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CLASS NOTES
COLUMBIA COLLEGE TODAY
COLUMBIA COLLEGE TODAY
CLASS NOTES
memorial service at the request of
David’s wife, Terrie Lind. Several
excerpts appear below.
“David had a large network of
friends, reflecting the trust and
admiration of fellow students.
He was an active leader of three
service organizations on campus,
and elected chairman of the student
government his senior year.
He was active in NSA [National
Students Association] and, no surprise,
he was NSA chairman of the
Student Body Presidents Advisory
Board, selected by his peers. On all
matters, he went for ‘What’s fair
What’s the right thing to do’ Thus,
it was no surprise that later in life
he worked for the Congress of Racial
Equality (CORE) in Montgomery,
Ala.; The Legal Aid Society;
Planned Parenthood; Child Action;
and Opening Doors.
“Nothing David did for others
could surprise any of us who
knew him in College, but he went
beyond expectations when he
celebrated his 60th birthday by
joining the Peace Corps, which he
had wanted to do when he graduated
from college. He spent three
years in Kenya, supporting the
small business efforts of women,
implementing microfinance and
training people to install and operate
solar energy systems.
“Following that, he facilitated a
two-day conference of a foundation’s
Latin American grantees,
none of whom even knew the others,
but by the end of the experience
some were making plans to
collaborate, and they continued to
do so.
“Bob Randall asked to remind
us all of ‘David the gardener, who
was bonkers for bonsai; the lawyer
who loved being a judge; the high
school football player; the politician
at a College that mostly eschewed
politics; the guy who had loved
chatting with Harry Truman; the
hiker who loved the California
landscape; the wine maven; and,
more than anything else, the
devoted son, brother, father and
husband, and the loyal friend.’
“A person’s life is best measured
by the impact on others — how
many people did you help How
deep is the affection and admiration
of those you knew How lasting
are the memories you leave
In all those areas, David’s life was
one of great abundance. The years
were too few, but our love for him
and the memories will be with us
all the years of our lives.”
David’s nephew, Matthew
Lobanoff, put together a set of
photographs remembering David’s
life. For those who are interested,
go to youtube.com and search for
“Celebration of Life - David M.
Blicker.” One can simply enter
“David Blicker” and the show will
come up. There are even some
shots from Columbia days.
62
John Freidin
654 E. Munger St.
Middlebury, VT 05753
jf@bicyclevt.com
After a marathon, a runner requires
rest. During the past three years
alone you’ve written more than
22,000 words, culminating in your
thoughts about our 50th reunion
last year. For that effort you deserve
many thanks and some rest, which
you’ve clearly taken the past three
months, hence the paucity of news
in this report. But please don’t rest
on your laurels. Send fresh reports
about yourself, your families and
classmates. Otherwise I’ll be out of
a job, and your classmates will be
confined to the dark.
Of course, the biggest news of
Dr. Bob Lefkowitz ’62, a professor at Duke, was
awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
the past three months is that Dr.
Bob Lefkowitz, the James B. Duke
Professor of Medicine at Duke as
well as professor of biochemistry,
was awarded the 2012 Nobel Prize
in Chemistry for his studies of
G-protein-coupled receptors. He is
the 18th College alumnus/a to win
a Nobel and the 82nd of all schools
of the University, faculty, adjunct
faculty, researchers and administrators.
Bob also is widely recognized
for his dedication to mentoring
and his devotion to his students.
He has trained more than 200 graduate
and postdoctoral students in
his laboratory. Among his mentees
was Brian Kobilka, with whom he
shared the Nobel Prize.
When it comes to his own
research, Bob says he remains
fascinated by the way it “continuously
renews itself and always
feels fresh. I come to work every
day with a sense of great anticipation
and curiosity about what new
discoveries and insights will come
our way. Every question that we
can answer poses several new ones
that seem even more interesting
than the one we’ve just answered.”
We should have anticipated
Bob’s exceptional work when he
graduated, for he was barely 19.
His list of honors is far, far too long
to list here, but you may see it and
a description of his research online.
Thanks, Bob, for your great contributions
to medical science and
for giving the rest of us another
reason to boast of our being members
of the Class of 1962.
I received an interesting email
from Thomas Vinciguerra ’85, ’86J,
’90 GSAS. He writes, “I have just
made an interesting discovery in
Spectator’s newly digitized archives
[spectatorarchive.library.columbia.
edu]. In the year of your graduation,
an attempt was made to revive
the Philolexian Society by the
assistant to the dean, Robert Pinckert
’52, himself a former member
of the society. For a long time, I
did not know that any members of
the Class of ’62 had been inducted
as members; I thought that Philo
activity only got under way after
you left campus. But I now see that
Bob named two of your classmates
to Philo’s ranks.” Those esteemed
undergraduates were John Alexander
and Vic Wolfenstein.
According to Spectator (Volume
CVI, Number 70, 16 February 1962)
— Allen Young, we’re depending
on your editorial oversight — the
Philolexian Society was Columbia’s
first extracurricular activity and
“the third oldest literary society in
the nation.” It was founded in 1802
and, like most literary societies of
the time, initially was a debating
club. In the late 1920s it altered its
constitution to encompass literary
and cultural activities. According
to the article, by Karl Schaeffer ’65,
’66J, “It was famed throughout the
city for its dramatic presentations.
… The rejuvenated society will hold
discussion meetings on various
topics and attempt to promote
other cultural activities on campus.
There also may be an official society
journal. Dean of Graduate Faculties
and Provost Jacques Barzun ’27, one
of the notable members and once
president of the society, has recalled
Philolexian began to lose appeal for
College students during the Depression,
‘which turned all minds away
from literature and toward social
problems.’”
Philo has been fully active since
Tom revived it in 1987. Currently, 73
students are members; more than
400 students have joined since its
1987 re-inception.
A note came from John Boatner,
saying that a film on his life and
work was shown at the Indie
Memphis Film Festival on November
4. The film was titled Spiritual
Transit in order to show, in John’s
words, “the transit of my life from
Memphis to Seattle.” David Goodman,
a graduate of the Tisch School
of the Arts at NYU, directed and
produced the film.
Capt. Howard Douglas Bohaboy,
U.S. Navy, quietly passed away
on August 10 after an extended
illness. His obituary in the Alameda
Sun says, “He was born and raised
in New Jersey, and received his
undergraduate degree at Columbia
University and his law degree at
Rutgers University. He was an avid
athlete all his life, devoted to his
beloved Navy, loving and caring to
his family and friends. He will be
greatly missed.” According to the
obituary, a burial at sea by the Navy
was planned. Doug is survived by
his son, Spencer.
REUNION WEEKEND
MAY 29–JUNE 2, 2013
ALUMNI OFFICE CONTACTS
ALUMNI AFFAIRS Robin V. Del Giorno
robinv@columbia.edu
212-851-7399
DEVELOPMENT Allen Rosso
ar3152@columbia.edu
212-851-7947
63
Paul Neshamkin
1015 Washington St.,
Apt. 50
Hoboken, NJ 07030
pauln@helpauthors.com
By now you should have received
enough material from Columbia
about our 50th reunion to prove
that it is an unavoidable fact. We
graduated 50 years ago — an
unbelievable landmark in life and
one that deserves to be celebrated.
Our Reunion Committee has been
planning a weekend that we hope
will give you a chance to reconnect
with Columbia and, more
importantly, classmates. The dates
are Wednesday, May 29–Sunday,
June 2. Plans include a reception
at Donna and Phil Satow’s loft on
Wednesday evening, a reception at
President Lee C. Bollinger’s house
on Thursday evening and a luncheon
and boat cruise touring New
York Harbor on Friday. There will
be panel discussions, tours of the
campus, Affinity Group gatherings
and ample time for classmates to
discuss what they have been doing
for the last 50 years. On Saturday
we will enjoy two of Columbia’s
great rooms, with a lunch in Casa
Italiana and a banquet in Low
Rotunda.
Since our last column I have
been contacted by many of you,
including Rich Juro, Andy Lewin,
Bob Bilenker, Alan Jacobs, Bob
Morantz, Harvey Schneier, David
Saxe, Steve Clineburg, Michael
DiLorenzo, David Orme-Johnson
and Michael Nolan. If my email is
any indication, everyone is looking
forward to returning to Morningside,
and we will have a record
turnout. Look for more information
at reunion.college.columbia.edu
and be sure to update your contact
information at reunion.college.
columbia.edu/alumniupdate. Join
us!
My wife, Ruth, and I enjoyed
seeing many of you at Homecoming
in October. Among those
attending were Bob Kraft; Ed
Coller (back for the Marching
Band reunion); Richard Gochman
and his wife, Alice; Don Margolis;
Phil Satow; Jerry Dwyer and his
wife, Jane, along with grandchildren;
Doron Gopstein; and Larry
Neuman. (All assure me that they
will attend reunion.) It was a
perfect day except for our loss to
Dartmouth. Several weeks later I
sat with Henry Black and Bruce
Kaplan to witness the team’s great
performance in a blowout of Cornell,
a much more pleasing result.
Jerry Glickson was awarded
the Gold Medal from the International
Society for Magnetic Resonance
in Medicine for introduction
of NMR spectroscopy to the
study and management of cancer.
The award was made in Montréal
on May 9, 2011, and was shared
with Dr. John R. Griffiths of the
UK Cambridge Research Institute.
Jerry is professor of radiology and
the director of molecular imaging
at Penn’s Perelman School of
Medicine.
Congratulations to Bob Kraft,
who was inducted into the Columbia
University Athletics Hall of
Fame during a ceremony in Low
Library in October.
Mike Hassan writes, “All is well
here in sunny Cabo San Lucas,
Mexico, where I am semi-retired. I
say ‘semi,’ as I recently completed
building a beach home on speculation
and I have attached a few photos
[see our website, cc63ers.com]
just in case someone wants to live in
a magical place with unobstructed
ocean and mountain views, 100
yards from a pristine beach and so
on. There, you have my marketing
campaign.
“On a more personal note, I have
gotten cyber-engaged after 40 years
of single life with the last 10 roaming
the globe. (The relationship is
real; only the engagement was done
cybernetically.)”
Marc Galanter writes, “I am
married to Dr. Elizabeth Hill (also
a psychiatrist). On top of that, my
daughter, Cathryn, is a psychiatrist,
and our daughter Margit is
a Feldenkrais Practitioner. I am a
professor of psychiatry at NYU
Langone Medical Center and direct
its Division of Alcoholism and
Drug Abuse. In addition to teaching,
I do research on Alcoholics
Anonymous.”
Bob Morantz is a retired neurosurgeon
in Florida. He was honored
by the Education Foundation of
Collier County as one of the 2012
Men of Distinction. This was based
on his service to the not-for-profit
sector of Naples, Fla., where he is
on the board of directors of four
philanthropic organizations.
Larry Apple’s one-act play,
Feldman & Sons, was presented in
February as part of the Midwinter
Madness Short Play Festival at the
Roy Arias Studios on West 43rd
Street. Larry also has completed
a film on Alzheimer’s and a fulllength
play, MOM, that had a
staged reading through the Dramatists
Guild of America Friday Night
Footlights program. He continues
to work in the senior housing and
real estate business.
Zev bar-Lev (né Rob Lefkowitz)
writes, “Looking forward to seeing
you all at the 50th reunion and glad
to be thriving in my almost 50th
year of blurry mist … I mean, married
bliss … with Shoshana (née
Jane Wirth ’63 Barnard), after getting
all too friendly with the Angel
of Death. Pleased not to have seen
his ugly face for more than a year.
“I marked my last week at San
Diego State University, after 33
years and 60-plus publications
in linguistics covering Hebrew,
Arabic and a bunch of other
languages, and teaching cognitive
linguistics, psycholinguistics, language
and politics, and Hebrew. I
have settled into my new projects,
including new frontiers in my research
exploring common origins
of English and Hebrew that have
been hiding in plain view for centuries.
Not the Tower of Babel, but
surprising new turns in language
structure and history, expanding
the system I developed for analyzing
and teaching Hebrew for 30
years to suddenly include English,
Latin and so on.
“Our five grandchildren are on
their way to being bilingual in large
or small measure. I will share my
70th with Shoshana and Jaxon aka
‘Kobi Dan’ (our third grandkid, I
think, age 6), and I’m planning to
chant the Divine Mooning (Exodus
33, my favorite Torah selection for
47 years) for the occasion. All this,
just a year after the doctor at the
rehab hospital told me — after a
five-month coma that my sister and
brother, Sandy Lefkowitz and Larry
Lefkowitz ’60, helped Shoshana
pull me out of — that I shouldn’t
hope to read Torah ever again. In
my spare time, I’m formulating the
TUOT (theory of the universe and
other things, pronounced ‘toot’) and
exploring the fifth dimension with
Shoshana.”
Ralph Schmeltz writes, “I am
planning to be at Columbia to
celebrate not only my 50th but
also my son’s 20th. Will be great to
see whoever shows up. Fifty-year
grads are ‘old guys’ but my mind
still seems 18, until it asks my bod
to do something.”
David Pittinsky and his wife,
Alecia, sent detailed notes on their
annual pilgrimage to Saint-Tropez,
where they stayed for the 10th year
at Résidence de la Pinède. There,
they celebrated David’s 70th with
family and friends. The detailed
list of favorite restaurants and the
descriptions of the feasts enjoyed
can be found at cc63ers.com.
Mouthwatering …
Robert Smith writes, “I’m active
in psychiatry research and clinical
work as a research professor of
psychiatry at NYU and a research
psychiatrist at Nathan S. Kline
Institute for Psychiatric Research
(NKI), where I lead a biological
psychiatry research group. Much
of this professional life is involved
in research projects, grants and papers.
I also have a small outpatient
private practice. I give medical student
lectures at St. John’s Hospital.
My mentor and supervisor at NKI
still leads his research department
after his 90th birthday and recently
retired as editor of the Journal of
Neurochemistry, and I take him as a
model to emulate. My wonderful
wife, Sultana, teaches two courses
in French at Hofstra, and one of her
colleagues taught there part-time
into his 90s. I retired from one
clinical job about 18 months ago,
so now I have two jobs instead of
three and can organize my work
life and free time with greater
personal freedom and control. It’s
sometimes stressful but also interesting
and enjoyable. You have
to have the right type of creative
craziness.
“I’m not certain I’ll be at the 50th
reunion. I’d like to but the NCDEU
meeting on clinical psychopharmacology
in psychiatry may occur at
the same time, and I often attend
and present at this meeting.”
Robert, I hope you can make reunion.
Our 50th only comes once!
I often receive emails and Facebook
links from Michael Nolan,
who, among many other activities,
offers assistance with ancestry
searches. I enjoy the tales of his own
Irish Catholic/Jewish roots. If you
need help in researching your family
history, contact him: mikeydavy
@gmail.com.
Michael Klare was honored to
appear on a panel on resource scarcity
at the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation CEO Summit, held
September 7–8 in Vladivostok,
Russia. Featured speakers included
Presidents Vladimir Putin of the
Russian Federation and Hu Jintao
of the Republic of China and U.S.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
He also spoke at the Energetika
XXI: Economy, Policy, Ecology
conference on energy geopolitics at
the Saint-Petersburg State University
of Economics and Finance in
October. Michael was on sabbatical
this past fall from his position as a
Five College professor (at Amherst,
Hampshire, Mount Holyoke and
Smith Colleges and the University
of Massachusetts Amherst) and
used the time to promote his latest
book, The Race for What’s Left: The
Global Scramble for the World’s Last
Resources.
A new CD by Hank Davis has
been issued by Bear Family Records
in Germany (available on Amazon).
It contains excerpts from Hank’s
50-year recording career. A 50-page
illustrated booklet includes Hank’s
time at Columbia and a song recorded
with Art Garfunkel ’65.
Walter Stein is recovering from
the amputation of his right foot. He
bravely attended a recent reunion
planning meeting, where he sat
next to me in the gimp section (I
am recovering from a surgically
repaired, ruptured left Achilles
tendon). We both promise to be
ready to dance at reunion.
Remember, our regular class
lunches at the Columbia University
Club of New York are a great
place to reconnect. If you’re in
NYC, try to make one of the next
few; they’re scheduled for March
14, April 11 and May 9 (always the
second Thursday of the month).
Check cc63ers.com for details.
In the meantime, if you haven’t
already, make sure you register for
and attend our 50th reunion! And
as always, let us know what you
are up to, how you’re doing and
what’s next.
64
Norman Olch
233 Broadway
New York, NY 10279
norman@nolch.com
Although I am writing these Class
Notes in December, they will not
appear until 2012 is history. So I
take this occasion to wish all of you
and your loved ones a happy and
healthy new year.
Barry Bley writes from Colorado:
“I continue my volunteer activities
with the Alumni Representative
Committee [studentaffairs.colum
bia.edu/admissions/alumni/re
sources]. For the past 30 years or so,
I have spent many a pleasant hour
interviewing applicants for admission
to Columbia. On average, I
interview 50-plus each year, and
it is a great pleasure meeting with
these highly intelligent, highly motivated
young people. It is my way
of giving back to Columbia for the
outstanding education I received.
“My Columbia education was
financed in large part by a scholarship
from the Leopold Schepp
Foundation in New York City. This
year the foundation has awarded
me its Outstanding Schepp alumnus
award, and I will be featured
in its annual bulletin.
“On another point, now that I
am happily retired from a 42-year
SPRING 2013
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SPRING 2013
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