer Camp activities arranged by our Summer Camp chairs, Harriet Schwartz and Ronee Siegel. We thank them for their hard work and we extend our gratitude to those of you who volunteer to be Activity Leaders. Without Summer Camp, it would be a long summer indeed! Summer Camp continues throughout the month of August, so check out the calendar on our website and sign up for one of the remaining activities. For our new members, it is a great way to meet new friends in a smaller group.
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Our VP of Study Groups, Carol Kadet, and her outstanding Study Group Committee have been hard at work preparing for this year’s Study Group season. Once again, there will be over a hundred groups to choose from. Some of your old favorites are back, along with many new and interesting groups. We wish to again thank our Facilitators, who share their interests, knowledge and passions with us. We could not be the chapter we are without them. The Study Guide will be available on the website this month and registration will be in early September. If you are a new member, watch for information about training sessions on how to register. There will also be a PowerPoint on the website to guide you. Study Groups, like Summer Camp, requires you to be a current Brandeis member, so please renew your membership, if you have not done so yet.
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Our Book & Author VPs Patti Grossman, Ileen Herberg and Brina Pepper, have been meeting with their committees all summer getting ready for this year’s B&A events to be held February 22-23, 2026. Watch for information about the Author Reveal and Volunteer Sign-Up on October 17th.
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The calendar of events starting in the fall is very exciting. Event Planning VPs Wendy Cohen, Ellen Kirschenbaum and Marilyn Pomerantz have been working with their Event Chairs this summer in preparation for the upcoming season. The first event planned is a Welcome Back Fiesta on October 26 and we hope to see all of you there. Watch for an eblast with information about this event. A complete listing of all the programs already planned is in this bulletin and also on the website. If you have any ideas for events, please contact the Event Planning VPs, as we are always open to new ideas.
| Sara Leopold, our Internal Communications Coordinator, Carol Kadet, our External Communications Coordinator, and Donna Germuska and Ronee Siegel, our Bulletin Editors, make sure that you are informed about all of our activities. You should regularly check our website at brandeisphoenix.org, including the calendar page, read our bulletin carefully, and pay attention to eblasts to make sure you don’t miss any of the fun. Also, please share your social media feeds so that both members and the community know about our events. | |
Please tell your friends and relatives about our wonderful organization. If you know someone interested in joining, you can contact our Membership VPs, Laurie Burns or Gale Stam, at membershipbncphoenix2426@gmail.com. Their committee members will connect with prospective members and invite them to a social. We thank this awesome committee for their work to engage new members and make them feel welcome.
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We all enjoy the educational and social activities our chapter has to offer. We also take pride in our role as part of Brandeis National Committee (BNC), supporting Brandeis University, a world-renowned research and teaching institution whose mission is to provide academic excellence, social justice, nonsectarianism and service to the community.
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Looking forward to seeing all of you in the coming months.
Joyce and Stephanie
| | Building on the success of last year’s Study Group Guide offerings, BNC Phoenix Chapter is excited to bring you 109 Study Groups for the year 2025-2026. Among them is an exciting array of new groups such as: Yoga for Beginners, Introduction to AI, Brandeis Brewsaders, How Do I Want To Be Remembered, Play Reading, Grandmas Unite, East Valley Book Group, Mexican Train and many more. | | The Study Group Guide is your key to months of activities, programs and opportunities to socialize. Many of the study groups, such as dining, games, movies and those that explore the Valley, are similar. If you cannot get into one, try another in the same genre. If you encounter a group that is filled, join the waitlist - spaces often become available! | | The link to the Study Group Guide will be mailed in early August and will also be on our website. Registration starts right after Labor Day. As groups reach their maximum participation limit, waitlists will be maintained. | The BNC registration system is the same as last year. Instructions on how to register will be emailed to you, in the Study Group Guide, and available on our website prior to the opening of registration. | | Watch for Study Group information coming to your inbox: | |
- Access to the 2025-2026 Study Group Guide (early August)
- Instructions to Register for Study Groups
- Registration opens right after Labor Day. The Registration link will be emailed to you and will be on our website.
| | | | If you haven’t already joined or renewed your membership, please do so. Our chapter’s Study Groups are for the benefit and enjoyment of current BNC members. | | |
The Study Group team looks forward to a wonderful 2025-2026 season.
Carol Kadet
Study Group Vice President
phxstudygroups@gmail.com
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Book & Author 2026
Monday, February 23, 2026
Luncheon • Authors • Boutiques
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Sunday, February 22, 2026
Bookmark Donor Cocktail Reception &
Donor Dinner with the Authors
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Author Reveal/Volunteer Sign-Up
Friday, October 17
1:00 - 3:00 PM
Kierland Ballroom • Main Level
Westin Kierland Resort, Scottsdale
Watch your inbox for more details and to RSVP
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Our Author committee has been working tirelessly to bring in exciting authors for this event. Thank you to all the committee chairs who came to the Kickoff on May 14.
There was great energy and enthusiasm in the room for this year’s event!
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Patti Grossman • Ileen Herberg • Brina Pepper
Event Vice Presidents
phxbookandauthor@gmail.com
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We’re ready to start the year off right with fun activities for all to enjoy. Listed below are the major events planned for the 2025-2026 year - additional events may be included. | | | |
All our events contribute to supporting the University.
We hope you’ll take advantage by saving the dates and joining the fun!
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Study Groups are returning -
watch your inbox or the website for the new Study Group Guide coming soon!
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Book & Author 2026
Author Reveal and Volunteer Sign-Up
Monday, October 17
1:00 - 3:00 PM
Kierland Ballroom • Main Level
Westin Kierland Resort, Scottsdale
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Welcome Back Fiesta
Sunday, October 26 • 6:00 - 9:00 PM
Aunt Chilada's • Phoenix
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Game Day
Thursday, December 4
Details to follow
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Theatre Night
Saturday, December 6
Socializing • Happy Hour
Theatre Artists Studio
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University on Wheels
Friday, January 9, 2026
Details to follow
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Book & Author 2026 Events
Monday, February 23
Luncheon • Authors • Boutiques
Westin Kierland, Scottsdale
preceded by
Sunday, February 22
Bookmark Donor Cocktail Reception and
Donor Dinner with the Authors
| | | See photos and slideshows from our 2024-2025 events here | | Summer Camp continues in August! See the Calendar | | | | |
Canasta Mavens
Hannah Meyerson made a rare Wild Canasta of All 2s.
That’s a whopping 5,000 points!
Needless to say, she and her partner easily reached 8500 points to win the game.
| | | | Have You Read Anything Good Lately? Book Swap and Dessert |
| Mah Jongg Bracelet-Making | | For more Summer Camp photos, see our website Events page | | |
Membership Milestones since our last issue
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Congratulations to Geri and Jim Gould on their 60th wedding anniversary
- Congratulations to Hillary and Harry Kaminsky on the birth of their granddaughter, Carmel Sue Kaminsky. Proud parents are Hannah and Michael Kaminsky.
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Congratulations to Martin and Gail Robins on the birth of their first granddaughter, Sage Margot Jensen. Proud parents are Rachel and Landon Jensen.
- Congratulations to Susan and Mark Sendrow on the birth of their grandson, Jacob Bernstein Sendrow. Proud parents are Sarah Bernstein and Michael Sendrow.
- Best wishes to Dennis Duran for a speedy recovery
- Best wishes to Michelle Fischler for a speedy recovery
- Best wishes to Anne Mondlick for a speedy recovery
- Best wishes to Michael Shapiro for a speedy recovery
- Best wishes to Harvey Simon for a speedy recovery
- Our thoughts and best wishes are with Paula and George Eckstein and their family
- Our sincere condolences to the family of life member Rachel Blank
- Our sincere condolences to the family of life member Irene Metz
- Our sincere condolences to Hermi Stone on the passing of her husband, Howard Kalman Stone
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We welcome our new members:
Pam & Steven Adelman, Reenie Aldes, Elizabeth Barstack, Lori Cecil, Cathy Coluccio, Karla Dulic, Judith Engleman, Robin Erlich, Bela Fidel, Fred Fingerhut, Jean Friedberg, Penny Friedberg, Janice Glickstein, David Glovinsky, Laurie Glovinsky, Carl Gotlieb, Leslie Gould, Cheryl Kaufman,Jennet Kirkpatrick, Barbara Kluger, Marjorie Laks, Adriane Leavitt, Robert Leavitt, Lawrence Lilien, Linda Medansky, Nancy Mendelsohn, Bob Polonsky, Adrienne Polster, Patti Reichler, Cindy Robinson, Oliver Ross, Merle Salus-Herbig, Kelli Sax-Pahl, Robert Schulman, Ellie Schwartzberg, David Sharpe, Laura Sharpe, Kathleen Ulrich, Charlene Walters, Dale Walters, Alice Wechter, Tom Wechter, Stephen Weiner, Deborah Yanow
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To report life-cycle events, please contact:
Marilyn Reinfeld • mkr1227@cox.net • 480-620-5601
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Chapter Roster
To report a change in email address, phone number (cell or landline) or mailing address, please contact:
Carol Kadet • carolkadet@gmail.com
She will update our membership roster and ensure that you receive Chapter mailings and information.
| | A Social for New and Prospective Members | |
We hold socials several times throughout the year to welcome new and prospective members
Our next events will be:
a Zoom study group orientation for new and prospective members on
Monday, August 11 • 10:00 - 11:00 AM
and an in-person study group orientation for new and prospective members on
Monday, August 11 • 1:30 - 3:30 PM
| | Membership Committee Meetings | |
Our next Membership Committee meeting will be Monday, August 25 from 10:00 am - Noon via Zoom.
If you are interested in learning more about membership or are interested in joining the committee,
please contact the Membership VPs.
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Name Tags
Would you prefer not to wear the stick-on name tags used at Chapter functions?
We are offering personalized, magnetic BNC name tags for $18.00, including shipping. You can get your name tag by filling out the order form and mailing it to the listed address.
Order Form
Note: Replacement magnetic backs for existing name tags are available; contact the Chapter at info@brandeisphoenix.org
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Community Service is a fundamental part of the mission of BNC. Throughout the year, we collect items for various non-profits in the greater Phoenix area, and your support is much appreciated.
Additionally, our Mitzvah Mavens Study Group provides participatory activities for our members to volunteer directly with specific agencies.
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New Veterans Center
This year Community Outreach will be supporting the newly-created M.D. Hawkins Veterans Center in central Phoenix. The Center includes a small transitional housing unit, counseling services, day center activities, and food and snacks for drop-in vets. At this time, we will be focusing on helping to provide snacks for them. Next time you are at the grocery store, please consider picking up:
- Individually wrapped peanut butter crackers or Goldfish crackers
- Granola bars
- Individual cookie packages or pretzels or popcorn
- Any easy “Grab & Go” snack would be appreciated
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For the Homeless
Empty, clean prescription bottles are still being collected and used by our friends at Nourish, along with your gifts of personal care items.
- When you travel, please consider taking the “freebies” at the hotels or onboard airlines/cruises to donate.
- When you visit a dentist, please ask for extra samples of toothbrushes/toothpaste/floss for donation.
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We will be collecting your donations at all Brandeis big events!
We are very grateful for your kindness and compassion.
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Contact our Community Outreach co-chairs,
Debbie and Gale, for pick-up of any of these items.
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Knit A Mitzvah
Do you Knit? Do you Crochet?
Help us make Scarves, Newborn Baby Caps,
Lap Blankets and Chemo Caps
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We donate newborn baby caps and lap
blankets to Honor Health Medical
Center, scarves to Sojourner Center
and chemo caps to
Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center.
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For more information, please contact:
Ronee Siegel
ronees@aol.com 917-273-0393
Joan Davis
davis6j@gmail.com 602–499-8357
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Mitzvah Mavens
Participants in this study group volunteer at a variety of Valley non-profit organizations. We meet at the specific locations of the organizations on various dates, lending helping hands as needed. If there are activities that can be done at home, participants will be notified.
| | | Future of Engineering Campaign | | | Kathy & Joel Goldstein | Judy Rosen | In honor of becoming Executive VP of the Phoenix chapter | | | | Ellen DuBiel | Harriet Schwartz | In honor of her 80th birthday | | | |
To make a donation online using a credit card, click here
In order to include your online tributes in the bulletin, please email the details -
Fund, Donor(s), Recipient(s) and Occasion only - to Beth Messer at bethmae721@gmail.com
For future inclusions, please notify Beth Messer
| | Engineering the Future: The BNC Professorship in Engineering Science Campaign | | Shaping the Future of Education with Innovation | by Carol Kern, Phoenix Chapter Campaign Chair | |
Advancing its mission to connect knowledge, critical thinking, and ethical reasoning with society's challenges, Brandeis University announced the launch of the Engineering Program.
Engineering a Circular Economy
The way we produce and dispose of materials and products today is unsustainable.
The circular economy is a model of production and consumption that offers a potential solution to these problems, where all materials and products are designed to be used, reused, and recycled repeatedly, thereby minimizing environmental impact from resource extraction, manufacturing, and final disposal.
Brandeis already possesses the core elements to become a leader in engineering research and education and will grow these strengths by embedding engineers across the existing Departments.
The Circular Economy is just one of the many programs in process.
Since last fall, Brandeis has been offering engineering courses as it prepares for the official launch of its Engineering major.
Time passes, days, weeks, and months, and Brandeis will continue to introduce numerous new programs as it launches the Engineering Program. It's interdisciplinary, it's integrative, and it's inclusive.
The engineering courses that the researchers will develop will provide solutions to the great challenges of our time.
| From Real Estate to Real Impact in Engineering | | Phoenix Chapter members are investing in Brandeis' new approach to engineering | | |
Judy and Leith Baletin cherish their membership in the Arizona chapter of the Brandeis National Committee (BNC) for the friendships, reading groups, and shared advocacy. That’s why they’re investing in Brandeis’ bold new approach to engineering education.
Find out why they chose real estate giving
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President Arthur Levine will continue leading Brandeis to carry out his bold vision through July 2027.
More
| | | | General Chapter Information | | Founded in 1948, Brandeis National Committee is dedicated to providing philanthropic support to Brandeis University, a distinguished liberal arts and research university founded by the American Jewish community. Its membership is connected to the University through fundraising and through activities that reflect the values on which the University was founded: academic excellence, social justice, nonsectarianism and service to the community. | | The Phoenix Chapter Bulletin is published 4 times a year. Our next issue will come out in early November. | |
Presidents: Stephanie Klopper and Joyce Steinberg
Editor: Donna Germuska • Assistant Editor: Ronee Siegel
Layout: Sara Leopold
bncphxbulletin@gmail.com
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