Informal Gatherings History
Memories from 2009 & 2010
A funny thing happened on my volunteer reserve duty this year: 20% of the volunteers at my base were from the Bronx.
There we were -- 15 somewhat elderly volunteers on a small post of the Home Front Command within the Jewish village of Alei Zahav in Samaria -- and five of us were native English-speakers, including three from the Bronx. What are the chances of that?
I know Bronx boys have a reputation for being tough, rivaling even our compatriots from Brooklyn. But that wasn't us. The other two (not me) could more accurately be described as "gentle giants." Both of them came to Israel and live on kibbutzim. Uri, the eldest (my age, actually), was only 17 when he immigrated. He lives on a non-religious kibbutz in the Galilee where he runs a bed-and-breakfast. He's a high ranking officer in the reserves. Bennett, a decade younger than us, lives on an Orthodox kibbutz that is now undergoing privatization and he is seeking a new career direction.
Doug of the Concourse
Once again the traveling Murphys are paying me a visit. They are the easiest houseguests I have ever had- no towels, making beds, hogging the bathroom Their RV sits in my driveway and it even has a washer and dryer! Lou Chanin lives about a half hour from here and he joined us for dinner. It was the first time he had seen Jerry since graduation. The two former members of the LMHS golf team have plans tomorrow for a round of golf- their first time playing together in 49 years. The weather has been perfect. They have been traveling in excessive heat and humidity all the way from Branson, Missouri and were delighted to have a respite from all that.
Hi, Marcy,
Thank you so much for enabling June Ryan to contact me several months ago. June was on Long Island for a few days from her home in Oregon and we were able to spend a few hours together. We hadn't seen eachother since high school graduation so we had lots of catching up to do. It was wonderful reminiscing about our mutual friends and life growing up in Levittown. Here are two pictures for our web site.
Also attached is a picture from a recent last-minute get-together with MaryAnn Lavery. MaryAnn came up from Myrtle Beach to visit her daughter and, although it was on very short notice, Marilyn Lerner and I were able to have dinner with her.
Many thanks again for helping friends keep in touch.
Betty Csontos Schuster
In October 2010 Carol Cooper Mc Comiskey and her husband, Gerry were planning a cruise in the Caribbean and Carol Cooper Mc Comiskey told her friend Carol Lutz Smemoe and her husband Martin about it and this was the result. We hadn't seen each other for about 27 years. We had a great time on the cruise and it was like being in a small town. We would meet almost every day, sometimes several times. I think we are both now planning to come to the reunion in June.
