Bunova Newsline
Winter Edition
January 2016 • VOL. XVII, NO. III
Upcoming Events
SPECIAL SESSIONS COMING UP SOON
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Your Study Group Chairs, Event Planners and Program Coordinator have been working hard to bring you some exciting
new ideas for getting together this year. Here is the information for the Sessions and other activities that we have planned
so far. There is something for you every month– and more on the drawing board. If you are interested in attending any
session, please email Sandy Wagner – swagner222@cs.com OR Barbara Gems – beegem@comcast.net to get on the list.
We will reserve a space for you and you can pay at the time of the Session.
HOLD THE DATE for MAH JONGG MAYHEM - Not a tournament, but loads of fun, friendship, food, and
prizes: Sunday April 10, 2:00PM – 5:00PM at Beth El Hebrew Congregation, 3830 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA
22304. The cost is $18.00 with pre-registration. Details will follow. --- Michele Milden, Program Coordinator
KATIE LARGENT PIANO RECITAL - Please join us for a spring afternoon of piano music featuring our own
talented Katie Largent at the keyboard. The date is Thursday April 14. Those of us who have heard Katie play know
what a delight it is to listen. We will assemble at Katie’s home in Manassas in the spring to hear Katie play her grand
piano. We will enjoy some wine and cheese as we listen. Fee to BNC will be $5.00 plus a contribution of wine or cheese.
Such a deal.
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IRIS- Judie Weiss has offered her condo again for us to gather and watch this documentary about Iris Apfel. The
date is Tuesday March 15. “Iris” is the quick-witted, flamboyantly dressed 93-year-old style maven who has had an
outsized presence on the New York fashion scene for decades. “More than a fashion film, the documentary is a story
about creativity and how a soaring free spirit continues to inspire.” Light refreshments will be served, and the cost is $10.
We’re sure you will enjoy this delightful film.
THEATER OPPORTUNITIES - Brandeis Northern Virginia Chapter is happy to announce that it is offering
two chances to attend some interesting local live theater in 2016. We are hoping that many of you will be interested in
attending these performances.
First, being performed at 1st Stage Theater in McLean, is the play, Proof, by David Auburn. Proof was performed on
Broadway from 2000 to 2003. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play in 2001. It is a
compassionate, sharp drama about a woman whose brilliant father has died, and she has to come to terms with his history
and how that might affect her. It is compelling and meaningful.
Second, being performed at the Creative Cauldron in Falls Church, is a musical, Caroline or Change, written by Tony
Kushner. Caroline or Change was performed on Broadway for three months in 2004, and it was also performed at our
own Studio Theater in Washington, DC in 2006. It was extended for a month due to its great popularity and won three
Helen Hayes Awards for Outstanding Resident Musical, Outstanding Director and Outstanding Lead Actress, Julie
Nixon. Music includes spirituals, blues, Motown, classical, folk and Jewish klezmer music. It is set in the South in 1963
and is about a black woman working as a maid for a Jewish family and the maid’s relationship with the family’s young
son. It is another captivating story.
We will attend the matinee of the production of Proof on Sunday, April 3, 2016 at 2pm at:
1st Stage Theater
1524 Spring Hill Rd. McLean, VA 22102
703-854-1856
We will attend the Sunday matinee production of Caroline or Change on May 15, 2016 at:
Creative Cauldron
410 S. Maple Ave.
Falls Church, VA 22046
703-436-9948
The price for attendance and what that will include will be announced at a later date. We are currently in the midst of
making some additional plans for those two theater experiences. Put these dates on your calendars! Stay tuned!! --Judie Weiss, Diane DeMaio, and Sandy Laeser
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MEADOWLARK GARDENS -We will gather again in May to enjoy an outing to Meadowlark Gardens in
Vienna, VA. The fee to BNC is $5.00, and there will be $2.50 admission. A knowledgeable docent will lead us on a
guided tour of the beautiful gardens, followed by an optional lunch afterwards in Vienna. Happy Spring!
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT ONE OR MORE OF THESE SPECIAL EVENTS.
--- Barbara Gems and Sandy Wagner, Study Group Chairs
The annual Spring Luncheon will be held on June 9, 2016. --- Jane K. Burstein and Reva Fox, Event Planners
RECENT RENDEVOUS REVIEWS
On October 14, we spent a beautiful day at Hillwood Estate and Gardens. Thanks so much to Judy Yavner and
Charlotte Baer for arranging the outing and ordering picture perfect fall weather. Our very own Charlotte Baer is a docent
there and led us on a tour of the magnificent gardens, giving us a bit of Hillwood history as well as naming the plants and
shrubs. A highlight for me was the lovely Japanese Garden with its stone sculptures, wooden bridges and waterfalls. In
the Hillwood museum we saw a fascinating exhibit called "Ingenue to Icon, 70 years of Fashion". This was a display of
the exquisite gowns, dresses, and outfits worn by Marjorie Merriweather Post, the owner of Hillwood. She was a
beautiful woman with good taste and lots of money. It was fun to see the changes in fashion from flapper through the
1970's. The afternoon was capped by a lovely lunch at Hillwood and, of course, a visit to the gift shop. I hope we can
prevail upon Charlotte and Judy to organize this again for next fall. --- Barbara Gems
On Nov. 16 approximately 10 BNC women enjoyed a very interesting morning with Maddy Malovany at her pottery
studio at the Audrey Moore Recreation Center. Maddy demonstrated the whole process of making bowls, pitchers and
other pieces. We watched as she took a lump of clay and formed it into different shapes. She explained the different
stages and finishing processes and then took the group back to her home for some delicious treats and the opportunity to
view and/or buy her lovely completed pieces. --- Reva Fox, Event Planner
I loved the pottery sale at Maddy’s house after the demo! I bought lovely items including berry dishes, a cheese plate,
cream and sugar bowls and tea bag holders. My daughter-in-law loved her gifts, and I loved mine. Maddy is always so
warm and welcoming, and the sale went to such a good cause. --- Linda Goldberg
At our first ethnic lunch of the season, we savored delicious Afghan food chez Zamarod, where Barbara Gems
celebrated her birthday. Thanks to Rosalind Singer for organizing the feast.
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Nine wordsmiths jousted at scrabble, while partaking of the fabulous refreshments provided by hostess Annette Paley,
board member-at-large.
Our Meet the Authors event earned $772.66 for the chapter. Forty books were sold. Close to eighty people attended.
Dr. Stanton Samenow, moderator, donated $31.60 from selling four books, and Bea Epstein, who sold eight, donated
$40.00. Excellent feedback on the improved setup, as well as the delicious food provided by Brandeis volunteers, was
received. Thanks to co-chairs Michele Milden and Jo Ann Allen, and their hard-working committee. Facts and figures
were provided by Michele Milden, Program Coordinator.
The ethnic lunch at Meaza prompted thanks to Rosalind Singer for planning and follow-through, superb food, lively
good company, and interesting conversation, especially about travel. Learning about Ethiopian cuisine and the restaurant
were also cited. We look forward to a Laotian adventure in March.
An encore winery tasting in Clifton attracted some additional lushes. We relished an Italian lunch, followed by gift-shop
grazing. These successful sessions and fundraisers should encourage future sign-ups.
The knitting study group sent regulation soldiers’ hats to Israel, facilitated by Sylvia Reis. They received this reply:
I just got your lovely package. Thank you so much! Now that the weather's turned cold, I've been getting lots of requests
for hats, and I give them out almost as soon as they come in. Two weeks ago I even gave 800 to the soldiers serving in the
Hebron-Otniel region, who have unfortunately been working around the clock lately... here's hoping things quiet down,
Channah Koppel
www.HatsforIsraeliSoldiers.blogspot.com
p.s. soldiers in the colder areas do get warmer clothes, but still there's always more that can be done -- and the hats are not
only physically warming, but give soldiers that emotional lift of knowing that someone cares about them. Please forward
my sincere appreciation to all the Virginia (and Maryland) knitters involved.
Membership News
In case you have not previously paid your dues for the current year which began in July, please use the form below and
send it to Diane with your check. Or, renew online at http//giving.brandeis.edu/bncrenew. Individual memberships cost
$60, while a couple residing at the same address can join for $100.00. Welcome back, Marjorie Fisher.
Membership Roster
Please contact Diane DeMaio (703-658-9434/bennypolo@verizon.net), or Judy Yavner (703-5270947/jyavner@gmail.com) with any changes to current information, or any new email addresses.
BNC NOVA Membership Form
Name:________________________________________ Email address:____________________________________
Address:_______________________________________________________________________________________
Phone Number: _________________________________________________________________________________
Amount sent: _______________________________________________________________
Please send this form and your check for $60, payable to BNC, to:
Diane DeMaio, 4553 Sawgrass Ct., Alexandria, VA 22312
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A Way to Support Brandeis: The Book Fund
Please help the Brandeis Library purchase a Learned Research Journal by
buying one of the “LRJ” note-cards listed below to use as a gift for birthdays,
anniversaries, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, etc. or to memorialize. Your purchase of a
Tribute Card also benefits the library. Call Fern Bekenstein (703-408-7979) or
use the following form. Received from:
Name: ______________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________
Categories:
_____Tribute Cards
______Learned Research Journal
______Learned Research Journal Folio
______Research Journal File
$10 / $18
$35
$55
$200
In honor or memory of: (circle one)
__________________________________(name)
Send notification to: _____________________________ (name)
______________________________________________ (address)
______________________________________________ (city, state, zip)
Check enclosed, made out to BNC
Send to: Fern Bekenstein, 1113 Water Point Lane, Reston, VA 20194
Best wishes to Sandy Wagner, our triple threat Secretary, Study Group Chair, and Cinema leader, who is recuperating
from back surgery. We also hope that Michele Milden, Program Coordinator, is better soon.
Congratulations to Judy Burkitt and Harriet Beckman on their recoveries from, respectively, shoulder surgery and
pneumonia.
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Board Meetings Are Open To All Members
All members are welcome to attend our chapter’s board meetings.
The next meetings will be held on Tuesday January 26 at 1:30 PM at the Tyson’s – Pimmitt Library, 7584
Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22043.
BRANDEIS NATIONAL COMMITTEE
Northern Virginia Chapter
Board of Directors 2015-2016
Executive Council
VP’s share duties of the President
VP Communication
Judie Weiss
703-425-9780
onenetnik@yahoo.com
VP Membership:
Diane DeMaio
703-658-9434
bennypolo@verizon.net
VP Program
Coordination:
Michele Milden
703-820-7794
mbmilden@aol.com
Recording Sec’y:
Sandy Wagner
703-732-4743
Swagner222@cs.com
Corresponding Sec’y/
Good and Welfare:
Helen Glick
703-356-0988
lbhsglick@cox.net
Treasurer:
Carolyn Wesoky
703-421-1489
cswesoky@comcast.net
Members at Large:
Annette Paley
703-205-2972
annettepaley@gmail.com
Marjorie Turgel
301-299-4049
travelmarj@aol.com
Beverly Wise
703-328-8172
wise_beverly@hotmail.com
Book Fund:
Fern Bekenstein
703-408-7979
fybwlb@aol.com
Events Planning:
Jane Kraft Burstein
703-821-2717
marvandstjane@cox.net
Reva Fox
703-992-9915
revafox40@gmail.com
Historian
Rochelle Zohn
703-528-9506
rogozo@yahoo.com
Membership/Retention: {
Diane DeMaio
703-658-9434
bennypolo@verizon.net
Susan Drachsler
703-549-5670
sdrachsler@gmail.com
Karen Hecker
703-759-5618
kphecker@yahoo.com
Debbie Kessler}
703-397-0591
Debbie_Kessler@verizon.net
Newsletter:
Judy Yavner
703-527-0947
jyavner@gmail.com
Study Groups:
Barbara Gems
703-391-9634
beegem@comcast.net
Sandy Wagner
703-732-4743
swagner222@cs.com
Committee
Chairpersons/Members:
Roster:
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The deadline for items to be included in the next newsletter is March 5.
Please send material to Judy Yavner at jyavner@gmail.com, or call 703-527-0947.
We seek a new editor, starting next July. Training will be provided. Please contact Judy at the above email if you are
interested.
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Brandeis National Committee
Northern Virginia Chapter
1530 Key Blvd. #416
Arlington, Virginia 22209
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