Dear Fellow Members,

It is hard to believe it is still Winter as I write this basking in the glorious sunshine. We are looking forward to welcoming in Spring and Summer with a host of wonderful events that our Board is busy planning. It is these events which enable us as members to meet new friends, share international experiences, and foster new relationships. Future events include: a visit to the Orchid Display at Longwood Gardens, A Seat at the Table Exhibition at The Kimmel Center and a Preservation Alliance of Philadelphia Walking Tour, in addition to our potlucks, happy hours, language coffees and book club. We strive to facilitate many varied experiences for our members to connect with each other. These events are chiefly made possible through the hard work of Annette Meertz, Director of Programs, and Irene Boden, Activities Coordinator, thank-you to you both. To continue to prosper as an organization we rely on our members to

volunteer their time, homes and expertise and for that we are truly grateful.

On behalf of The Board I would like to take this opportunity to formally welcome Reshma Munshi as the Club’s Newsletter Editor and Limin Shen as our acting Membership Director. Both Reshma and Limin are settling well into their respective roles and we are all looking for-ward to working together. I would also like to thank Andrea Biberger and Christine Jaskulski, who have both recently resigned from the Board, for their contributions to the IWCP and wish

them both well with their future endeavors.

I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome our newest club members and hope you find the IWCP as enriching as I have. It was the vison of our founding members, Patrica Macfadyen and Peg Robb back in 1989 who as expats felt that Philadelphia was lacking an “International Women’s Club” to welcome and support women away from their home coun-tries to promote “friendship, cooperation and understanding among women”. I am delighted to announce we currently have 156 members, representing 37 countries, and are in our 31st

year which is wonderful.

Lastly, Karin Steinbrenner our Webmaster, has been diligently tweaking the functionality of our website https://iwcp.wildapricot.org and is pleased to announce that 154/156 members have logged on to the site at least once. It has also been used very successfully by our mem-bers for online payments. Also, on behalf of member feedback “you spoke, we listened” please look out for wildapricot training materials and in person training opportunities that will

be available in the upcoming months.

I hope to see many of you at one of our wonderful events soon.

In Friendship,

Kathryn Bessemer

IWCP Newsletter Member Welcome Clubs International

International

Women‘s C lub of

Phi ladelphia

Calendar at a Glance: March

12 German Coffee & Happy Hour In the

City

18 Orchid Extravaganza, Longwood

Gardens

19 Italian Conversation & Book Club

25 Potluck Lunch

26 Happy Hour In the Burbs

29 Expat Potluck Dinner

April

02 French Speakers Bistro

09 German Coffee & Happy Hour In the

City

14 Potluck Lunch

15 A Seat at the Table Exhibition, Kimmel

Center

16 Italian Conversation

23 Book Club

25 Expat Potluck Dinner

30 Happy Hour in the Burbs

May

07 French Bistro

14 German Coffee & Happy Hour in the

City

20 Potluck Lunch

21 Italian Conversation

28 Happy Hour in the Burbs

31 Expat Potluck Dinner

Inside this issue:

Greetings!

1

Orchid Extravaganza 2

Birthdays 2

Coffees/Bistros 2

Potluck Luncheons 3

Expat Potluck Dinners 3

Kimmel Center Exhibition 3

Historical Walking Tour 4

Book Clubs 4

New Members

Happy Hours

Save the Date!

4

4

4

2020 Issue

Greetings from our President

IWCP Newsletter: March, April, May 2020 Page 2

Orchid Extravaganza: Indoor Color, Outdoor Calm

March 18 - Wednesday Longwood Gardens 1001 Longwood Rd, Kennett Square An orchid display like no other in the US, featuring more than 5000 bloom-ing orchids. Enjoy the diversity of the orchid family in full bloom as Long-wood Gardens celebrate the legacy of their extraordinary orchid collec-tion. Explore a Conservatory trans-formed into a lush oasis of thousands of orchids, with an exciting addition showcasing a beautiful representation of the Phalaenopsis “big lip” breeding lines, displayed for the first time at

Longwood.

German-Speakers Coffee 2nd Thursday, 10:30 am

March 12

Annette Meertz - max. 15

610-220-2663

annette.meertz@gmail.com

April 9

Eva Jackson

484-524-2701

NoelEvaJackson@comcast.net

May 14

Helga Russ-Neubert

610-986-3105

Helga.neubert@outlook.com

May 08 Ingrid Brown 10 Jayne Hunt, Wallis Urmenyhazi, Eva Wattenmaker 13 Cindy Spurdle 16 Bodil Tuma 22 Anette Friedeborn 23 Christine Calbry, Giuliana Pierson 25 Mary Treisbach 30 Chris Jaskulski 31 Iris O’Connor

March 01 Lydia McAuliffe 03 Ursula Schaufler 07 Maria Sturm 09 Tanja Praefcke 15 Nell Daniels 16 Reshma Munshi 21 Cornelia Vieira 22 Andrea Castro, Lucia Huegel 24 Andrea Biberger, Patricia Fernandez 26 Helen Philipps 28 Genevieve Biscardi

April 04 Catia Nadalutti 09 Johanna Williams 11 Louise McCabe 13 Helma Godell

French-Speakers Bistro:

1st Thursday, 11:30 am

April 2

Johanne Lamarche

610-220-2086

frenchgardener@comcast.net

May 7

Geneviève Nicole Lewis

267-601-2297

gnicole1934@yahoo.com

For any language coffee or Bistro - no need

to be a native or fluent speaker, only inter-

ested in speaking the language!

Italian Conversation

3rd Thursday

March 19, 3 pm

Erica Plotegher

215-760-2382

ericaplotegher1@gmail.com

April 16, 11:30 am

Susan Stearn

484-888-0616

susanstearn@gmail.com

May 21, 12 pm (noon)

Anna Steininger

610-239-9097

jabluebellpa@gmail.com

11 am - Meet at Longwood Gardens (Ticket counter) ‘Orchid Extrava-

ganza’

Admission - $25 / $22 for Seniors www.longwoodgardens.org

12 pm (noon) - Lunch at Longwood Gardens Cafe after viewing the Or-chid Extravaganza. Lunch to be paid individually. Register and pay www.iwcp.wildapricot.org by March 11, 2020

Organizer: Annette Meertz - Annette.meertz@gmail.com 610-220-2663

Page 3

March 25 (Wednesday)- max. 20

Irene Boden 610-212-3414 iuboden@yahoo.com Guest Speaker: Dr. Concha Alborg, author of ‘My Mother, That Stranger, Letters From the Spanish Civil War’. Originally from Spain, Dr. Concha has lived in the USA since 1960.

Potluck Lunches

Expa t Pot luck Dinner wi th or wi thout a Fr iend

March 29 (Sunday) - 6:30 pm max. 20 Hostess: Luciana Aspesi 484-716-2673 Luciasp312@gmail.com

Women and Equality : Then and Now

April 15 - Wednesday

Kimmel Center

300 South Broad Street

Philadelphia, PA 19102

10:45 am - Meet in Lobby

11 am – 12 pm (noon) - Visit Exhibit – self guided tour

FREE EVENT. ‘Seat at the Table’ is a modern installation, com-

memorating the 19th Amendment – women’s right to vote – and

asking 100 years later, “Where are we now?”

12:15 pm - Lunch at The Cheesecake Factory – 1430 Walnut Street – 2 blocks from Kimmel Center. Lunch $17.00 incl. tax & tips – see menu below: 1) Crusted chicken Romano or Chicken Piccata or Orange Chicken 2) Avocado Toast with fresh Avocado, Tomato, Arugula 3) California Guacamole Salad: Mixed greens, Avocado, Tomato,

Corn, Black Beans, Onion, Radish

4) Fresh Basil, tomato, cheese Flatbread Pizza

Choose one when registering online.

Register on www.iwcp.wildapricot.org by April 8 with your

choice of lunch and payment of $17.00 per person

Organizer: Chris Jaskulski - moveforwardconsulting@gmail.com

May 31 (Sunday) 6 pm max. 12 Hostess: Jacqueline Yates 610-389-5125 jacquelinecyates@gmail.com

April 25 (Saturday) 6 pm max. 12 Hostess: Gila Mohadjer 989-430-3457 Gila.mohadjer@yahoo.com

Since these events are very popular, attendance is limited to 25 unless spec-ified otherwise. Please contact your hostess well in advance and decide what kind of dish to bring, appetizer,

salad, entrée, or dessert.

May 20 (Wednesday) 12:30—max. 15

Aurora Lopez 610-999-8444

auroralope@verizon.net

April 14 (Tuesday) - max. 15 Lucia Menz 484-474-7518

Lucia-menz@lucia-menz.de

Remember to also bring a bottle of wine!

Explore an exhibition linking the past to the present, connecting historical stories with contemporary issues. Visitors will experi-ence the current status of gender equality in the United States through 3D infographic furniture. The goals are to raise aware-ness and start conversations around women’s suffrage and its ties to current social movements, and to inspire the next genera-tion of civic engagement working toward gender equality. Get inspired by stories about 18 pioneering women from an array of arenas over the past one hundred years and more, who have

been and continue to be agents of change.

Welcome New Members

Save the Date:

Annual Business Dinner

Monday, June 1

Radnor Hotel

more info soon

May 12 - Tuesday

Preservation Alliance Caroline Slama – Contact

215-546-1146 Ext. 4

Cost $20 per person – need at least 5 persons 10 am - Meet Jerry Silverman – our tour guide 215-463-4994 At: Rebecca Gratz Club building (outside)

532 Spruce Street, Philadelphia Tour lasts about 1 ½ - 2 hours and ends at: 4th and Spruce Street, near starting point

12:15 pm - Lunch at ‘Frieda’ 320 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106 215-600-1291 Lunch to be paid individually. Please register and pay on

www.iwcp.wildapricot.org. Organizer: Annette Meertz Annette.meertz@gmail.com

The objective of IWCP is to welcome women of all cultures to the Philadelphia area and to promote friendship, cooperation and understanding.

Visit us on the web at

www.iwcp.wildapricot.org

Happy Hour

After 5

IN THE CITY:

2nd Thursday - 3/12, 4/9, 5/14

5-7 pm

Liberte Lounge, Sofitel Hotel,

120 S. 17th Street, Philadelphia

Please contact Monika Panger

215-755-7655 or

mmpanger@1919ic.com

IN THE BURBS:

Last Thursday - 3/26, 4/30,

5/28

5:30-7pm

Glenmorgan Bar & Grill

Radnor Hotel

593 E. Lancaster Ave., Wayne

Please contact Cindy Spurdle

610-213-2833 or

cspurdle@verizon.net

Organized by the Preservation Alliance of Greater Phila-delphia, this walking tour brings to life the Philadelphia experience of Eastern European Jews who settled in the area from 2nd to 6th Streets and Spruce Street south to Christian Street, at the turn of the 20th century. Explore their humble synagogues and homes and learn about their

thriving marketplaces that became prominent businesses.

Book Club 1 pm - Parc Rittenhouse, 7th floor lounge

Thursday, 03/19

Passing, by Nella Larsen.

This book is currently being made into a film by Rebecca Hall. Discussion facilitated by Jennifer. Since this is a short novel, Susan

suggests adding another novel Quicksand,

by the same author.

Thursday, 04/23

When the Crawdads Sing, by Della Owen

(Discussion facilitated by Donna)

Please RSVP to Susan :

610-731-1760

sgatzertsnyder@gmail.com

Jewish Immigrant Philadelphia: A Walk down History Lane

Page 4 IWCP Newsletter: March, April, May 2020 Issue 3

Sharon Furda, from Malaysia, sharonfurda@gmail.com Barbara Lynn, from The USA, barbjane@gmail.com Lori Randall, from Canada, lori.randall@hotmail.com Angelica Riley, from Ukraine, angelicariley@yahoo.com Teresa Santini, from The USA, terry.fassi@libero.it Nujhat Scott, from Pakistan, Dr_najat@yahoo.com

Save the Date:

Website Training

Wednesday, May 6

Details to follow