Village View November 2023 Inside Village Traditions Summer at a Glance
Introductions
A pasture walk leading to neighboring Schaghticoke land.
Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson enjoys a nice evening in the backyard of Capella House.
We’re delighted to welcome Brian Wilson to Camphill Village. Brian arrived in October, and has so many interests that he loves to talk about. He made quite an introduction when he juggled for the crowd during our Family Day gathering in the Hall. Welcome, Brian!
Welcome, New Coworkers! Fall is a busy time in Camphill Village, when we welcome so many new faces who are here to volunteer in our community or study in the Camphill Academy. We’re looking forward to spending the “ber” months in our households and workspaces with our new friends!
Debora Machado Damasio, Adam Smith, and Amelie Binder harvest some of the last of our Roma tomatoes in the lower vegetable garden.
Jose Avendano Cruz from Colombia
Max Loesing from Germany
Pia-Leonie Beckmann from Germany
Franziska Maier from Germany
Amelie Binder from Germany
Siphosthu Albright Mpofu from South Africa
Kim Clasen from Germany
Tasheni Mutale from Zambia
Debora Machado Damasio from Brazil
Amberle Reyes from United States
Aline Etzold from Germany
Michael “Daniel” Rodrigues from South Africa
Franziska Hoese from Germany
Romeo Schoppe from Germany
Matthias Klampfl from Austria
Aaron Schwanenberg from Germany
Jorinde Klenzendorf from Germany
Theodor Cornelius Sthamer from Germany
Marie-Cacile Klose from Germany
Joana Weiler from Germany
Tom Leibfarth from Germany
Maurice “Ting” Yeh from United States
Summer at a Glance
Willem Hallstein takes a dip in the Village swim pond.
Susan Freeman, Karolina Kreutzer, Annie Meharg, Myriam Bucher, and Emma Schmidt enjoy a picnic supper at our swim pond.
With a rainstorm rolling in, Shady Shafik, Andrea Baring, Finot Selassie, and Elizabeth Chalakani enjoy herbal tea, Egyptian music, and a spirited game of backgammon on the Capella House patio.
Joan Hill, Dominic Garofolo, Karolina Kreutzer, Mike Davis, and Kim Warga sample local produce on the porch of Copake General Store.
Asha Elhassan dances to a live band during a going-away party we threw for Jess Albright in human resources.
Chris Cardillo rides to Millerton on a section of our beloved Harlem Valley Rail Trail. Photo by Kerst de Jong.
Anne Beal, Helen Wolff, and Lynn Liao prepare ice cream sundaes for Teresa Yasuda’s 70th birthday.
Lu & Alena’s August Wedding
O
n the second weekend in August, we welcomed Alena’s family from Pittsburgh and Lu’s family from Argentina so we could all properly celebrate the union of two wonderful community members. Alena held a vibrant bouquet of flowers prepared by Lia, Lu wore a bespoke linen suit tailored by our friend Shawn, and Zile did the couple’s lovely wedding makeup. Our choir sang, and Makiko and her mom played music
during the ceremony, which was officiated by Mimi and translated to Spanish by Laura. Finally, we all enjoyed a tiered cake that was created by our friend SaraMae while we gathered on our grounds that were so meticulously groomed by members of the Estate Crew. Our community came together in such a show of love as Lu and Alena embarked on their beautiful life together. We wish them the very best!
The happy couple cuts the cake!
Cathy Fleming, Rukin Shivdasani, Zach Gastman, Roy Tau, Lindsay Mead, and Ricky Hauptman dressed to the nines.
Aspen housemates Diego Rodriguez, Elizabeth Dewart, Sheila Adelman, Lu & Alena, Oliver Dawdy, Laura Meza, and Matthew Holtz pose together. (Susie Taube was on vacation.)
Lu & Alena move to celebrate after taking photos with family.
Mimi Raymond, nurse and friend Chelsea Meister, and David Wadsworth attended the wedding together.
Lindsay Johnston meets Alena’s sister Julia.
Photos courtesy of Irena Valujeva
P l a c e s We G o Latvia
Dance, Nature, and Cultural Splendor A small group from Camphill Village traveled over the summer to Latvia to experience the country’s rich history and culture, stunning palaces and natural beauty, and to witness a very special festival that welcomes tens of thousands of performers and spectators every five years into Latvia’s capital city Riga. Irena Valujeva, Nadja Jiquet and her daughter Lyra, Nora Nickle, and Mishka Zuckerman attended the Nationwide Latvian Song & Dance Festival together, saw parades around the event, visited museums, and traveled the countryside for almost three weeks spanning late June and mid-July. The main attraction, of course, was the festival—celebrating its 150th year— but the group made the most of every day. “Irena and Nadja thought it was good for me to come to Latvia with them because I haven’t been to other countries since I was a baby in Bulgaria, where I was born,” said Nora, who described a meaningful experience seeing Bulgaria represented during the festival along with other Balkan and Baltic nationalities. “I saw the people from Bulgaria actually dancing and singing in the Bulgarian language. It made me feel like I had the goosebumps.”
The Latvian costume parade in Riga kicked off the festival.
The sets and stages erected throughout Riga—along with the costumes, music, and crowds—composed a spectacle that celebrates a strong tradition of music in Latvia, where Irena is from. The group of travelers also attended a flute and organ concert in the Riga Cathedral, where lives the renowned Dome Pipe Organ, an ornate instrument whose earliest predecessor was once the largest in the world before it was lost to a fire in 1547. It has been rebuilt several times over the last few centuries, and welcomes eminent pipe organ musicians from across the globe.
A linden leaf spa treatment in the countryside. The felt hats prevent body heat from escaping.
Forty thousand dancers from across the region performed throughout the week.
They also visited an amber exhibit; amber is Latvia’s “Every day was really national stone, and Irena has fond memories of digging amber as a child. The group participated in a felting special.” - Irena Valujeva for workshop (and returned a second time because they Once outside of Riga, the group took day trips while staying with Irena’s mother, who is still in Latvia. The group visited the Park of Senses in Latvia’s National Park, where they left their shoes behind to experience different surfaces like mud, a small stream, sand, and wood for almost two hours. Their senses were ignited further at a countryside sauna. “The spa was nice and cozy,” said Mishka. “We laid on benches inside.” The benches were all covered in herb leaves, and each of our travelers was wrapped in healing herbs and received a soothing massage with soft brooms. They collected linden flowers to infuse the water for the hot stones used in their sauna treatments, and rested with mugs of linden tea and honey by a wood fireplace. Nora and Nadja opted to take a swim in the pond before departing the sauna premises. The group visited palaces, and enjoyed a day buried in sand on the beach at Riga’s Bay. They attended an exhibit featuring 500 mittens and gloves knitted by more than 260 participants from 10 countries.
Enjoying the rose garden at Rundale’s Palace.
enjoyed it so much), saw an amazing sand sculpture exhibit, and did ceramics. Wherever they traveled, there was art to create and behold. What’s more, there were many storks enjoying the summer weather from their giant nests overlooking the roadways and countryside. “It was awesome seeing a lot of things like Latvian stores, and the fountain,” said Mishka. “My favorite thing was the Latvian clothes. They were colorful.”
Irena is looking forward to returning to Latvia with our friend Brooke next time, and she was glad to create new friendships with Mishka and Nora this time around. “We have become very good friends,” she said. “Every day was really special.” Nora says she enjoyed seeing so many things, and hopes to return to Europe to check off the next destination on her list: Spain.
Nora, Mishka, Nadja, and Lyra at a ceramic sculpture park in Jelgava near the Lielupe River.
Irena’s friend Zaiga, who visited Camphill Village in 1999, teaches ceramic workshops.
The group stayed with Irena’s mom for several nights an hour from Riga. This breakfast included fresh cherries from her garden.
Visiting sand sculptures made for the International Sand Sculpture Contest. The theme this year was “Songs.”
Great fun visiting the Gnome City in Tervete Park.
Specialty coffees and pastries at a café in Riga.
Nora and Nadja mimicking paintings at the National Art Museum.
Nora, Mishka, and Irena on a barefoot sensory path at a park. Jelgava Palace is the home of the Latvia University of Agriculture, where Irena graduated college..
Nora with two performers in traditional Latvian costumes..
Nora and Mishka with one of many ornate fireplaces at Jaunmoku Palace.
Photos courtesy of Julie Boothroyd
A New England Excursion Over the summer, the Care Group in Camphill Village decided it was high time that Anne Gordon, Mike Davis, Paul Marcuse, and Julie and Stephen Boothroyd kick back on the beaches of Cape Cod and enjoy a beautiful New England vacation. The group had a whale of a time witnessing some really exciting humpback whales, and spent their evenings enjoying the beach at sunset before relaxing with books and music in their rental house. This latesummer treat was such a nice way to button up the season before returning to our busy fall Village life.
Mike enjoying the open ocean.
One of many exciting scenes on our whale watching tour. A social seal in the harbor.
Stephen and Anne, and Paul and Julie getting their feet wet. We enjoyed lounging at sunset!
Julie brought Mike and Paul out for a barbershop experience.
A lovely trip!
Stephen, Anne, Mike, and Paul aboard the vessel.
Festivals & Celebrations Michaelmas The four Camphill communities of Columbia County gathered at Camphill Ghent’s beautiful KeeShoh Meadow in September for music and presentations in celebration of Michaelmas Advent is a special time when we look forward to celebrating the Holy Nights and enjoying each Day. It was our first time all gathering in one other’s company amid the warmth of the season.place for the festival since we converged upon the Churchtown Dairy eight years ago. We had such a nice time visiting with our close friends and mingling with new ones from Camphill Ghent, Triform Camphill Community, and Camphill Hudson in the spirit of community.
Holy Week
Emily Gerhard and Marian Scharr lead us all in song.
Magdalena Szewczykowska, Elvira Neal, Franziska Hoese, and Anne Beal sing during Camphill Copake’s presentation.
Candlemas Sparkling ice luminaries, choir music, and poetry provided much warmth during our Candlemas Day celebration. Each year, we turn our focus and energy inward during the darker weeks of fall and winter. And we gather on February 2nd to appreciate the increasing light and the meaningful ways we’ll apply our energy in the coming seasons.
Elisabeth Cooper, Marian Scharr and a fierce dragon (Finot Selassie) encircle Emily Wallach before the Archangel Michael tames her inner dragon. Michaelmas is also a day when we bake fresh fall pies and other pastries, enjoyed here by Peter Richards.
The altar was beautifully decorated with vibrant flowers, fruits, pumpkins, and gourds.
Finot Selassie and her sister Sebene pose with their cousin Ayu (middle).
Family Day
We had such a nice time welcoming our families and close friends to the Village for our Family Day gathering in October. We celebrated anniversaries and milestones, learned about how our farmers are transforming conventionally farmed land in Copake to fertile biodynamic soil; enjoyed photos of an exciting New England whale watching expedition and dreamy Cape Cod sunsets. Some escaped the rain in Fountain Hall after lunch, and Liri and Ilan performed awesome live music for us while we played corn hole and Sarit gave us henna tattoos. Many thanks to our presenters, and to MCs Finot and Matthias!
Ilan and Liri Ronen performed music in Fountain Hall while we stayed out of the rain.
Marty Hunt presented 50th and 60th Village anniversaries of several community members, including Michael Strochak’s 50th. Shady Shafik introduces Brian Wilson, who juggled for us, to our families.
Paul Marcuse and sister Jeannette play corn hole in the Hall.
Alexandria Laskaris was happy to celebrate the day with her sister Franziska and brother-in-law Obi.
Brandon LeMay with his father Serge outside of Fountain Hall.
Sarit Ronen applies a glittery tattoo to the hand of Amanda Balducci.
Elizabeth Chalakani was excited to have her mom Sara in the Village. Matthias Poynder-Meares and Finot Selassie did a terrific job MCing!
Sara and Frank’s Fall Matrimony
S
ara and Frank were married on a rainy October Saturday, surrounded by so many from our community who gathered in Fountain Hall to wish them well. Our friends waited for several months to have a reception following their legal marriage, and Ted prepared a heartfelt and funny introduction of how they met and grew together over time. A choir assembled for the occasion rehearsed during the week before performing
two pretty songs; Lia made beautiful arrangements using flowers from the gardens in Camphill Village; and the rain let up long enough to enjoy the vibrant colors surrounding the Hall. Frank’s family, who visited from Austria, and Sara’s children Amber and Ian, enjoyed a week of outings in New York City with the newlyweds for their honeymoon; we would expect nothing else from our friends, who care so much for the people around them.
Tijen Wilson, Sipho Albright Mpofu and Maria Charlotte Logan has been working with Frank in the Bakery for several years. He’s a Tasheni Mutale on the dance floor. wonderful workspace leader, and his fellow bakers were so happy for him.
Tom Miano and Elisabeth Cooper enjoy Nora Nickle and Alexandra Laskaris cut apple cider and the fresh cakes baked a rug. by our households.
Willem Hallstein rests his head on Rochelle Sternthall’s shoulder following the ceremony.
Frank and Sara peer down the aisle after exchanging vows and rings.
Karen Jane Hayden, who visited from Camphill Ghent, poses with her longtime partner Danny Miller, Sara, Ted, and Frank on the Hall patio.
Village singers, led by Lia Babitch.
Fresh breads, pies, and a bowl of fresh concord grapes adorn the table during our Michaelmas Day feast in 1999.
Traditions
Ricky Hauptman prepares and delivers Tammy Berman’s chamomile tea every morning during tea break in the Woodshop.
There’s something so enjoyable about connecting outdoors over neighborhood lunch, community-wide picnics, and household meals.
From picnics and farmer breakfast to the maple sap runs we look forward to each spring, the traditions of our community are largely what bring us together and make life in Camphill Village extraordinary. We’ve been so fortunate over our 62 years to be able to create a strong community here in our valley, and our generous donors have been supporting these special moments for decades. People of all abilities are deserving of a fulfilling life that includes not just the basics that sustain us, but opportunities for creativity, lifelong friendship, and engagement in a community they help to shape over time—one where they can see their friends thrive and where they are truly at home. Camphill Village has always been a place where it’s safe to commute or joyride on a bicycle.
Lulu Viets and Charlie Willmore enjoying one of our favorite seasonal pastimes—New England beach vacations.
Our Giving Tuesday campaign this year aims to explore just some of the dozens of traditions that we hold dear in Camphill Village, many of which are passed down to the younger generations in our community by those who have made their home here in Copake for 40, 50, and even 60 years. Your donations to our annual fund make possible so many vital aspects of Village life that our contract with the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities does not. We hope you’ll follow our Giving Tuesday campaign at the end of the month, and support us by giving or sharing with friends before Giving Tuesday on November 28th. Thank you keeping Camphill Village in your hearts all year long, and enabling our community members to create new traditions all the time.
Tra d iti o n s
Hover your phone camera over this QR code to donate online.
Nathan Collins works on a jigsaw puzzle while Bill Spillman waits for others to join him in Argo House for farmer breakfast.
Wendy Amash poses with David Wadsworth, Mimi Raymond, and Robbie Haynes in Ita Wegman House during National Direct Support Professional Recognition Week.
Moments
Alan Rozensweig turned 80 in October, with his brother Howie and sister-in-law Corina by his side. Roy Tau, who used to live with Alan, told us all about how Alan wants to meet people everywhere he goes. “If he’s on a ship, it’s not about the ship; it’s about the Captain,” he said.
Ben Bruschke encourages a calf to stand and walk with its mother after a rest on the way from the pasture to the barn.
Elvira Neal and Ricky Hauptman cut into Ricky’s beautiful tiered chocolate cake on his 70th birthday.
Bakers Sara Wolff and Alex Franzak pour organic honey over dried figs, cranberries, apricots, and raisins in preparation for our holiday fruit cakes.
Aaron Burstein and Tom Leibfarth create designs for Camphill’s annual holiday cards in Juniper House. Photo by Emily Gerhard.
Laura Meza prepares an awesome shakshuka lunch in Columbine House using tomatoes, eggplant, and herbs from our gardens. Elizabeth Chalakani and Zach Gastman clear a crop of basil from the garden to make room for our fall garlic planting.
We learned so much from Hawk Storm, who walked us through the Schaghticoke land in Copake that he and others are working to restore.
building over his lifetime. He loved his family, and was inspired by the goodness and spirit of his former wife, DeLayne. He was very close to his son Adam and Adam’s wife Eliza. Ben, an only child, helped to parent the many children —often from Africa—that DeLayne invited into their home. They fostered children from Eritrea, Uganda, Botswana, and Malawi. As a young man, Ben’s deep spirituality led him from his hometown in Missouri to a Roman Catholic seminary in Virginia, where he realized within a year that he didn’t want to pursue life in the priesthood. Ben’s ability for identifying the need for reform led to several changes in the seminary’s policies. He sought community—and community with meaning— in every step of his life. This included during the 20 years he spent working for the United States Air Force in Wiesbaden Germany. There, he made many German friends, and joined a theater group. Later, while working as the business manager for the Episcopal Divinity School in Boston, he became involved in the Thich Nhat Hanh Buddhist community in Cambridge.
Ben Matlock June 5, 1947 - July 18, 2023 Ben touched countless lives in his 76 years and we will miss him dearly. Ben had an eye for beauty and a knack for creating it. He was a wonderful friend and mentor, and helped people find the spiritual in the everyday. He was also a dedicated partner and husband to Ted.
By this time Ben and Ted had finally gotten together. They had met in Rome when Ben was 40, but saw each only very occasionally. Then there was a period of eight years when there was no contact at all. Coming together finally with Ted, his true partner, when he was 50 years old was liberating. While on a Buddhist retreat in France, Ben and Ted met Marc Blachere from our community. They were very curious, and it wasn’t long before they had visited and then settled in the Village. They led Kaspar House, one of our care houses, with joy and enthusiasm for 12 years before retiring to Willow House five years ago.
Ben’s heart, good nature, intellect and warmth Ben pursued and enjoyed learning in academic welcomed many friends of all ages and settings, and appreciated opportunities to put backgrounds into his life at every stage. He was a his education into practice, whether it was his problem solver and a gifted communicator. Each of master’s in business administration, talents in us is fortunate to have shared a space with Ben in the German language, or the spiritual lessons he this community. collected over his many decades. Ben was inspired by the American Civil Rights Movement, and with his husband Ted supported Camphill’s Racial *The biography above is an abridged version Justice Group. Ben also had a lovely tenor singing of the biography Marty Hunt prepared and voice and was a great asset to the Village choir. After being raised an only child, Ben sought community and opportunities for community
presented in July.
Lizbeth Folger December 23, 1958 - July 2, 2023 Lizbeth also worked in the weavery. She was always willing to fill in on different jobs when needed. She and her mother, Rita, developed a closer relationship as they grew older. Lizbeth, whose speech was difficult to understand, spoke eloquently on the telephone, especially with her mother. Her home in this intergenerational intentional community allowed her to develop all kinds of relationships, including her connections to friends on the other side—she knew when her friend Camilla had died, for instance, and her mother.
Lizbeth spent the entirety of her childhood living in a home for children, and moved to Camphill Village at the age of 20. This existence of hers set her on a quest for “home” throughout her 60 plus years.
Her quest, her question of “home” is now to be answered as she finds her way to her spiritual place of origin. May she rest there, welcomed into the arms of love.
“Where is home?” “Is this your home?” “Will you visit my home?” Over the years here and in her travels, she began to finely distinguish the house, the hotel, the home. Lizbeth dove into life in Camphill with laughter, humor, and some grumpiness. She had a tender side, a loyal and faithful side. She loved music, bell choir, and singing. Her work in the woodshop was described by Kerst de Jong. “She came late but once she got onto ‘her machine,’ drilling the holes for the trivets, she was reluctant to leave at lunchtime!” Lizbeth swam easily and naturally. Helen Wolff told the story of her husband Carl taking her to the swim pond. Lizbeth jumped right in and swam to the other side, and it was clear she possessed a great skill. Vacations to Lake George, and to Cape Cod with Matt and Ingrid, allowed Lizbeth to indulge in swimming.
*The information in the biography above was prepared by Reverend Mimi Coleman from the Christian Community in HIllsdale, and edited for this publication.
Camphill Village Copake 84 Camp Hill Road Copake, NY 12516
Front cover: Tony Bacon and Michael Desmond rake fall leaves near Aspen House. Back cover: Michael Desmond and Luciana Villa Funes jump into a leaf pile before they’re delivered for compost.
Please recycle.
