No. 25
April 3, 2007

Welcome to the 25th issue of the Columbia College Class of 1963 eNewsletter.

Last month Lee Lowenfish joined his classmates at lunch for the first time at the Columbia Club. Lee's latest book, BRANCH RICKEY: BASEBALL'S FEROCIOUS GENTLEMAN will be published officially on April 12 by U of Nebraska Press. and he will have a reading next Monday, April 9 at Labyrinth on 112th East of Broadway at 7 pm. I hope that some of you who are in town will be able to attend. If not, join us at our next lunch on Thursday April 12 (details below).

Just an early reminder, but did you know that our 45th Reunion is just a year away? Who ever thought we'd come this far? Watch this space for the big buildup to this epoch event.

As I mentioned in the last eNewsletter, the new web site is in its early construction days. I intend to add separate pages for each classmate in the Columbian section. My plan is to add these as I receive a contribution from you (or you attend one of our Class of 1963 lunches). You can always email me at pauln@helpauthors.com.

If this is your first visit here, I've added a link to an archives page, which in turn, will link you to the past issues of the Class of 1963 eNewsletter.

Next Lunches - Thursday, April 12 and May 10

Every Second Thursday of the Month, 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Columbia College Club - 15 West 43rd Street, NYC

Please join your classmates for an informal lunch at the Columbia Club every second Thursday of the month. It is our hope that these gatherings will renew old friendships and foster improved relationship with our class and the College. I hope you can all join us at the next lunches on Thursday, April 12 and May 10. Let me know if you will attend so that we can reserve a big enough table; RSVP to Paul Neshamkin (pauln@helpauthors.com).

March Lunch Attended By Eight 63ers

On March 8, eight classmates gathered at the Columbia Club Gill Room for lunch. The 8 who attended: Steve Barcan, Doron Gopstein, Larry Lowenfish, Paul Neshamkin, Larry Neuman, Tom O'Connor, Barry Reiss, and Harvey Schneier.

(From left to right) Larry Neuman, Tom O'Connor, Harvey Schneier, Steve Barcan, Doron Gopstein, Barry Reiss, Paul Neshamkin, and Lee Lowenfish.

Click here for some candid shots

Lunch Archives

If you like to see our previous lunches, click on the dates below:

December 9, 2004

January 13, 2005

February 10, 2005

March 10. 2005

For information and inquiries call Paul Neshamkin at 201-714-4881 or email at pauln@helpauthors.com.

Latest News from the Class of 63

As I have done for the last few issues,, I will add notes as they are received, so please send me some. Nothing much here again this month. So come back later this month and visit this page to see if you, or your classmates have sent in some new additions. Please send in your notes and pictures, and I will add them immediately.

David Norris sent me news over a year ago, which I unfortunately misfiled. He was kind enough to accept my apologies and send these updated Notes: "Though I've always made it a point to read the class notes in every issue, this is the first time I'm contributing something about myself, so do forgive me if I give you the longer tour. After graduation I went on to get an M.A. and then a PhD in English & Comparative Lit from Columbia. In the middle of that I spent two years in Berlin on a Fulbright to research my dissertation. The subject was Bertolt Brecht, which meant that 3-4 times a week I went through Checkpoint Charlie to East Berlin where the Brecht Archive was located. I got a deep insight into the mentality behind the "Iron Curtain" in a country that no longer exists. This was the beginning of my appreciation for how culture shapes consciousness.

When I returned to the U.S., I was a preceptor in the College English Dep’t for two years while writing my dissertation. After that I became an Assistant
Professor at City College of New York. And then things really got interesting. After a couple of years of teaching, I decided that though I loved teaching,
Academia wasn't where I wanted to do it. I made a big leap into what was then loosely called the Human Potential Movement, becoming an est Trainer
(later known as a Landmark Forum Leader). I spent 20 years leading seminars in personal transformation in North America, Europe, India, Australia and the
Mid-East. In 1994 at the age of 51 I left that organization and moved to Europe, where I became a free-lance consultant and coach for individuals and companies, which is what I’m still doing now. Along the way I married, divorced and then married again, this time to Brigitta, with whom I now live in a small village in the Black Forest region of Germany—in the southwest, about 20 minutes from France and an hour from Switzerland.

Europe is really a collection of tribes rather than countries and it's been fascinating for me as an American to watch the struggle of so many cultures to become one European Union. And whether as professor, seminar leader or consultant, I've always considered myself to be an educator and still do."

If any of you have sent me notes and never seen them published, let me know. It's embarrassing to admit, but even I am guilty of losing email messages.

Late word from Nicholas Zill, "I'm producing a musical comedy/political satire revue, called "Persons of Interest," that will be playing at the Warehouse Theater in Washington, DC from April 19th through May 13th. Classmates can learn more about it and purchase tickets at www.cityinaswamp.com. Hope some alumni in the D.C. area can catch one of our performances."

Alexis Levitin sends a quick update, "I am beginning a semi-retirement of sorts: teaching full time each fall and not at all in the spring. This spring, I have enjoyed the free time mightily: first I gave guest lectures on translation at the Vermont College low-residency MFA program in Montpelier, Vermont, just as the new year was ringing in. Then I flew to Guayaquil, Ecuador, and spent a month translating ten different contemporary Ecuadorian poets into English, work that should lead to an anthology in the next year or so. Then I flew back to New York and began a reading tour in which I spoke at FDickinson, Rutgers at Newark, Swarthmore, Drexel, North Carolina State, North Carolina at Greensboro, Salem College, Radford University, North Carolina at Charlotte, Emory University, Florida International University, Tampa University, Louisiana State University, Univ. of Texas at Dallas, Trinity University (San Antonio), St. Mary's University (San Antonio), Central Missouri State University, University of Louisville (Kentucky), Evansville University (Indiana), Wabash College, Purdue University, Central Michigan University, Indiana University at South Bend, and I am driving up to Kalamazoo to lecture at Western Michigan University in a couple of hours. Must rush off.

As you can see, though I grow old, I keep busy." You certainly do, and you cover a lot of ground, Alexis!

[Send your notes in and I will add it here.]

When you send your notes in, please indicate if you would like to share your email address(or web site) with your classmates. Always great to hear from you all.

Share your news and views with your classmates. Contact your Class Correspondent, and let him know what you would like posted here or in Columbia College Today (CCT).