What We're Doing Now, 55 Years Later

Am slowly learning new technologies and even enjoying it. −Francine Grossbart Aaron

We have a book club in our community and I try to read the books and participate in the discussions. We see quite a bit of theater (the New York shows send troupes to Florida), Met Opera transmissions on Saturday afternoons, the Miami Ballet, and a couple of concert series. I’m still busy with my knitting and needlepoint.

−Alice Finkelstein Alekman

I got my first passport in 2010 at age 71 and started modest international travel with Road Scholar.

−Judith Levy Bergman

My husband and I study Mishnah together every morning; I'm trying to learn all 24 books of the Hebrew Bible

−Rivkah Teitz Blau

I joined the OLLI Lifelong Learning program at Stony Brook, and am going full force. Ten workshops this semester in everything from science to public opinion to French. This in addition to three book groups, one of which is the Barnard ’62 group.

−Michele Chaussabel

At a time when many of my peers have retired and are pursuing post-career interests, I find myself working harder than at any time in my life. Now in the 19th year of my second university presidency, I continue to derive immense satisfaction in making public higher education accessible to the largest possible number of students who have demonstrated the ability to benefit from it.

−Susan Ablon Cole

I have always wanted to be more fluent in French. My work has made me a fluent reader but I have always wanted to be able to feel more comfortable speaking to my French museum colleagues, collectors, dealers, and librarians. I decided to take classes at the Alliance Française in Manhattan and I am having a great time.

−Gail S. Davidson

I read, knit, design, practice cello and occasionally piano, play music with other amateurs, attend concerts, and have various friends with whom I share interests.

−Joan Gottlieb Dyer

The election this year brought out an intense new quest for information about how our democracy works and the state of politics in our country. It brought to mind the intensity of the civil rights movement during our Barnard years. In the sixties I was not ready for action. I am now.

−Vivian Levy Ebersman

I have been involved in local politics and community activity in East Hampton, New York, where I have had a second home for many years. I am trying to improve my Spanish, as a lot of political and community work here involves our large Latino community.

−Gale Zimmerman Fieldman

Looking backward, I see that in a large part, I am still doing what made me the happiest when I was 13---writing and acting.

−Diana Klabin Finegold

For the past 10-15 years I have been studying Italian. I studied French and Spanish in high school and college, and love knowing other languages, particularly when we travel. Although I am not fluent, I feel comfortable in a place in which any of those languages are spoken. I started out studying Italian at a language school in the city, and now take a private lesson once a week, in which the teacher and I converse in Italian, and discuss whatever Italian novel I happen to be reading. −Linda Roth Futterman

1982- present, Director of Public Relations at Northeast Rehabilitation Health Network

−Naomi Albert Gardner

Psychotherapist/life coach

−Susan Hayden

. . . I have found myself deeply interested in ancient and later history, and mythology. I satisfy this thirst by listening (while exercising) to the Great Courses, recorded lectures by some excellent university professors. And I challenge myself to learn without writing it down. Did you know that you can sing the sequence of Chinese dynasties to the tune of Frère Jacques?           

−Carole Kaplowitz Kantor

Since 1987 I have been a full-time sculptor, crafting my pieces exclusively by direct carving to “find” form by removing mass.

−Cornelia Kubler Kavanaugh

Working full-time again as a Superior Court judge after 4½ years in retirement. . . .

I was asked to return to the bench on Recall Status because our court of 81 sitting judges has 15 openings. . . . It is a full-time job and then some. I find I am running as fast as I can, and it’s not as fast as I could. We will see how long I stick with it.

−Leila R. Kern

I am always reading, trying to learn about health matters as well as literature, politics, science, and the arts. I am pleased that I have been able to study German, since my father was opposed to studying the “language of the enemy,” and Beethoven, Mozart et al were otherwise somewhat inaccessible to me.

−Joan Lewis Thomson Kretschmer

For me, discovering the writings of the Roman historian Livy has been my most exciting intellectual adventure of the past decade. . . . And Livy led to Xenophon, and Caesar, and Pliny and Cicero and then backwards to Virgil and Homer---interspersed with many visits to Greece, Italy, Sicily, and even Carthage. . . . Now teaching myself ancient Greek, I am really looking forward to a week’s summer school, this year, where I will read Homer in the original. Latin, I hope, will be next.

−Roberta Turner Meldrum

Dermatologic Surgeon and Clinical Professor of Dermatology, NYU School of Medicine.

I am still working full-time, with offices in Manhattan and White Plains. In addition to my private practice, I teach, lecture, do clinical research and edit, peer review, and publish papers.

−Rhoda Scharf Narins

Norman and I have begun raising the necessary funds to film [my play] The Last Cyclist for educational TV, Jewish film festivals, Yom HaShoah observances, synagogues and churches, universities and secondary schools, etc. We are hoping to film at the end of August. We spend 3-4 months each year with the Reform synagogue in San Juan, which Norman serves as a visiting rabbi.

−Naomi Steinlight Patz

Supporter of theater, opera, dance, classical music, art, libraries, education, medical research. Student of Torah, Talmud, Prophets, current event classes

−Linda Rosenblum Persily

I started taking watercolor classes when I retired. I had never used this medium before and immediately enjoyed it. I am currently having a show of 25 of my paintings. I am so pleased to have an avocation that engages me and takes me into a different zone.

−Evelyn Kahn Philipps

We live in Perugia, a small city in the center of Italy, for between four and five months each year. . . . We don’t live in a grand villa in the countryside and we don’t live with retired expats; we live among Italians who work and raise their families in this charming but difficult country. Every day is a learning experience. I think you cannot really understand a culture until you live among the people and try to understand their lives.

−Suzanne Koppelman Polmar

Politics, sewing, gardening, quilting, Ethiopia, Peace Corps, Spanish, travel

−Jean Russell “Rusty” Miller Rich

I continue part-time work providing medical nutrition therapy in my private practice and devote much of the spring through fall to growing, showing, and judging exhibition chrysanthemums.

−Rita Gabler Rover

I retired from the principalship of Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Teaneck, NJ in 2006, and am currently serving as a state-certified mentor for school administrators seeking NJ certification as principal. To date, I have mentored more than 30 administrators in diverse NJ communities. I serve as a Deacon at Point Pleasant Community Baptist Church, an American Baptist congregation, and my retirement has given me time to enjoy baking again. . . . I find great pleasure in routinely baking our bread.

−Patricia Brick Schwartz

Most recent life-long learning experiences include my volunteer job at the White House and learning how to play the ukulele. I’m currently looking for a new volunteer activity, read a new book a week on average, and am a news junkie!

−Susan Taube Schwelling

I certainly feel like a life-long learner, always reading, always taking classes and attending lectures. I think learning mahjong was a new and special experience for me as something with no specific redeeming social value, just pure fun. I think my next project may be to try to learn to play bridge.

−Sara Deborah (Debby) Nemser Tolchin

Finally, I have time to read! (I've chaired the Barnard-in-Washington Book Group since 2008.) Satisfying my curiosity in many ways and enjoying my life---my classes (physical and mental), travel, movies, and BOOKS of all kinds.

−Roberta (“Bobbi”) Roth Yared