Welcome to all our members, both new and longstanding. We hope you have been enjoying all the fun and interesting Summer Camp activities our Summer Camp Chairs, Susie Sacks and Ronee Siegel, have arranged for you. Thank you to them and to the many Activity Leaders who have given their time to make our summer more enjoyable. Summer Camp continues through August. If you haven’t checked it out, the calendar is available on our website. | |
The Study Group VPs, Carol Kadet, Harriet Schwartz and Barbara Stern, and their committee, have been working this summer to prepare for the coming Study Group season. There will be over 100 study groups for you to consider when the Study Guide comes out later this month. We thank them for their hard work. As always, we thank our wonderful Facilitators for sharing their interests with you in both perennial favorites and brand-new groups. This year we will be using a new registration system for Study Groups, developed in collaboration with BNC National, so please make sure you read all the information sent out to prepare yourself to register. There will be some Zoom sessions and a PowerPoint will be available on the website prior to registration day in September.
| |
Our Event Planning VPs, Wendy Cohen and Ellen Kirschenbaum, and their Event Chairs, are planning some fun and entertaining events for this coming year, with a Welcome Back event planned for this fall. Our Book & Author committee's Author Reveal and Volunteer Sign-up is October 28th, University on Wheels, with a visiting Brandeis Professor, will be on January 3, 2025 and this year’s Book & Author event is February 24, 2025, with the Donor Cocktail Party and Dinner on the 23rd. Our Event VPs also have a Game Day and Dance Party in the planning stages for the Spring, along with the Spring Installation and luncheon in April. Watch for details. If you would like to help with planning an event, please contact Wendy or Ellen.
| Our Internal Communications Coordinator, Sara Leopold, is working with our Webmaster, Craig Hibbs, to upgrade our wonderful website, so stay tuned for a new look this year. In the meantime, everything you need to know about the chapter is at brandeisphoenix.org. | |
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.
| |
Please share our wonderful organization with your friends and relatives. You can contact our Membership VPs, Laurie Buns 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.
| We look forward to seeing all of you in the coming months. | |
Best,
Joyce and Stephanie
| |
Building on the success of last year’s Study Group Guide offerings, BNC Phoenix Chapter is excited to bring you 102 Study Groups for the 2024-2025 year. Among them are an exciting array of new groups such as: Taco Mondays, Burger Bites, Drawing for Beginners, Arizona History & Lore, Cycleholics, iPhone Photography, and Shopping off the Beaten Track, to name only a few. | |
We encourage you to go through the Guide and carefully select those groups you want to attend. Some groups meet in person, others on Zoom, and some will vary during the season. 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. And, if you encounter a group that is filled, join the waitlist! | |
Many of our groups are small or fill up quickly. We ask you to please be kind and register for the groups that you will attend and wait to sign up for your ‘maybes.' Too often participants don’t attend, while there are others who would have liked to participate but couldn’t get in as space was filled. | |
This year, BNC has implemented a new registration system. While it is different in appearance, the process is essentially the same. Instructions on how to register will be available from an emailed link, in the Study Group Guide, and on the BNC Phoenix website, prior to the opening of registration. The Study Group fee remains at $20 per group; $40 per pair for pairs groups. Some groups may have additional materials and/or facility fees. | |
Your email is key to receiving information. Keep an eye out for Study Group Information coming to your inbox: | |
- Access to the 2024-2025 Study Group Guide (mid-August)
- Instructions to Register for Study Groups
- Registration Opens in early September. Watch for the email with the link. The link will also be available on the website once registration opens.
| |
|
Our chapter’s Study Groups are for the benefit and enjoyment of current BNC members.
If you haven’t already joined or renewed your membership, please do so.
| |
|
We look forward to a wonderful 2024-2025 Study Group season!
Please contact us with any study group questions:
Carol Kadet, Harriet Schwartz and Barbara Stern
Study Group Vice Presidents
phxstudygroups@gmail.com
| |
Summer Camp continues in August! You can see the August schedule of activities here. | |
Packing Backpacks with school supplies for needy children | | |
Beads, Buttons and Baubles | Another lovely afternoon at the Sugar Bowl |
|
Wine Connoisseurs' Happy Hour | |
|
Bookmark Donor Cocktail Reception and
Donor Dinner with the Authors
Sunday, February 23, 2025
Westin Kierland, Scottsdale
| |  |
|
Book & Author 2025
Monday, February 24, 2025
Luncheon • Authors • Boutiques
Westin Kierland, Scottsdale
| | |
|
Author Reveal/Volunteer Sign-Up
Monday, October 28
1:00 - 3:00 pm
Kierland Ballroom • Main Level
Westin Kierland, Scottsdale
Watch your inbox for more details and to RSVP
| |
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 8. There was great energy and enthusiasm in the room for this year’s event! | |
|
Event Chairs
Joellyn Pollock, Ileen Herberg and Patti Grossman
phxbookandauthor@gmail.com
| |
Please Join Us to Plan Events! | | |
|
|
Plans are underway for our Welcome Back event this Fall.
Watch your inbox for details.
There’s always room for more members of this fun committee!
If you have an idea for an event or would like to help plan and implement fabulous programs and events for our Chapter, please contact us.
We look forward to hearing from you!
| |
|
See photos and slideshows from our 2023-2024 events here | |
|
Study Groups are returning -
watch your inbox for the new Study Group Guide later this month!
| |
|
Welcome Back Event
Details to follow
| | |
|
|
Book & Author 2025
Author Reveal and Volunteer Sign-Up
Monday, October 28
1:00 - 3:00 pm
Kierland Ballroom • Main Level
Westin Kierland, Scottsdale
| |
|
|
University on Wheels
Friday, January 3, 2025
Details to follow
| |
|
Book & Author 2025 Events
Sunday, February 23
Bookmark Donor Cocktail Reception and
Donor Dinner with the Authors
Monday, February 24, 2025
Luncheon • Authors • Boutiques
Westin Kierland, Scottsdale
| |
|
Membership Milestones
- 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 Wendy Cohen for a speedy recovery
- Best wishes to Ellen Kirschenbaum for a speedy recovery
- Best wishes to Anne Mondlick for a speedy recovery
- Our sincere condolences to the family of life member Rachel Blank
- Our sincere condolences to the family of life member Betty Bond
- Our sincere condolences to Susan Bookspan on the passing of her husband, Richard
- Our sincere condolences to Sheila Landau on the passing of her husband, Larry
- Our sincere condolences to the family of life member Louise Leibowitz
- Our sincere condolences to Roni Nassberg on the passing of Dave Amster
- Our sincere condolences to the family of life member Barbara Rubin
- Our sincere condolences to Noel Rudley on the passing of his wife, Arlene
- Our sincere condolences to the family of life member Lenore Schupak
- Our sincere condolences to Harriet Schwartz on the passing of her husband, Richard Askinazi
| | |
|
|
We welcome our new members:
Beth Aaron, Gail Aranoff, Peter Baron, Erin Becker, Brian Brener, Ellen Brown, Susan Criswell, Cari Dandy, Janet del Valle, Lorrie Feld, Nancy Hollenberg, Cathy Isaacson, Karen Kaplan, Leslie & Sidney Karmia, Diana & Rob Kogan, Fran & Jeffrey Kravitz, Pete Krehbiel, Terry Kutzbach, Brian Laks, Arlene Lieb, Pearle Marr, Barry Moltz, Amy Newman, Alan & Jennifer Ostrow, Debbie Paladino, Susan Pine, Liz Prator-Ross, Adrienne Prince, Allen Raphael, Lyle Rich, Wendy Rubin, Monda Sagalkin, Gayle Schneider, Nedda Shafir, Sara Shafran, Hope Shingles, Barbara Sickles, David Slivken, Phyllis Smiley, Alisa Spangler, Marcie Weil, Sherry Wolf
| |
|
To report life-cycle events, please contact:
Marilyn Reinfeld • mkr1227@cox.net • 480-620-5601
| |
|
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:
an in-person study group orientation for new members on
Friday, August 23 • 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
and a Zoom study group orientation for new and prospective members on
Friday, August 30 • 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
| |
|
New members who have joined since January 1 will receive an evite.
Prospective members who have been in touch with Abby Tucker, our Prospective Outreach Coordinator,
will receive an evite. If you are interested in joining us on August 30, please contact Abby.
| |
|
Membership Committee Meetings
Our next Membership Committee meeting will be Monday, August 26 from 10:00am to 12:00 pm via Zoom.
If you are interested in learning more about membership or are interested in joining the committee,
please contact the Membership VPs.
| |
|
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.
Order Form
Note: Replacement magnetic backs for existing name tags are available; contact the Chapter at 480-359-7262
| |
|
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.
| |
|
Pet Shelter
The shelter we have chosen is: Home Fur Good
Items that are needed are:
-
Gently used clean towels; NO linens or blankets
- Bleach
- HE unscented laundry detergent
| |
For the Homeless
Over the summer, we will continue to collect items that are desperately needed for the homeless:
- Empty and clean medication bottles with safety lids
- Personal care items such as: shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, bath soap, washcloths, sanitary care products.
- We will continue to collect costume jewelry, bras, glasses, books and purses.
| |
Contact our Community Outreach co-chairs,
Debbie and Gale, for pick-up of any of these items.
| | |
|
Knit A Mitzvah
Do you Knit? Do you Crochet?
Help us make Scarves, Newborn Baby Caps,
Lap Blankets and Chemo Caps
| |
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.
| |
For more information, please contact:
Ronee Siegel
ronees@aol.com 917-273-0393
Joan Davis
davis6j@gmail.com 602–499-8357
| |
|
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.
| |
|
Legacy of Louis Campaign | |
| Bonnie Clewans | Sheila Landau | In memory of husband, Larry Landau | | Helen Greenberg | Bonnie Clewans | In memory of Sam Summer | | Beth Messer | Sheila Landau | In memory of husband, Larry Landau | | |
Antisemitism & Jewish Identity Fund | |
| Barbara & Mark Stern | Sheila Landau | In memory of husband, Larry Landau | | |
Endowed Medical Science Journal | |
| Sherrymae Cohen | Sheila Landau | In memory of husband, Larry Landau | | |
| Sherrymae Cohen | Harriet Schwartz | In memory of husband, Richard Askinazi | | |
| Judy Mosbacher | Harriet Schwartz | In memory of husband, Richard Askinazi | | |
|
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
| |
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
| |
You can LIKE us on Facebook and FOLLOW us on Instagram, by clicking the icons below. | | | | |
