JULY 7 • 2022 | 17

could be killed in the war, when we now 
know how much higher the actual num-
ber was. “The Argentine,
” a paper by Ada 
Glazer presented in 1945, talks about how 
Nazis might find a haven in Argentina, 
which turned out to be the case.
The June 18 centennial celebration was 
extra special because it was the first time 
the group met in person since COVID 
struck in 2020.
Schottenfels, 87, of Pleasant Ridge, did 
not know she would be honored at the 
luncheon. Widowed at 57, she earned a 
master’s degree in social work from Wayne 
State University and worked for many 
years for Oakland Family Services. She was 
a founder of Orchard’s Children’s Services 
and is a past president of the local chapter 
of the National Council of Jewish Women.
Schottenfels joined the Saturday 
Luncheon Club in 1960. Her papers 
have included “The Great City Schools 
Improvement Plan,
” “Continuum,
” “Foreign 
Students” and “Transactional Analysis.”
Alterman, a member since 1990, chaired 
the committee planning the centennial 
celebration, which included a program 
of music by Jewish composers with pia-
nist Alvin Wattles and his trio. Alterman 
served for many years as the Jewish 

Federation’s archivist and was able to find 
some old photos of club meetings, as well 
as some dresses from the 1920s, to deco-
rate the room.
Sixty-five women attended, including 
some former members and relatives of 
deceased members.
Current president Randie Levin of 
Bloomfield Township, who retired as 
director of agency relations for the Jewish 

Federation, joined the club in 2000. 
“What I like best is getting to know 
the members. It’s quite a diverse group 
of women, most of whom I didn’t know 
before,
” she said. “The papers are so inter-
esting. I like that there’s no restrictions of 
what subject is chosen.
”
Levin has presented papers about 
Kalamazoo, her hometown, Orchards 
Children’s Services on the occasion of its 
50th anniversary, and 
Louisa May Alcott. 
Nancy Bechek 
Bluth, former devel-
opment director for 
ADL Michigan, is the 
second generation 
of her family to join 
the club. “My moth-
er was a member 
forever, and her first 
cousin was almost 
one of the original 
members,
” she said. 
She has present-
ed papers on water 
management in Las 
Vegas and the Syrian/
Israeli/American 
alliance providing 
assistance to Syrian 
war refugees. 

Saturday Luncheon Club honored its longest-tenured member, Sally Schottenfels, who joined in 
1960. Around her are SallyJo Levine, Joyce Blum, Carolyn Schreiber, Susan Egly and Lois Frank.

The board of the Saturday Luncheon Club: Carol Ogusky, Lynn Lieberman, Wendy Goldberg, 
Randie Levin (president), Sue Kalisky, Cathy Cantor and Audrey Sobel.

ARNIE COLLENS

ARNIE COLLENS

