Brandeis Conejo Valley Chapter - Members Updates

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  MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION/Enrollment Form (pdf. format)

Introducing new Membership VP's Phyllis Wilner email: pbwilner@gmail.com Rita Wolenik email: bobreet@aol.com We would like to thank you for not letting a pandemic stand in the way of maintaining our wonderful Brandeis organization and study groups. Our study groups have helped us socialize, make new friends and maintain our sanity. We hope this year will bring even more new members into the organization. The best way to do this is with your help. Word of mouth is most effective in bringing in new members. Please feel free to refer potential members to us. We will contact them. We are hoping to have new membership teas as soon as it is safe. Thanks for helping us with this task. Phyllis Wilner pbwilner@gmail.com 818 705 6868 818 618 9006 Rita Wolenik bobreet@aol.com 805 497 3402

Scroll down to OUR MONTHLY SPOTLIGHT STORY

Alvira and Israel Klain

I feel really honored to be in our chapter's SPOTLIGHT. I joined this chapter in 2006, when it was barely 1 year old. I never heard about Brandeis before, but from my first visit to "Divas" -, an On The Town group, I felt like home. I was younger than most, and some didn't believe that a young person would stick with the organization - but here I am!

Our 1st president at that time Carrie Mataraza wanted a web site. That's how I, Alvira Klain, immigrant with poor English, become Brandeis Conejo valley newsletter editor and created our 1st web site in 2008, and I still do it. The more I learned about this organization and about our chapter, the more I felt proud to be part of it. I am proud of our chapter which has become so advanced in technology, in welcoming younger women and in creating a place for men as well.

I was born in Russia. In 1974, when I was just a little girl, my family immigrated to Israel, where I grew up: graduated school, college and served in Israeli army. I met my husband, Israel in elementary school and we got married after 1st Lebanon war in 1982. We both studied computers and when he was offered a job in Los Angeles - we couldn't pass this opportunity. We transition to a new life in a new country where we raised our children and now become grandparents.

My husband also joined Brandeis Conejo and this becomes our mutual adventure together with another hobby we are passionate about: Historical Ball room dancing. But this is another story ...
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About 10 years ago, when our youngest daughter was in UCLA, we stumbled on HISTORICAL DANCE CLUB.
We both love dancing and decided to check this out… This became our passion, hobby and new adventure: we learned dances from Colonial Era 1607-1776, Regency Era 1811-1820 and Victorian Era 1837 - 1901. We travel to England and dance at Jane Austen festival; we travel to Europe to dance in Russian, Prague and Budapest palaces. We spend week pretending to be English aristocrats, hiding from Napoleon army in Kings Lynn, dancing and visiting the Queen Winter caste of Sandringham.

We learn the etiquette of the dance, behavior and dress up. Most of our garments we have to make ourselves, because they need to be as accurate as possible and unfortunately, those garments no longer exist in Macy's ...

Thank you for stoping by and reading,

With Respect,
Alvira Klain