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Ticket prices for the luncheon begin at $150.
The Bookmark Donor Cocktail Party and the Dinner with the Authors will be held on Thursday, March 17.
Scroll down for more information about becoming a Bookmark Donor.
You can be a Table Captain - scroll down for more details.
Watch your Inbox for the luncheon invitation, arriving soon!
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BOOK & AUTHOR SAFETY PRECAUTIONS |
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VACCINATIONS
ALL attendees and vendors must submit proof of vaccination PRIOR
to the event, as part of their registration – see the
SOCIAL DISTANCING
Tables for 10 will only have 8
Ballroom is at 2.5 times larger than we require, so tables WILL be far apart
Program Books are “no contact”
WAIT STAFF
ALL will be masked
We have requested that they all be vaccinated
SHOPPING
Only open to registered luncheon attendees, no guests allowed during the event
ALL shoppers and vendors must be masked
Large area for vendors to spread out
Masks and hand sanitizers will be available for all attendees
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For more information about all Book & Author 2022 events,
Charitable donations benefit
Brandeis National Committee's Honoring Our History campaign.
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BNC Phoenix Chapter COVID-19 Vaccination Protocols apply to all study groups and events - attendees must submit proof of vaccination in advance to [email protected]. Masks are required indoors.
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Dear Fellow Brandeis Members,
We were so excited to welcome the New Year and wish you a wonderful year ahead. Unfortunately, Covid got in our way last month. According to the medical experts, the numbers are now subsiding considerably, so we are resuming our previously postponed activities.
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On February 11, we will have our Table Captains' Brunch. We encourage anyone who would like to host a table(s) at our Book & Author luncheon to come to this lovely brunch, which will be held outside at Carol Kern’s beautiful home.
On February 16, our Annual meeting will be held at The New Shul, announcing the new Slate of Officers for 2022-2023 and a fabulous program. Thank you to everyone involved and thank you to Cheri & Art Rolnick for their very special dance program.
On March 17 and 18, we will have our amazing, fabulous Book & Author event, beginning with a cocktail party and dinner with the authors on March 17 and our luncheon and boutiques on March 18. Both of these events will be held at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge. We have 5 wonderful authors coming and are so excited!
On March 30, we will hold our Game Day at Congregation Beth Israel, with lunch outside on the patio.
On April 6, we are looking forward to a beautiful luncheon, at which we will install a new Board and thank the retiring Board members who have supported our chapter in so many ways. More information is forthcoming.
In everything we do, we will follow the Brandeis Covid-19 protocol – your safety is our primary concern.
We want to thank EVERYONE involved in these events – the effort, time and enthusiasm of so many people make this all possible – thank you all!
We can’t believe that we are in our last few months serving as your Co-Presidents – where have the two years gone? It’s been a pleasure for us to be a part of this wonderful Chapter. The majority of our time together has been on Zoom - it’s been a wonderful experience, but not the same as when we meet in person. We look forward to the next few months, when we will finally get to meet many of you at these upcoming events.
Stay well!
Linda & Jan
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March 17-18, 2022
JW Marriott Desert Ridge
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BE BOLD, BEAUTIFUL, BENEVOLENT - BE A BOOKMARK
The Book & Author Luncheon has not only been the ultimate Brandeis experience for our members and the community, but it has been the highlight of the Phoenix Chapter’s winter season. Pre-COVID-19, almost 1000 people attended the luncheon.
As a Bookmark, you are invited to attend a lovely private cocktail party and mingle with the celebrity authors and your fellow Bookmarks (from $300). An even more intimate experience is to dine with the authors at a gourmet dinner (from $1200). The Levels of Giving appear below.
These experiences are unique and memorable. The Bookmark events take place on March 17, the afternoon and evening before the luncheon.
We urge you to participate in these two events this year. Once one has attended either or both of these Bookmark events, the day of the luncheon becomes more meaningful. Having met the authors personally and having gained insight into their personalities, literary careers and works, their presentations will be more enjoyable. It is like watching an old friend on the stage with a sense of pride in how they achieved that position.
The Brandeis Book & Author Event is the Chapter’s primary fundraising event. By being a Bookmark you not only have an opportunity to partake in very exciting activities, but you can thank the chapter for the many hours of pleasure you have received through the study groups and programs, as well as for the friends you have made.
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Any amounts contributed in excess of the Fair Market Value (FMV) are much appreciated and will benefit BNC’s Honoring Our History Campaign; they are considered charitable contributions and tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
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You can be a Table Captain and invite your oldest and newest friends, relatives and neighbors to sit together at tables(s) of 8 at the upcoming 32nd Annual Book & Author Event on March 18. Table Captains are able to enter the ballroom early to distribute individual place cards at their table(s) and are acknowledged in the program for their support.
We will be hosting a Table Captains' Brunch on February 11, 2022 in appreciation for your participation, where we will describe in detail the responsibilities of the Table Captains.
If you are interested, please contact:
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Proof of Vaccination is required for all attendees to participate in all Book & Author events.
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For more information or to volunteer, please contact the Event Chairs:
Iris Wigal • Nancy Sacks
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The Face of Ballroom Dance: A Multimedia Presentation
Chapter Annual Meeting and Program
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Wednesday, February 16, 2022 from 10:00 am ~ 12:00 pm
at The New Shul
7825 E Paradise Lane • Scottsdale
The New Shul requires masks to be worn indoors at all times, so no refreshments will be served.
There will be a brief meeting, followed by the Election of Officers and Board Members
to be installed in April for the 2022-2023 Board year.
Our program will be presented by our members Cheri & Art Rolnick, who will talk about how ballroom dancing enhanced their lives. The Rolnicks will share their experience of ballroom dance as a sport and present videos on competitions, team dancing and show numbers.
We will be collecting items for the Sojourner Center Women's Shelter, which has been a safe haven from domestic violence for women and their children in Arizona since 1977.
Needs at the Sojourner Center include:
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women's and children's undergarments and shoes (new)
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full-size unscented personal hygiene products (new)
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gift cards to Target, Fry's or Walmart
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There is no charge to attend. *Masks must be worn indoors at all times.
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If you would like to volunteer to help out at this event, please contact
Event chairs: Cheri Rolnick and Ellen Widoff
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Game On!
Calling all Mah Jongg and Canasta players
Game Day has been rescheduled!
Wednesday, March 30
10:30 am - 2:30 pm
Lunch will be provided by Arizona Bread Company
and will be eaten outdoors.
Congregation Beth Israel • 10460 N 56th Street • Paradise Valley
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Attendees will have the choice of playing either Canasta or Mah Jongg.
Please bring your Mah Jongg set and card with tablecloth, and cards and spinner for Canasta.
Canasta rules & Splashes will be sent to all registered Canasta players prior to Game Day.
Tables and playing partners will be randomly chosen at the event.
If you registered for the original date, your registration will roll over for the new date.
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Cost: $36 Spade - $54 Club - $72 Heart - $90 Diamond
Register early as seating is limited to 80 people.
Reservations will be available through Saturday, March 26 or until the maximum seating is reached.
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NOTE: Congregation Beth Israel's 250-person Friedman Ballroom will allow us to keep sufficient spacing between game tables. We can also open the doors to the outside. |
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Event Chairs: Marcia Langer, Ruth Lerner, Lori Roth
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Any amount over $23 is considered a charitable contribution and tax-deductible, to the extent allowed by law, to the Brandeis National Committee's Sustaining the Mind fund, which supports neurodegenerative research at Brandeis University. |
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SPRING EVENT - April in Paris
Watch your email for information about our Spring Event –
April in Paris - to be held on April 6.
If you would like to volunteer to help out at this event,
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- Masks must be worn indoors.
- All participants must provide proof of vaccination 3 days prior to an event (not accepted at the door).
- To provide proof of vaccination:
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Take a picture of your vaccination card with your phone and email it to: [email protected]
- Include your name and preferred phone number in your email.
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Please Join Us to Plan Events!
Fundraising Programs is always welcoming new committee members to add new energy and ideas to our chapter. Contact us if you would like to join us.
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Fundraising Programs Vice Presidents:
Patti Grossman 602-885-0158 (phone or text) and Terriann Kleiner 314-761-3132 (phone or text)
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Study Groups Need Facilitators! |
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We have had the most successful Study Group season in our Chapter’s history with 94 study groups. The chapter continues to attract new members and a major part of that attraction is the availability of many and varied study groups in which people can participate.
To continue this success, we need your help. As we begin to think of next season (yes, your Study Group Team is already looking ahead to next year) we are looking for facilitators with ideas for new groups.
Ask yourself the following questions:
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Is there anything you are specifically interested in seeing offered as a study group? (Note: we especially welcome input from members of our men's study groups.)
- Are you interested in starting a group (hiking? film? lunch?) that meets on weekends?
- Would you enjoy participating in or leading a limited group discussion (4 sessions) on a favorite topic or activity?
- Do you have a special interest, talent or skill that you want to share with others?
- Are you a winter resident who wants to create a group (i.e. weekly Mah Jongg or Canasta) which starts later in the year?
- Do you want to meet interesting people and make new friends?
If you answered “yes” to any of these, please join us for a New Facilitators exploration Zoom meeting on Wednesday, February 23rd at 10:00 am. This meeting is purely informational and there is no commitment expected. This is an opportunity for some of our current facilitators to describe why they love facilitating their groups and how you can get involved. If you are interested, please email the Study Group VPs at 2021phoenixstudygroups@@gmail.com and we will send you the Zoom link to join us.
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SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT FULL GROUPS:
Even a group that has reached its maximum enrollment may have openings from time to time - if you are interested in a particular group, contact the facilitator(s) to see if space is available. Very often there is! Look in the calendar linked below for group details, which include contact information for the facilitators. A $5 guest fee will apply.
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*This Link is for your initial registration only. For additional registrations, use the link to "edit your registration information" from your previous confirmation email.
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Monday, February 21
12:30 - 2:00 pm
12701 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale
Our February speaker is Ruth Rotkowitz. Ruth is the daughter of Holocaust survivors and has become an expert on inherited trauma. She holds a B.A. and M.A. in English. In New Jersey, she taught writing at two community colleges. In New York, Ruth taught English at one of the city’s specialized high schools.
After moving to Arizona, she joined the Phoenix Holocaust Association, an organization dedicated to preserving the Shoah memory. As a representative of the organization, she gives talks throughout the Phoenix area on Holocaust-related books and programs.
Ruth is the author of two novels, Escaping the Whale and the prequel, The Whale Surfaces. The protagonist of Escaping the Whale, in addition to struggling with inherited trauma, must also deal with the issues facing her as a woman.
Guests are welcome with a $5.00 fee at the door.
RSVPs are required so that we will have enough chairs:
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Wednesday, February 9
1:00 pm
12701 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale
On February 9th at 1:00 pm, Vice Mayor of Scottsdale, Tammy Caputi, will be speaking to the Men of Brandeis Activities group. Her talk will revolve around future developments and other important issues facing Scottsdale.
Vice Mayor Caputi has lived and worked in Scottsdale for over 20 years. She is the president and owner of Yale Electric West, Inc., a company she founded in Scottsdale in 2001.
Vice Mayor Caputi holds a B.A. in Economics from Wellesley College in Wellesley, MA and an M.B.A. from Simmons University in Boston, MA.
She is a Fellow with the Flinn-Brown Arizona Center for Civic Leadership and Leading for Change. She is also the current chair of the Scottsdale Coalition of Today and Tomorrow (SCOTT), an organization dedicated to promoting, enhancing and improving Scottsdale’s quality of life and economic vitality through community education and involvement in public policy issues. Additionally, she recently served a three-year term on the city’s Development Review Board.
For additional information, contact the facilitator:
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Note: All attendees must show proof of vaccination in advance and our Chapter's
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The Neighborhood Walks group viewed many of the 150 sculptures in Fountain Hills |
Back row: Reva Steinberg, Sue Rollins, Joyce Steinberg, Lynn Cohen, Laurie Burns, Dave Burns, Sara Leopold, Lori Lazard, Lori Roth, Charles Stern
Front row: Kathleen Witkin, Gail Tenn, Abe Lincoln
Not pictured: Ellen Kirschenbaum
Photo: Marcy Strauss
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With Abraham Lincoln, one of the Presidential sculptures near the Lake |
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2021-2022 Study Group Vice Presidents
Stephanie Klopper, Joyce Steinberg and Barbara Stern
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In-Person Events Planned for this Season:
New & Prospective Member Social
Friday, February 4
10:00 am - 11:30 am
Book & Author Table Captains' Brunch
Friday, February 11
10:30 am - 12:30 pm
The Chapter Annual Meeting Program
The Face of Ballroom Dance: A Multimedia Presentation
Wednesday, February 16
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
The New Shul • 7825 E Paradise Lane • Scottsdale
Study Groups: New Facilitators Exploration Meeting
Wednesday, February 23
10:00 am on Zoom
Virtual University on Wheels
Wednesday, March 9
1:00 - 2:00 pm AZ
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32nd Annual Book & Author Event
JW Marriott Desert Ridge, Phoenix
Friday, March 18, 2022
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Bookmark Donors Cocktail Party
Thursday, March 17, 2022
5:00 - 7:00 pm
Dinner with the Authors
Following the Cocktail Reception
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Game Day
Wednesday, March 30, 2022
10:30 am - 2:30 pm
Congregation Beth Israel
April in Paris
Spring Event and Installation of the 2022-2023 Board
April 6, 2022
Congregation Beth Israel
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Membership Milestones
- Congratulations to Irene Lubin on the birth of her great-grandson, Drew Benjamin Lazerick. Proud parents are Andrea and Michael Lazerick.
- Congratulations to Amy and Marvin Richman on the birth of their granddaughter, Talia Ruth Richman Goldman. Proud parents are Susanne Richman and Darren Goldman.
- We wish Andie Morrison a speedy recovery.
- Our sincere condolences to Marlene Lahr and family on the passing of her son, Kevin Lahr.
- Our sincere condolences to Joyce Lefco on the passing of her stepbrother, Jerry Levin.
- Our sincere condolences to Susan and Stuart Pack on the passing of her father, Eduard Harris.
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We Welcome Our New Members
Linda Abrams, Mimi Foreman, Syd Foreman, Carmella Lavott, Marc Meyer, Susan Moses, Mary Sewitz, Lynn Thomson
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The next New & Prospective Member Social will be Friday, February 4, from 10:00 am - 11:30 am.
It will be outdoors, and we’ll take all the precautions necessary to have a safe gathering.
If you or someone you know is interested in attending, please let us know at [email protected].
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To report life-cycle events, please contact:
To report a change in email address, phone number or mailing address, please contact:
She is our Data Manager and will ensure you receive Chapter mailings and information.
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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 $15.00, including shipping. You can get your name tag by filling out the order form and mailing it to the listed address.
Note: Replacement magnetic backs for existing name tags are available; contact the Chapter at 480-359-7262.
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Membership Vice Presidents
Carol Kadet and Gale Gradus
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Brandeis National Committee's Honoring Our History
campaign, continuing through June 2022, supports the digitization of select archives and special collections in the Brandeis Library that highlight social justice.
For more information about the campaign, or to make a donation, see the BNC website.
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Charitable Organizations Need Our Help! |
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We are collecting non-perishable food items to distribute to worthy organizations such as JFCS and Sojourner Center. If you would like to contribute, we will accept your donations at our homes.*
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We are also collecting costume jewelry for children to give for Mother’s Day. We were very successful the last time we did this! You can give the items to Ellen or Wendy or to anyone who can get them to us.
We hope to share our good fortune with others.
Stay safe and HEALTHY!
Wendy and Ellen
*You can contact either of us for our home address:
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Knit A Mitzvah
Do you Knit?
Do you Crochet?
Help us make Scarves,
Newborn Baby Caps and
Lap Blankets
We donate newborn baby caps and lap
blankets to Honor Health Medical
and chemo caps to
For more information, please contact:
Ronee Siegel
Joan Davis
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FEEL GOOD WHILE DOING GOOD! |
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Mitzvah Mavens
Participants in this study group volunteer at a variety of Valley non-profit organizations. They meet at the specific locations of the organizations on various dates when possible. If there are activities that can be done at home, participants will be notified.
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For more information, contact the Community Outreach Chairs:
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A wonderful way to get involved with our local BNC Chapter is to share your expertise with us. It’s a win-win! You get to meet some of the other members, maintain your skills and learn new ones, and the Chapter benefits from your experience.
The current skill sets needed are:
Website, Marketing, Publicity, Technology, Study Group Facilitator
If you would like to volunteer in these or any other areas,
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From left: Isabel Savine ’22, and incoming students Noelia Vega and Ryan Power are a few of over 100 recipients of the Stroum Family Waltham Scholarship. |
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For Stroum Foundation Scholars, Brandeis Is a New World Close to Home
For 25 years, the Stroum Family Waltham Scholarship has made it possible for high-achieving Waltham High School graduates to attend Brandeis.
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Did you miss one of Brandeis' virtual events and would like to access a recording of it?
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General Chapter Information |
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Chapter Board Meetings
Board meetings are conducted virtually, via Zoom.
Chapter members are welcome to attend all meetings,
which are generally held on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 10:00 am.
Our Annual Meeting will be held in person on Wednesday, February 16 from 10:00 am - 12:00 pm.
RSVP: Email Corresponding Secretary Joyce Grant
Chapter Presidents: Jan Lebovitz and Linda Ullman
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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. |
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Presidents: Jan Lebovitz and Linda Ullman
Editors: Kathleen Witkin and Sara Leopold ~ Assistant Editor: Ronee Siegel
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