For many alumni, the connections they developed at ECFS — whether with friends, faculty and staff, or romantic partners — stay with them long past graduation. For Valentine’s Day, we spoke to some of our Eagles who found love at Fieldston! You can read a few of their stories below.
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Clifford F. Alexander '51 and Adele Logan Alexander '55 were both ECFS "lifers" who went to the School form Pre-K to 12th Grade. “We got married when I finished college, had two marvelous children, and spent almost 64 wonderful years together in Washington, DC, and New York until Clifford’s death last July,” says Adele. The family held Clifford’s memorial service at the Ethical Culture Society’s familiar Adler Hall in late September, an occasion that celebrated his life with many ECFS alumni (including two grandsons), faculty, and staff in attendance.
Clifford F. Alexander '51 and Adele Logan Alexander '55 were both ECFS "lifers" who went to the School form Pre-K to 12th Grade. “We got married when I finished college, had two marvelous children, and spent almost 64 wonderful years together in Washington, DC, and New York until Clifford’s death last July,” says Adele. The family held Clifford’s memorial service at the Ethical Culture Society’s familiar Adler Hall in late September, an occasion that celebrated his life with many ECFS alumni (including two grandsons), faculty, and staff in attendance.
Fred Leventhal '56 and Jean Mechlowitz Leventhal '59 did not actually overlap at Fieldston, but their strong ties to their alma mater formed an instant connection when they were introduced by a mutual friend at Harvard University when Jean was a college freshman and Fred was a senior. They are both retired from academic careers and live in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where they first met, and will celebrate their 56th wedding anniversary in June 2023.
Fred Leventhal '56 and Jean Mechlowitz Leventhal '59 did not actually overlap at Fieldston, but their strong ties to their alma mater formed an instant connection when they were introduced by a mutual friend at Harvard University when Jean was a college freshman and Fred was a senior. They are both retired from academic careers and live in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where they first met, and will celebrate their 56th wedding anniversary in June 2023.
Tom Delbanco ’57 and Jill Behrens Delbanco ’57 have been together since their Fieldston graduation parties. They have a great time with their three children and seven grandchildren. Tom, a doctor, has been at Harvard Medical School since the early 1970s where he has led efforts to bring primary care into academic medicine and tear down barriers among patients, families, and clinicians. Fifteen years ago, he founded OpenNotes whose goal is to make healthcare more transparent and patient centered. Jill continues to be active in the arts and works closely with Tom in OpenNotes.
Wally Hellerstein ’64 and Nina Salant Hellerstein ‘64 met at a Fieldston Upper School dance and they dated steadily throughout high school and college before getting married in 1970 and having two children. They both worked at the University of Georgia for the duration of their careers. They have now both retired and continue to do research in their fields of law and French literature. They enjoy spending time with their grandchildren, pictured with them here.
Photo caption:
Summer 2021: Wally and Nina with their three grandchildren at Nicky’s Clam House on the way to Ocean Beach, Fire Island, where they have been going to their family cottage in the summer since their school days.
Katrin Belenky Peck ‘68 and Sam Peck ‘68 met when they were in the same 7th Grade homeroom at Fieldston. They were friends in high school and dated for several months during their freshman year of college, but eventually went on to marry other people and have careers and children. More than forty years later, after both of their marriages ended, “Beshert happened..we were reunited!” Katrin says. “With Sam, I’ve had the best years of my life.” They married in 2013 and collectively they have six grandchildren.
Shari Abramowitz ‘77 and Adam Nussenbaum ‘76 first connected in Betty Lou English’s Pre-K classroom — and have the class photo to prove it! Shortly thereafter, since Adam was born in December, he was moved up a grade and they weren’t classmates for the rest of their time at ECFS. They reconnected one summer during college when they were both living and working in Riverdale. They’ve been happily married since 1985 and share their adult lives with their two wonderful children Max and Kate. Fieldston was an important influence on both of them, and they feel extremely fortunate to have this shared history.
Joey Koch ‘95 and Douglas Williamson ‘92 connected in 2017 on social media when Douglas was living in Berlin and Joey was in New York City. Over the years, their relationship evolved and Douglas moved back to New York so Joey and he could start a family. Rose Williamson-Koch was born in August 2021.
Dax Munna ’95 and Jane Biondi Munna ’96 met on the athletic fields at Fieldston when he played on the baseball team and she played on the softball team. They reconnected as adults when Jane returned to New York City and their daughter Maisie ’32 is currently in 3rd Grade at Ethical Culture.
Samantha Hay ‘98 and Josh Krinsky ‘98 met in the fall of their 9th Grade year at Fieldston Upper. They were friends in high school and were part of the same group of friends who stayed close after graduation. After college, they both moved back to New York City, began dating, and the rest is history. They were married in 2010, have two daughters and both work for the New York City Department of Education.
Josh Arisohn '98 and Tamar Hiram Arisohn ‘99 knew each other while at ECFS, including being in Mal Goodman’s Philosophy class together, and she knew he had a crush on her, but she wasn’t interested and they were both dating other people at the time. Josh left to start college at Cornell University and when he heard that Tamar would also be attending Cornell, he famously danced around a tree on the arts quad. They took a class in Civil Liberties together, some AOL instant messenger flirtation led to a date, they’ve been together pretty much ever since, and they got married in 2008. Tamar’s sister and brother in law also both went to Fieldston!
Matt Nayor ‘00 and Jennifer Sparr Nayor ‘00 met in Kindergarten at Ethical Culture. In their Kindergarten class picture, which they have on display in their home, they are on opposite sides of the photo, both in red outfits.They stayed at ECFS through 8th Grade before both leaving to go to Stuyvesant for high school. Now, Jennifer is a gastroenterologist and Matt is a cardiologist in the Boston area. They have two sons, one in 3rd Grade and one in Kindergarten. Jennifer tells her younger one’s friends’ parents that you never know who you’re going to meet in your kindergarten class — they might turn into the love of your life.
James Cohen ‘00 and Maggie Close ‘02 began dating at college in Colorado after they reconnected at a party with other Fieldston alumni. They got married in 2012 and currently live in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn with their daughter Jane, son Milo, and dog Ruby.
Andrew Holm ‘01 and Jackie Harrington Holm ‘01 first met in 7th Grade and became friends in 9th Grade when they began writing for the Fieldston News and had almost every class together. At the end of 10th Grade, they were made co-editors of the News by Bob Montera, sealing their fate. Over many early mornings and late nights in the print shop, they became best friends and eventually started dating in the fall of their junior year. Thankfully, they went to the same college and have now been together for 23 years. These days, they are parents to Gemma H. ’32 and Joey H. ’34, who love Ethical, and Josh who will hopefully be Class of 2040!
Do you have a Fieldston love story? Send it to alumni@ecfs.org.
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