MONTGOMERY MESSENGER

The Newsletter of the Residents of Montgomery Place Retirement Community 5550 South Shore Drive, Chicago, Illinois, 60637

January 2017, Vol. 27, No. 1 www.montgomeryplace.org/category/news/messenger/

THE LEGACY OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. OBSERVANCE AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT:

A CONTRIBUTION TO THE GLOBAL INTERFAITH INITIATIVE

The following piece reflects this emphasis and encourages us to reflect on its meaning and significance for us at this time: MLKing Jr. Day, January 16, 2017.

Affirming Ourselves and Transcending Ourselves*

“I am because We Are, and because We are I Am.** I am WE and WE are the world.

We affirm ourselves and the truth that transcends us. We must be true to ourselves and transcend

ourselves. The truth we affirm for ourselves, we allow others to affirm the same.

“If we struggle against our weaknesses, we can overturn ourselves, and if we overcome our weaknesses, we can transform and transcend ourselves.”

I am We and We are the World.

This is the way of self-realization and transformation based upon Divine Truth.

James W. Johnson

* see The Nguzo Saba and the Festival of First Fruits, p. 85, 1995

** an African proverb

T here will be a community service on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, January 16, at 4 p.m. in the East Room. Our guest speaker

will be The Rev. Dr. Cheryl Stewart Pero, a New Testament scholar and director of the Pero Muliticultural Center at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.

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A FOND FAREWELL…

I am leaving my ministry at Montgomery Place with tremendous gratitude to the residents who

live here, those who have lived here, and the staff members and board of directors with whom I have served during the past three years. I am honored to have been one of the line of Episcopal priests who have served the Church Home since 1889, starting with its founder, the Rev. Dr. Walter Delafield. It is a rich tradition of pastoral care for older persons, from the first three “elderly ladies” of 1889 and all those who lived at the Church Home on South Ingleside to those who live at Montgomery Place today. I will always treasure the relationships formed here and my service among you, and I am thankful for all I have learned from this community. I am moving on to a new ministry setting as a parish priest. All that I have learned here will be put to good use in pastoral care among a church community. Serving in a parish will allow me to enhance other skills that are not as often called for in chaplaincy. Examples of this are baptismal and confirmation preparation with families, and working with children’s religious education. I thought and prayed long and hard about this decision, especially because I will miss you and this community very much. I also feel that this is where my path as a priest is meant to go next, and I look forward to a new adventure. I know how adventurous many of you have been throughout your lives, and I hope that you will understand my desire to try a new thing! I hope that you will join the Church Home board for a reception on Friday, January 6, from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Lounge, to bid “au revoir.” I will be here for the Sunday service in St. Anna’s Chapel on Sunday January 8 at 11 a.m. as my last duty here. We will follow that service with a coffee hour in the Game Room, so you are welcome to stop by for coffee and a treat then as well. May grace and peace be with all of you now and always!

Chaplain Julianne Buenting

HOLIDAY FUND TOPS $80,000

A t the employees’ holiday party on December 8, 2016, we distributed

a little more than $80,000 to 111 hourly employees! It was a very happy event. Of course the employees were very happy to receive the bonus, and they were also very glad that the residents were so appreciative of their hard work, good ideas, and good cheer. 93% of Independent Living residents contributed this year, a tremendous o u t p o u r i n g o f g r a t i t u d e a n d appreciation. Thanks to everyone for your generosity! Paula Givan , Treasurer, Residents’ Association

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS

T he League of Women Voters will meet on Thursday, January 26, at 1:30 p.m. in

the East Room. It is time for a review of our program goals for the city and state, some of which were formulated years ago. As an example, we have always supported an appointed school board. But the election results indicated great interest in an elected board, taking this decision out of the mayor’s hands. Do term limits seem right now? Join us for a discussion of these controversial issues and others. How can we make our voices known and take better action when needed? Everyone’s welcome. Refreshments will be served.

Dorothy Scheff, Chair, League of Women Voters

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OUT AND ABOUT

Editor: Barbara Wilson

Contributors: Carolyn Allen, Bernice Auslander,

Dottie and Bill Barron, Everett Bernstein,

Laurieann Chutis, Paula Givan, Rhoda Harvey, Phil

Hefner, Kyoko Inoue, James W. Johnson, Leah

Kadden, Nate Kalichman, Marion Krentz, Evi

Levin, Muriel Rogers, Dorothy Scheff, Marilyn

Weigensberg, Anne Zeidman

Staff Contributors: Chaplain Julianne Buenting,

Deborah Hart

Artwork: Nate Kalichman

Layout: Carolyn Allen

Production: Dino Celik

Proofreader: Phil Hefner

Calendars: Barbara Wilson

Editor Next Month: Paula Givan

continued on p. 4

T he Out and About column tells you about the upcoming bus trips for theater, music,

museum visits, lectures, discussions, shopping, lunch, and other special events. Stated times are when the bus leaves Montgomery Place. Once you have signed up for transportation, make a note on your calendar. If it turns out that you can’t come, take your name off the list as soon as possible. Please arrive promptly for the bus. “Tickets required” means you are responsible for getting your own ticket. See concierge Dino if you need help getting tickets. ♦ Tuesday, January 3, 11:50 a.m. Organ recital at the Lutheran School of Theology by Dr. Ke i t h Hamp t o n , Ca n t o r t o t h e LSTC Community; Director of Music/Organist, St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Chicago; Assistant Director of Music, Trinity UCC, Chicago. Free. ♦ Saturday, January 7, 11 a.m. Met Live in HD, Nabucco. Placido Domingo brings another

new baritone role to the Met under the baton of his longtime collaborator, James Levine. Verdi’s third opera is a stirring drama about the fall of ancient Jerusalem at the hands of Nabucco (Nebuchadnezzar). Tickets required. ♦ Sunday, January 8, 2:30 p.m. Remy Bumppo Theatre, Pygmalion. Language lovers rejoice at Shaw’s most enduring and endearing critique of high society at the turn of the century. Filled with wit and wordplay, Pygmalion explores what defines who we are and who we might become. Tickets required. ♦ Wednesday, January 18, 1 p.m. University of Chicago Service League. Stephen Albert, Court Theatre Executive Director, will speak on “Behind the Scenes at Court Theatre.” (See details on page 8.) Free. ♦ Thursday, January 19, 7 p.m. Court Theatre, Blues for an Alabama Sky. Playwright Pearl Cleage’s characters encounter modern problems in Depression-era Harlem. Angel and Guy, emerging artists with grand dreams, live next door to the serious and political social worker, Delia. They search for a way to realize their dreams despite economic hardship. Directed by Ron OJ Parson. Tickets required. ♦ Fr iday, J anua ry 20 , noon , Pho 55 restaurant. Enjoy having lunch and good conversation at a local Vietnamese restaurant. ♦ Friday, January 20, 7 p.m. Mandel Hall, Imani Winds. The preeminent wind quartet and newly-appointed U of C resident ensemble makes its Chicago concert debut with a dynamic program of modernist composers, including works o f the quinte t ’ s own composer -instrumentalist members. Tickets required. ♦ Saturday, January 21, 11 a.m. Met Live in HD, Romeo et Juliette. When Diana Damrau and Vittorio Grigolo starred opposite each other in Manon at the Met in 2015, critics said, “The temperature rises every time Damrau and Grigolo are on stage together.” Now they are back as opera’s classic lovers in Gounod’s lush Shakespeare adaptation. Directed by Bartlett Sher and conducted by Gianandrea Noseda. Tickets required.

CONTRIBUTORS THIS ISSUE

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Out & About, from p. 3

1/ 2 Bill Barron

1/ 2 Lois Watson

1/ 3 Hedy Turnbull

1/6 Bernie Bergmann

1/6 Doris Smith

1/7 Paula Givan

1/11 Bill Gnatz

1/12 Nate Kalichman

1/19 Dorothy Gans

1/21 Anne Cifu

JANUARY BIRTHDAYS

♦ Wednesday, January 25, 1 p.m. Lyric Opera, The Magic Flute. Who can fail to be delighted and moved by the triumph of love and goodness in The Magic Flute? Tamino will be sung by Matthew Polenzani, and Pamina by Christine Karg, with Rory Macdonald conducting. Tickets required. ♦ Wednesday, January 25, 1 p.m. Steppenwolf Theatre, The Christians. Lucas Hnath’s new play looks with great complexity and compassion at the relationship between belief and identity, and what holds a community together. Tickets required. ♦ Friday, January 27, 1 p.m. Shedd Aquarium. Have you ever been eye-to-eye with a dolphin?

Immersed yourself in a flooded Amazon fo r e s t ? Or me t a f r i e n d l y b e l u g a whale? You can do it all at the Shedd. Free day.

Bernice Auslander

NEW YORKER READERS

T he New Yorker Readers will meet on S a t u r d a y ,

January 21, at 2 p.m. in the LLLC. We will d i s c u s s D a v i d Remnick’s a r t ic le a b o u t h i s l o n g , thoughtful interview w i t h P r e s i d e n t Obama, “It Happened Here,” in which the president confronts the election outcome that changes everything and imperils his legacy. The article appears in the November 28, 2016 i s sue . Ph i l He fne r wi l l l ead the discussion. Please call me at 4647 if you need a copy of the article.

Dorothy Scheff, Chair, New Yorker Readers

CONTRIBUTE TO THE MONTGOMERY MESSENGER!

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NEW ARRIVALS

continued on p. 6

strong quota system at that time that limited the number of Jewish students accepted to American medical schools. Therefore he pursued his medical studies in Switzerland, where he received his medical degree from the University of Zurich. Their son Alexander was born in 1958 in Washington, DC, where David was doing his internship. Alex, now in business, lives in Highland Park with his wife and three children. Alex also has a degree in music from DePaul and is an oboist. The Lubells’ daughter Nina was born in Brooklyn, where David was doing his medical residency. She lived in Hyde Park for some years and obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago. Nina is a lawyer and lives with her husband, an engineer, in Long Beach, California. They have two sons. Nina also is a musician, playing the violin in several orchestras. The Lubells are a great addi tion to our Montgomery Place population and we wish them many happy years in our midst.

Evi Levin

David and Renée Lubell moved into apartment 1411 (phone 4591) on August 25, 2016 and immediately began to participate in our activities. You will see them at our weekend live concerts and other music programs, as well as activities concerning current events, books, and science. They enjoy the Wednesday Hewson Swift CD and DVD presentations. Hardly three months after they had moved to Montgomery Place, David presented a DVD, “Orchestra of Exiles,” which highlighted the events leading to the birth of the Palestine Symphony which, after World War II, became the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Both Lubells enjoy playing the piano in their apartment. Renée and David moved to Chicago from New York. Renée was born in Mineola, Long Island. David was born in the Bronx and grew up in Manhattan. They moved to Hyde Park in 1979 when David became Chief of Cardiology at Mt. Sinai Hospital, a position he held for 19 years. He is now semi-retired and continues teaching activities twice a week. Renée, an experienced music educator, became involved in the volunteer docent program of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. This entailed visiting local schools around the city to prepare the children for concerts they would later attend at Orchestra Hall. She studied piano with the well-known Russian pianist Dmitri Paperno, and taught piano. In addition, Renée was involved with the development of the CSO preconcert lectures. Some of her programs combining music and art were produced in conjunction with the Art Institute of Chicago. Renée and David met while working at a summer camp in the Poconos in Pennsylvania. They were married in 1952. David had attended Music and Art High School in New York and also studied piano for many years. However, his aim was to become a physician. There was a

Paul Bruce moved into apartment 908 (phone 4563) on August 22, 2016. Paul is a lifelong resident of the South Side of Chicago, much of the time in Hyde Park. He was born in 1924 into a biracial family. His mother was from Tennessee and his father was from New Orleans. Paul’s employment history began at the age of 17, when his father passed away. As the oldest child of the family, he had to start working. He

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New Arrivals from p. 5

did various jobs for three years to help his mother until she managed to settle down. Paul then entered a Catholic seminary where he stayed for five years, finally deciding that he was not cut out for the priesthood. He enrolled in Roosevel t Universi ty, majoring in education and sociology. He eventually earned a master’s degree in education as well. Thus Paul’s career in education began. He initially taught in three elementary schools, and then moved to a large high school with 4,000 students on the South Side near the steel mills. Paul served as the principal of Morrill Elementary School in the Gage Park area for six years, and then at Murray Elementary School in Hyde Park for three years. As principal, though, he became tired of dealing with the Chicago Board of Education, and finally, after 30 long years, retired from the field of education in 1985. For the next 20 years, Paul worked as a realtor on the South Side. At the same time, after being invited by the City of Chicago, he became a tour guide specializing in black history and Hyde Park history. He says that presenting black history was not hard because it was his life, but he had to do quite a bit of research on Hyde Park history. Paul now has a vast knowledge of this area and enjoys sharing it with people. His tour participants are not limited to Chicago residents; a group of Japanese teachers and a group of Indonesians also took his tours. He looks forward to conducting more tours of both black history and Hyde Park in the coming years. Welcome, Paul, to your new home!

Kyoko Inoue

MONA MORALES, OUR DINING ROOM MANAGER

E very afternoon starting at 4:20 p.m., the many residents filling up the round and

square tables in our dining room are greeted by servers, some of whom we have known for many years, and others who are new to Montgomery Place. If residents are in need of something special or are dissatisfied with something, they need to look for the smiling face of Mona, our new Dining Room Manager, and hail her with a question or request. They are bound to get immediate satisfaction. Mona fills one’s every need with a smile unless there is a good reason she has to deny your request. Who is Mona? She is a native Chicagoan who received training and worked on a Norwegian cruise liner. She also worked at Methodist Hospital in Gary, Indiana, and at Alexian Brothers Hospital in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. She has four grandchildren, the oldest age 20, who live not far from her current Chicago home. We welcome Mona as our new Dining Room Manager and hope she will keep her position in our retirement community for years to come.

Evi Levin

PLAYREADERS

P l ayreade rs wi l l not mee t in January, but there are good things

in the works for February—a little-known work by a we l l - known playwright of another century. Keep February 21 marked on your calendar.

Anne Zeidman, Chair, Playreaders

JANUARY 2017 page 7

JANUARY FILMS

M ovie fans will enjoy a variety of fascinating films presented

by committee members on Mondays and Thursdays at 7 p.m. in the Lounge and on Channel 4. Popcorn and lemonade will be served on Mondays in the Lounge. Monday Films:

♦ January 2, Cape Fear, 1962. Drama, thriller. 1 hour 45 minutes. A lawyer’s family is stalked by a criminal he helped to send to jail. Cape Fear refers to the cape by that name on the coast of North Carolina. Director: J. Lee Thompson. Starring: Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, Polly Bergen. Presenter: Phil Hefner. ♦ January 9, Lady in the Lake, 1947. Crime, film noir. 1 hour 45 minutes. Detective Philip Marlowe is hired by the editor of a crime magazine to find the publisher’s wife, who supposedly ran off to Mexico. But the case becomes more complicated when people are murdered. Directorial debut: Robert Montgomery. Starring: Robert Montgomery, Audrey Totter, Lloyd Nolan. Presenter: Evi Levin. ♦ January 16, The Ugly American, 1963. Drama, thriller. 2 hours. An articulate, intelligent scholar survives a hostile Senate confirmation hearing to become the ambassador to a Southeast Asia country, where civil war threatens peace. Director: George Englund. Starring: Marlon Brando, Eiji Okada, Sandra Church, Pat Hingle. Presenter: Alex Elwyn. ♦ January 23, Tootsie . 1982. Comedy, Romance. 1 hour 56 minutes. An unsuccessful actor disguises himself as a woman in order to get a role in a trashy hospital soap opera. Director: Sidney Pollack. Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Teri Garr, Jessica Lange. Nominated for ten Oscars, won one (Lange). Presenter: Rhoda Harvey. ♦ January 30, Get Shorty.1995. Comedy, crime thriller. 1 hour 45 minutes. A mobster travels to Hollywood to collect a debt and discovers that the

movie business is much the same as his current job. Director: Barry Sonnenfeld. Starring: John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, Danny DeVito. Based on the novel by Elmore Leonard. Presenter: Diane Smith. Documentary Film:

♦ January 5, When it Was a Game. 1991. 57 minutes. This film consists solely of 8 mm and 16 mm film taken by baseball players and fans from 1934 to 1952. It includes footage of major league players and ballparks; many of the parks no longer exist. Presenter: Alex Elwyn. Foreign Language Film:

♦ January 26, Umberto D. 1952. Italian. 1 hour 29 minutes. An elderly retiree is struggling to maintain his lifestyle on his government pension in Rome. Many of the film’s actors were non-professionals. De Sica considered this his best film; it was Ingmar Bergman’s favorite film. Won many awards, including Time magazine’s 2011 list of All-TIME 100 Movies. Direc to r : Vi t tor io De Sica . Starring: Carlo Battisti, Maria Pia Casilio, Linna Gennari. Presenter: Evi Levin.

Leah Kadden for the Film Discussion Committee

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CONTRIBUTE ART TO THE MONTGOMERY MESSENGER!

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CLOUDS Billowing clouds, white on blue are hanging. A girl and boy, hands twined, are watching, And then see clearly along one edge A perfect head of feline parentage, With jaw agape and nose of noble shape; Bound eastward, perhaps to meet its mate. But will their memories of things past Include this face a tiny wind is bending fast? For us, the way we moved so long ago Forever’s etched in memory’s loving flow. Though face and figure, as clouds, do change, Our magic morphs are never, never strange. Love’s born on verdant, solid slopes, Never in the clouds of whispered hopes.

Ev Bernstein

BOOKLOVERS GROUP

O ur first book for the new year is an international bestseller by the Norwegian

c r im e w r i t e r J o N e s b ø . T h e

S n owman i s t h e s even th en t ry i n Nesbø’s Inspector Harry Hole series. The night after the first snowfall of the year, a boy wakes up and discovers that h i s m o t h e r h a s disappeared. Only one t r ac e o f he r remains: a pink scarf worn by the snowman that appeared in their yard earlier that day. The case deepens when a pattern emerges from the past decade: Eleven women have vanished, all on the day of the first snow. Curl up with your hot tea and meet the darkest criminal mind in this novel that Newsday calls “smar t , s t y l i sh , beau t i fu l l y paced and meticulously plotted.” When you are finished with the book, please return it to me, so that I may share it with our growing group of Booklovers. Our book selection is available on audio! If you have a visual or physical handicap (too difficult to hold a book), the Talking Book Center affiliated with the Chicago Public Library will provide an audio machine, books and magazines through the mail. It is federally funded through the National Library Service. Call me at 4638, if you are interested in applying for this service or want to get our featured book. A new resident signed up for this service last month. Our next meeting, to discuss The Snowman and to get the next book will be on Monday, January 16 at 3:30 p.m. in the LLLC. I will be the discussion leader. All are welcome!

Laurieann Chutis Chair, Booklovers Group

U OF C SERVICE LEAGUE MEETING

T he University of Chicago Service League invites all to attend the

program meeting on Wednesday, January 18, at 1:30 p.m., at Augustana Lutheran Church. Sign up at the Concierge Desk for a ride on the Raspberry Bus, which will leave Montgomery Place at 1 p.m. Stephen Albert, Executive Director of Court Theatre, will present “Behind the Scenes at Court Theatre,” an insider’s look at this important Hyde Park institution celebrating its 65th anniversary. All are welcome.

Marion Krentz

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HOLDING OFF GARDEN CLEANUP

S eve r a l member s o f ou r ga rden committee have asked about a fall

cleanup of our pots, boxes, and plots. At our meeting on December 1, those present passed a motion that we clean out our own boxes and pots at the end of the blooming season. If yours has not been cleaned out and you want it to be, you can clean it out at your convenience, or wait until spring when the boxes and pots are being renewed for summer planting. However, if you are interested in helping our bird population (which many of us are), it is suggested that putting off cleaning our garden until spring is more beneficial for wild birds. Standing seed heads are a natural source of food for the birds in winter, and the stems make good perches. The garden debris and spent plants give cover for wintering insects. Both the seeds and the insects provide food for birds, giving us a win/win situation. Come spring, the birds will use twigs, dead grass, and other debris as nest material. We do good by doing nothing. It seems that Mother Nature is not a “good” housekeeper but she is a good provider. I intend to use her as a role model when my husband chides me on my loose style of housekeeping while enjoying a meal I have just prepared. I’m doing what comes naturally!

Marilyn Weigensberg, Chair, Garden Committee

FRIDAY NIGHT SPEAKERS

T he Friday Night Speakers programs start at 7 p.m. in the East Room, and usually run for

one hour. Everyone is invited to attend the programs. The schedule for February features very interesting speakers. ♦ January 6, Nan Li, University of Chicago, “Gravitational Lensing: Einstein’s Legacy.” Introduced by Alex Elwyn. ♦ January 13, Philip Willink, Senior Research Biologist, Shedd Aquarium, “Morgan Shoal: The Hidden World Lurking on the Bottom of Lake Michigan Off the Shore of Hyde Park.” Introduced by Lauriann Chutis. ♦ January 20, Scott Mendeloff, attorney, Greenberg Traurig, LLP, “A New Year and a New President: A Lawyer Looks at Legal Issues Vexing Our Country.” Introduced by Phil Hefner. ♦ January 27, Sharon Feng, Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago. Topic to be announced. Introduced by Richard Miller. Audience questions and discussion follow each presentation. We welcome new members on the committee.

Rhoda Harvey, Co-chair,

Friday Night Speakers Committee

Connee Clerk

IN MEMORIAM

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WELCOME THE YEAR OF THE ROOSTER

O n Saturday, January 28 (the second new moon after the solstice), the Chinese year

4715, the Year of the Rooster, will begin. It will end on February 15, 2018. For the most part, 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, and 2017 are Rooster years, but each year begins and ends sometime in January or February, so it is necessary to check the exact dates of each year on the Gregorian calendar. Tradition holds that people born in the Year of the Rooster are hardworking, observant, outspoken, frank, resourceful, loyal, and charming. They like attention, are generally healthy, and are moody. On New Year’s Day this year (January 28), you can enjoy music, dancers, art demonstrations, and a special performance by the National Peking Opera Company from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Art Institute! Chicago’s official kickoff celebration will begin at noon on Monday, January 30, at the Cultural Center with a display of Chinese music, dance, martial arts, and Jackie Chan's Long Yun Kung Fu Troupe from Beijing. Watch colorful lion and dragon dancers make their way through the Uptown neighborhood along the main thoroughfare of Argyle Street on Saturday, February 4, at 12:30 p.m. The next day, Sunday, February 5, at 1 p.m., you can catch floats, dancing, drums, fireworks, music, and a 100-foot paper dragon at the Chinatown New Year’s parade. The celebration winds down with the Lantern Festival; the Crystal Gardens on Navy Pier, will be transformed into a festive marketplace and showplace on Sunday, February 12, from noon to 4 p.m.

Paula Givan

HEWSON SWIFT CD CONCERTS

E very Wednesday of the month residents interested in

music gather to enjoy a CD or DVD of an interesting piece of music complete with commentary by the presenter. In January of the New Year 2017 we will have the following: ♦ January 4, Jan and Stan Moore present a CD with two cantatas by J.S. Bach: Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme BWV140, and Cantata BWV147 Herz und Mund. Both are performed by the Monteverdi Choir under the direction of John Eliot Gardiner. ♦ January 11, Renée Lubell presents a private DVD with Gilbert and Sullivan’s Trial by Jury performed by the Lawyers’ Orchestra, Soloists and Choir of Beverly Hills, California. ♦ January 18, Ed Krentz will present Gustav Holst’s The Planets performed by the London Philharmonic under Sir George Solti. ♦ January 25, Alex Elwyn has another Midnight Special for our great enjoyment. Everyone is invited to these Wednesday evening concerts at 7 p.m. in the Lounge!

Evi Levin, Chair, Hewson Swift Concerts

JANUARY 2017 page 11

THE VALLEY Sometimes they call it lonesome valley— you look across and see no other; in mind’s eye you see yourself so small inching down through tall trees’ cover until you reach the meadow’s blooms and lawn, startle doe and her nuzzling fawn. Climb the hill beyond or take the draw along the creek; however much you hesitate, you can’t avoid the trek. You may find settlers over the hill or a hermit by the creek in his cabin, still. Unless we leave our comfort, descend to the valley below, hazard stones and roots among the trees, we’ll not know whether our journey is a lonesome solitary fray or blessed with people, pilgrims on the way.

Phil Hefner

T he rummage sale will be held in the East Room on Wednesday, January 11, noon to 5 p.m.; Thursday, January 12, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Friday, January 13, 9 a.m. to noon. We need

your help to make it great! You can participate in three ways: (1) Follow through on your New Year’s resolution to declutter: bring all those great treasures from your apartment to apartment 1404-1406, or call Dino for help in moving them. For large furniture, we ask that it not be moved to the East Room until the day of the sale. (2) Help us staff the rummage sale. Between now and January 11, we need help with sorting, pricing the items, and getting them ready for the sale. During the sale, January 11, 12, and 13, we need people to price, display, and sell the items. The signup sheet is on the bulletin board. (3) Come and check out the sale! At past rummage sales many people have found great items for themselves and their families.

Laurieann Chutis, Chair, Rummage Sale

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LIBRARY NOTES

T he memoir by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, My Beloved

World, is missing! This book, like many others, was not signed out from the Library. The new year is a good time to check your apartment for unreturned books. In the future, please remember to sign the card in the back of a hardcover book when you take one out so that we can keep track of it.

Dottie and Bill Barron, Librarians

LIVE MUSIC IN JANUARY

D uring January all our live music events will be held in the East Room. Please join us for

these special occasions. ♦Tuesday, January 3, 7 p.m. The Montgomery Singers Singalong accompanied by Elaine Smith on piano. ♦ Sunday, January 8, 2 p.m. Second City Winds, a woodwind quintet in a recital of classical music with insightful commentary to enhance the program. ♦ Sunday, January 22, 3 p.m. Donna Lee Fackenthal’s piano students in recital. ♦ Sunday, January 29, 2 p.m. University of Chicago piano students in recital.

Muriel Rogers, Chair, Music Committee

YEAR OF THE ROOSTER

O n J anua r y 28 , 2017, the monkey

will swing out and the rooster will strut in. The Chinese Zodiac calendar has a 12-year c y c l e o f a n ima l representations: rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig.

Nate Kalichman has been drawing the animals of the c a l e n d a r f o r t h e Messenger since 2012; we now have hal f of the twelve.

Whatever your Zodiac animal may be, Happy New Year to all! See page 10 for a compendium of New Year-related events, performances, and parades you can enjoy around Chicago between January 28 and February 12.

Carolyn Allen,

Messenger Layout

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FRIDAY THE 13TH—BEWARE!

T his month, this very month, we have a Friday the 13th—be afraid. Fear of Friday the 13th

is rooted in ancient bad luck associations with both the number 13 and the day Friday, and when they are combined you get a super bad luck day. It is true that many bad things have happened on Fridays and many bad things have happened on the 13th day of the month. Put them together and there is a reason to fear. (Just kidding!) Some major biblical events are said to have taken place on Friday, including the ejection of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, the start of the Great Flood, and the crucifixion of Jesus. It is traditionally believed Eve tempted Adam with the apple on a Friday. Judas, the apostle who betrayed Jesus, was the thirteenth guest at the Last Supper. On Friday, October 13, 1307, the pope of the Roman Catholic Church, together with the King of France, sentenced a monastic military order, the Knights Templar, to death and ordered the torture and crucifixion of their leader. Sometime in the 19th century, the Royal Navy attempted to dispel the superstition among sailors that beginning a voyage on Friday was certain to bring bad luck. The Navy commissioned a ship n a m e d H M S Friday. Her keel w a s l a i d o n a Fr iday, she was l a u n c h e d o n a Friday, and she set sail on her maiden voyage on Friday the 13th, under the c o m m a n d o f a C a p t a i n J a m e s Fr iday. She was never seen or heard from again. While t h i s s t o r y w a s widely circulated, and even recounted in Reader’s Digest, it is patently untrue. There was

never any Royal Navy ship with that name and no one knows where the story started. In 2017 there still is fear of the number 13. Eighty percent of high rise buildings do not have a thirteenth floor (though Montgomery Place does). Many airports have no Gate 13 and many airplanes have no row 13. Hospitals and hotels regularly omit room number 13. Many cities do not have a 13th Street or Avenue (though Chicago does). In Florence, Italy, the house between 12 and 14 is numbered 12½. If you have 13 letters in your name you’ll have the devil’s luck: consider Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, and Theodore Bundy. People still speak of the ill-fated mission of Apollo 13. Some say the number 13 was vilified by priests of patriarchal religions because it represents femininity. Thirteen corresponded to the number of lunar (menstrual) cycles in the year, and as such was revered in prehistoric goddess-worshipping cultures. Hindus believed it was unlucky for 13 people to gather in one place. Though superstition abounds, I don’t believe we should be afraid of Friday the 13th. Just don’t break a mirror, have a black cat cross your path, walk under a ladder, or step on a crack.

Marilyn Weigensberg

Not the HMS Friday

page 14 JANUARY 2017

T his winter, start your Wednesdays with a song! We welcome lifelong singers, people who have not sung in a

while, and people who are brand new to choral singing. All that is needed to participate is a willingness to sing and learn. Based at Montgomery Place, which is an Encore co-sponsor, the Hyde

Park Encore Chorale draws singers from around the area. We will start our 15-week session on January 18, 9:30 to 11 a .m. in the East Room. The $175 tuition includes sheet music for you to keep, and practice tracks on CD or download. Our spring performance w i l l b e o n Ma y 3 a t Montgomery Place. An “All-Encore Concert” of the six Chorales in the city and suburbs will be held at Fourth Presbyterian Church on May 4. Our spring program is a fabulous col lec t ion of Broadway and American Songbook repertoire. You can registe r to join a t encoreillinois.org or call Jonathan Miller, Artistic Director and Conductor, at 630-441-5157. Jonathan is also the founder and artistic d i rec to r o f Chicago a cappella. Encore is the largest and fas tes t-growing chora l program for older adults in the United States. Join us! Laurieann Chutis, Chorusmaster

LOVE TO SING? JOIN THE HYDE PARK ENCORE CHORALE!

JANUARY 2017 page 15

RELIGION IN JAPAN (First in a series)

T he Japanese have long embraced two very d i f fe ren t r e l i g ions—Shin to i sm and

Buddhism—and integrated them into their daily life.

Shintoism is the native religion of Japan, originally a series of local religions. It can be called natural religion in that its deities, called kami, are natural forces or objects such as rain, trees, mountains, and rivers. The origin of Shintoism is unknown, but we can imagine how its varieties must have developed through small agricultural communities fully aware that their existence and wellbeing depended on powerful natural forces, particularly those connected with weather. Shintoism is also linked to the legendary origin of the country. The legend says that the grandson of the Sun Goddess descended from heaven, married a daughter of the local leader, who conquered the nation, and became the first emperor of Japan. Shintoism has no theology, doctrines, or moral codes. When faced with life’s calamities, people ask kami to play various tutelary roles, while people conduct “purification rituals,” using fire, salt, or water. Kami and humans live in the same world; kami have human traits like pique and jealousy just like humans. Thus people must treat them correctly—honor, propitiate, and thank them lest they cause calamities. Various villages and urban communities put on elaborate festivals a few times a year to entertain them. The biggest such festivity is the New Year celebration when millions of Japanese people clean their buildings and homes and then visit local shrines (and Buddhist temples) to ask for kami’s protection in the coming year. When a

child is born, many families also visit nearby shrines for similar protection. Another common occasion is wedding ceremonies. Most Japanese weddings are now held at either shrines or wedding halls that provide Shinto ceremonies. In a series of rituals, the priest prays to kami for the new couple. Finally, construction companies customarily conduct ceremonies at which the priest asks the local gods for the safe completion of the buildings—commercial and residential—as part of the groundbreaking ceremonies. The Japanese government, hoping to stimulate nationalistic feelings, created a new form of Shintoism, making it a quasi-state religion with the emperor as its head priest. But that story will have to wait for another occasion.

Kyoko Inoue

T he editor attends a planning meeting the first Wednesday of the month,

compiles a list of articles that will appear in t h e n e x t i s s u e , f o l l ow s u p w i t h contr ibutors, reads and edi t s work submitted, sends the finished pieces off for layout, reads the draft newsletter, and beams with pride.

BE AN EDITOR OF THE MONTGOMERY MESSENGER!

Details available from Paula Givan (4631) , Kyoko Inoue (4019), or Barbara Wilson (4609)

page 16 JANUARY 2017

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I t is that time of year for reflections and resolutions.

Reflection: Serious thought or consideration. Looking back allows for reminiscence about our past and the opportunity to evaluate results for strategic directional modifications. The s i x mon th s s i n ce my r e t u rn t o Mon t g om e r y P l a c e h a v e p r o v i d e d conversational topics, from the planned events such as the fun day of games and prizes at the 25th anniversary party, to the unplanned departure of some key sta ff, and the adjustments that we are making into the future. I am a firm believer in looking back as we journey ahead. The experiences in our past are what form our perspective for today. Resolution: The firm decision to do or not to do something. According to stat istics compiled by the University of Scranton Journal of Clinical Psychology, 75% of resolutions will be continued through the entire first week of January, but only 46% will make it past six months. Also, 39% of people in their twenties will achieve their resolution each year, while only 14% of people over 50 years of age will achieve theirs. Sharing your individual resolutions with others helps to solidify your sincerity toward achievement. As we embark on our new year and the journey continues, I will share some of my resolutions. Journey with me and help me keep these resolutions. Resolve to: Wear a smile every day; identify one good thing that happened each day; compliment others. Resolve not to: Look for fault in others; think that “only I know best;” forget my roots. Let’s make 2017 a memorable year!

Deborah Hart, CEO/Executive Director

PASS IT ON Our forbearers kept truth in a sanctuary, So well tended some still seek it there. While in their pockets smart cell phones reside, Tightly fastened with tiny bits of time To clouds contained in coppery concrete; Water-cooled so bytes won’t scatter, truth trashed. And some smart-ass college-clever checkers Walk in, carrying coffee to keep mind clear, Hang up their jackets, settle at their screens To find the final facts for paying friends, So confident television hosts can tell for sure Which warring politicians tell the truth or lie, Fathomed from their favorite fact-check fantasy. Oh take me back to the days of certainty When Britannica ruled, scepter held high, And every squabble could be squelched Without a zero or a one called up to testify And castigate a fact with cloudy bytes. And in those days stood the great oaken stands Towering to support timely tomes so unabridged The well worn pages held up only truth, Settled any spat worth shouting round spittoons. But not too late, fight the hackers, don’t be lax, Just mail your certain truths—use sealing wax.

Ev Bernstein

Messenger

meeting

Wednesday,

January 4,

11 a.m. in the

LLLC

JANUARY 2017 page 17

Ev Bernstein

SPECIAL EVENTS IN JANUARY

TUESDAY 3 11:50 AM BUS TRIP LSTC ORGAN RECITAL (P. 3)

FRIDAY 6 2:00-4:00 PM LOUNGE FAREWELL RECEPTION FOR JULIANNE BUENTING (P. 2)

7:00 PM EAST ROOM FRIDAY NIGHT SPEAKER ~ NAN LI (P. 9)

SATURDAY 7 11:00 AM BUS TRIP MET LIVE IN HD: NABUCCO (P. 3)

SUNDAY 8 2:00 PM EAST ROOM SECOND CITY WINDS CONCERT (P. 12)

2:30 PM BUS TRIP REMY-BUMPPO THEATRE: PYGMALION (P. 3)

WEDNESDAY 11 NOON-5 PM EAST ROOM RUMMAGE SALE (P.11)

THURSDAY 12 9 AM-5 PM EAST ROOM RUMMAGE SALE (P. 11)

FRIDAY 13 9 AM-NOON EAST ROOM RUMMAGE SALE (P. 11)

7:00 PM EAST ROOM FRIDAY NIGHT SPEAKER ~ PHILIP WILLINK (P. 9)

WEDNESDAY 18 1:00 PM BUS TRIP U OF C SERVICE LEAGUE (PP. 3, 8)

THURSDAY 19 7:00 PM BUS TRIP COURT THEATRE: BLUES FOR AN ALABAMA SKY (P. 3)

FRIDAY 20 12:00 NOON BUS TRIP PHO 55 VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT (P. 3)

7:00 PM BUS TRIP MANDEL HALL: IMANI WINDS (P. 3)

7:00 PM EAST ROOM FRIDAY NIGHT SPEAKER ~ SCOTT MENDELOFF (P. 9)

SATURDAY 21 11:00 AM BUS TRIP MET LIVE IN HD: ROMEO & JULIET (P. 3)

SUNDAY 22 3:00 PM EAST ROOM FACKENTHAL STUDENTS RECITAL (P. 12)

WEDNESDAY 25 1:00 PM BUS TRIP LYRIC OPERA: THE MAGIC FLUTE (P. 3)

1:00 PM BUS TRIP STEPPENWOLF THEATRE: THE CHRISTIANS (P. 4)

FRIDAY 27 1:00 PM BUS TRIP SHEDD AQUARIUM (P. 4)

7:00 PM EAST ROOM FRIDAY NIGHT SPEAKER ~ SHARON FENG (P. 9)

SATURDAY 29 2:00 PM EAST ROOM U OF C PIANO STUDENTS RECITAL (P. 12)

MONDAY 16 4:00 PM EAST ROOM COMMUNITY MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. SERVICE (P. 1)

NOTE: Monday, January 16 is a holiday for our bus drivers. There will be no bus trips on January 16.

page 18 JANUARY 2017

REGULAR EVENTS IN JANUARY

MONDAY

2, 9, 23, 30 8:00-9:00 AM BUS TRIP FITNESS WALK, MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & INDUSTRY

9:30-10:30 AM THERAPY ROOM WELLNESS CLINIC WITH WELLNESS STAFF

9 9:30 AM BUS TRIP MARIANO’S GROCERY STORE

CANCELED THIS MONTH

9:30 AM BUS TRIP HYDE PARK PRODUCE

10:15-11:15 AM LLLC POETRY GROUP

11:30 AM-NOON EAST ROOM PHYSICAL FITNESS

2, 9, 23, 30 1:00 & 1:30 PM BUS TRIP LIBRARY & ERRANDS/WHOLE FOODS

2, 16, 30 2:15-3:15 PM LLLC DINING COMMITTEE

9, 23 3:00-4:00 PM EAST ROOM TOWN MEETING

16 3:30-4:30 PM LLLC BOOKLOVERS GROUP (P. 8)

9, 23 4:00-4:30 PM EAST ROOM GADGETS Q&A WITH DINO

2 5:20 PM PRIVATE DR FRENCH SPEAKERS’ DINNER TABLE

9 5:20 PM PRIVATE DR GERMAN SPEAKERS’ DINNER TABLE

7:00 PM LOUNGE/CH 4 FILM DISCUSSION GROUP MOVIE (P. 7)

TUESDAY

10, 17, 24, 30 9:30-11:00 AM STUDIO PAINTING & DRAWING CLASS

3 10:00-11:00 AM LOUNGE ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE

10:00 AM-NOON GAME ROOM HYDE PARK BANK

11:00 AM-NOON EAST ROOM MEDITATION

3, 17 1:00-3:00 PM THERAPY ROOM AUDIOLOGIST KATE HOPKINS

17 1:00 PM BUS TRIP TRADER JOE’S

24 1:00-3:00 PM THERAPY ROOM AUDIOLOGIST DR. LATA JAIN

1:30-2:00 PM POOL WATER FITNESS

2:00-3:00 PM EAST ROOM CURRENT EVENTS

3:30-5:00 PM CAFÉ / LOUNGE WINE & CHEESE SOCIAL

3 7:00-8:00 PM EAST ROOM MONTGOMERY SINGERS SINGALONG (P. 12)

CANCELED THIS MONTH

7:00 PM EAST ROOM PLAYREADERS (P. 6)

24 7:00-8:00 PM LLLC SHORT STORY DISCUSSION GROUP

JANUARY 2017 page 19

PLEASE NOTE: Any event listed without a specific date or dates occurs

on that day of the week every week.

Events listed with specific dates occur on those dates only.

WEDNESDAY

8:00-9:00 AM BUS TRIP FITNESS WALK, MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & INDUSTRY

9:30-10:00 AM LOUNGE TAI CHI

18, 25 9:30-11:00 AM EAST ROOM ENCORE CHORALE REHEARSAL (P. 14)

11 11:00 AM-NOON LIBRARY LIBRARY COMMITTEE

4 11:00 AM-NOON LLLC MONTGOMERY MESSENGER MEETING (PP. 4, 7, 15, 16)

11:00 AM-1:30 PM CAFÉ/LIBRARY MONTGOMERY MARKET

11:30 AM-NOON EAST ROOM PHYSICAL FITNESS

4, 18 1:00-2:00 PM GAME ROOM FRIDAY NIGHT SPEAKERS COMMITTEE

1:30-2:30 PM THERAPY ROOM WELLNESS CLINIC WITH WELLNESS STAFF

7:00-8:00 PM LOUNGE HEWSON SWIFT MUSIC SERIES (P. 10)

THURSDAY

9:30 & 10:00 AM BUS TRIP TREASURE ISLAND

12 9:30-10:30 AM STUDIO ART COMMITTEE

10:00-11:00 AM GAME ROOM RESIDENTS’ SUPPORT GROUP

10:00 AM-5:00 PM LL ADMIN AREA PING PONG

26 NOON-1:00 PM DINING ROOM JANUARY RESIDENTS’ BIRTHDAY LUNCH

26 1:30-2:30 PM EAST ROOM LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS (P. 2)

1:30-2:00 PM POOL WATER FITNESS

1:30-2:30 PM CAFÉ/LIBRARY COOKIES & CONVERSATION

1:30-2:30 PM STUDIO KNITTING & CROCHETING GROUP

2:00-3:00 PM CHAPEL ROMAN CATHOLIC COMMUNION

5 2:30-3:30 PM EAST ROOM FILM DISCUSSION COMMITTEE

12 2:30-3:30 PM LLLC MAINTENANCE/HOUSEKEEPING COMMITTEE

5 7:00 PM LOUNGE/CH 4 DOCUMENTARY FILM (P. 7)

12, 19, 7:00 PM LOUNGE/CH 4 EVENING MOVIE

19 7:00-8:00 PM EAST ROOM RESIDENTS’ COUNCIL

26 7:00 PM LOUNGE/CH 4 FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM (P. 7)

page 20 JANUARY 2017

REGULAR EVENTS IN JANUARY

FRIDAY 8:00-9:00 AM BUS TRIP FITNESS WALK, MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & INDUSTRY

9:30-10:30 AM THERAPY ROOM WELLNESS CLINIC WITH WELLNESS STAFF

10:00-11:00 AM LOUNGE/CH 4 DVD SERIES: WORLD’S GREATEST GEOLOGICAL WONDERS

6 11:00 AM-3:45 PM THERAPY ROOM PODIATRIST DR. JOANNE DAVIS

11:30 AM-NOON EAST ROOM PHYSICAL FITNESS

1:00-4:00 PM STUDIO OPEN STUDIO

4:45-5:30 PM CHAPEL SHABBAT SERVICE

7:00-8:00 PM EAST ROOM FRIDAY NIGHT SPEAKERS (P. 9)

SATURDAY 8:45 AM-NOON BUS TRIP KAM-II/RODFEI ZEDEK TRANSPORTATION

10:00-11:00 AM LOUNGE SATURDAY MORNING ROUNDTABLE

21 2:00-3:00 PM LLLC NEW YORKER READERS (P. 4)

7:00 PM LOUNGE/CH 4 WEEKEND MOVIE

SUNDAY

8, 15,22, 29 9:00 AM-1:00 PM BUS TRIP CHURCH/SYNAGOGUE TRANSPORTATION

8, 15, 22, 29 10:45 AM-1:00 PM BUS TRIP ROCKEFELLER CHAPEL

11:00 AM-NOON CHAPEL SERVICE OF HOLY COMMUNION

7:00 PM LOUNGE/CH 4 WEEKEND MOVIE/ENCORE PRESENTATION