Around Town

Watertown Group Hosts Panel “Concerned Jewish Faculty Speak Out On Palestine, Israel & Resistance”

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The following announcement was provided by Watertown Citizens for Peace Justice & the Environment:

The Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice & the Environment, Working Group for Peace & Common Security is hosting a panel discussion entitled “Concerned Jewish Faculty Speak Out On Palestine, Israel & Resistance” at the First Parish Church on Wednesday, May 28th at 7 p.m.

Jewish Faculty Speak Out on Palestine, Israel, and Resistance

Please join us as members of Concerned Jewish Faculty discuss Jewish resistance to Israel’s policies, Jewish support for Palestinian rights, and Jewish support for protest over Palestine in the U.S.

PROFESSOR MARJORIE N. FELD, Professor of History, Babson College

Author of The Threshold of Dissent (2024) which chronicles the long history of American Jewish dissent over Israel and Zionism & argues for the value of open and safe conversations and criticism to a healthy American Jewish communal life. PROFESSOR JONATHAN FEINGOLD, Associate Professor of Law, Boston University

Expert in antidiscrimination law, affirmative action, and education law. He has analyzed the spread of discriminatory censorship laws designed to demean inclusionary values. Host of #RaceClass Podcast. PROFESSOR MNEESHA GELLMAN, Associate Professor of Political Science, Emerson College

Author of Misrepresentation and Silence in United States History Textbooks: The Politics of Historical Oblivion.

Around Town

CAAW Dragon Boat Holds First Practice — Community Invited to June 8 Celebration

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Watertown’s Dragon Boat Team. The following announcement was provided by the CAAW:

The Chinese American Association of Watertown (CAAW) proudly announces the successful first practice of its new dragon boat team, the CAAW Night Herons, held this past weekend in preparation for the upcoming Boston Dragon Boat Festival. The launch marks an exciting new chapter for community engagement through cultural tradition, athleticism, and teamwork. This milestone was made possible thanks to the generous support of the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Watertown Cultural Council. To continue the spirit of celebration, CAAW invites the entire Watertown community to save the date: Sunday, June 8 for a family-friendly cultural celebration.

Around Town

Vietnam Veterans Raise POW/MIA Flag at Greek Church’s Memorial Day Celebration

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The following piece was provided by Peter Vergados:

Memorial Day Celebration, Sunday, May 18th, at the Taxiarchae Greek Orthodox Church, Bigelow Avenue, Watertown, MA included Raising of the POW/MIA Flag. Color Guard was the Civil Air Patrol Cadets from the MA Wing located at Hanscom AFB. Hoisting the flag was Charles Kalivas, an Army Veteran who served in Vietnam 1967-68. Assisting was Leader of the Veteran’s Ministry, Peter J. Vergados, who also served in Vietnam as a Forward Air Controller (FAC). Charles Kalivas arrived in country at Cam Rahn Bay March, 1967.

Entertainment

Armenian Museum Kicks Off New Concert Series, Music in Color, With Acclaimed Violinist

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The following information was provided by the Armenian Museum of America:

The Armenian Museum of America is proud to announce the launch of Music in Color, a dynamic new concert series and Artist-in-Residence program led by acclaimed Armenian-American violinist Haig Hovsepian. This exciting initiative, generously supported by Nancy Kolligian, aims to bring engaging musical experiences to the Museum’s Adele and Haig Der Manuelian Galleries while deepening public connection to Armenian culture through music. Kicking off the series, Hovsepian will be joined by Chilean-American pianist Matias Nestor Cuevas for a powerful inaugural performance that promises both artistic excellence and cultural depth. Armenian violinist Haig Hovsepian will play at the Armenian Museum of America. The Music in Color: Artist-in-Residence Program is designed to foster meaningful engagement with the Museum’s exhibitions through live performance, educational elements, and cross-cultural collaborations.

Schools

Perkins Employee Receives Award for Outstanding Contributions to Special Education

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Cristy Lonardo, Coordinator of Residential Living at Perkins School for the Blind. The following announcement was provided by the Mass. Association of Approved Private Schools:

On Thursday, May 1, the Massachusetts Association of Approved Private Schools (MAAPS) held its annual spring board meeting and awards ceremony, spotlighting teaching excellence and outstanding contributions to special education over the past year. 

Cristy Lonardo, Coordinator of Residential Living at Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, was presented the Albert E. Trieschman Direct Service Award, acknowledging superior direct service contributions to special needs children by a clinician, specialist or child care worker. For over a decade, Lonardo has demonstrated exceptional commitment to the residential program at Perkins, fostering a nurturing and open environment that builds trust among families and where creativity flourishes. Cristy’s ongoing participation in special events showcases her investment in the broader community and her advocacy for students with complex needs.

Around Town

Beth Israel Lahey Health Offering Urgent Care in Watertown

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Members of the Urgent Care Watertown BILH/HMFP Team. Beth Israel Lahey Health announced that urgent care services are now available at the Beth Israel Lahey Health (BILH) Care Center – Watertown. The site, located at 480 Pleasant Street, opened last year. In addition to urgent care, the care center also offers primary care and specialties including obstetrics & gynecology, orthopedics and radiology. 

The urgent care services will be provided by physicians from Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians. Primary care is provided by BILH Primary Care clinicians and specialty services are provided by Mount Auburn Hospital clinicians. 

“By expanding the BILH Care Center – Watertown to include urgent care, we are bringing high-quality emergency care into the community,” said Alex Barker, president, BILH Medical Group.

Schools

College Students from Watertown Earn College Honors, Graduate

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Students from Watertown earned honors at Lasell and Wisconsin, and graduated from Stonehill, and Texas. The following information was provided by the colleges and universities:

Honors

Lasell University

The Spring 2025 Dean’s List includes students who have completed at least 12 credits as a full-time student in that semester and have achieved a semester GPA of 3.5 or higher. Georgy Arshakyan of Watertown MA

Kayleigh Dore of Watertown MA

Alicia Karunaratne of Watertown MA

Theo Jacobs of Watertown MA

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Phi Kappa Phi, Chapter 021, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, initiated 101 students and 3 honorary members into the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society this year, including Watertown’s Cecelia Maillis. 

The 105th Phi Kappa Phi Induction Ceremony, was held on April 27 in Tripp Commons; Evjue Centennial Professor Douglas McLeod was the keynote speaker speaking on “News Coverage of Social Protest in a Polarized Political Landscape.” Honorary membership was granted to three UW-Madison faculty/staff: McLeod of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication; Pete Keys, Associate Director for Admissions & Engagement for the College of Letters & Science Honors Program; and Diana Rodriguez-Gomez, Assistant Professor in the Department of Education Policy. Phi Kappa Phi recognizes the achievements of the most outstanding students in every school and college at UW-Madison.

Schools

Local Students Launch “Unpacking History”: A Mobile Holocaust Memorial

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The following announcement was provided by the Jewish Community Day School of Greater Boston:

The Jewish Community Day School of Greater Boston (JCDS) proudly invites the public to experience a unique and moving museum exhibit: Unpacking History – A Mobile Holocaust Memorial. Developed by the JCDS Class of 2025, this innovative traveling exhibit was created by teens, for teens to educate and inspire a new generation about the realities of the Holocaust. Sponsored by the renowned educational organization Facing History and Ourselves, Unpacking History approaches Holocaust education in a thoughtful, age-appropriate way. The exhibit aims to combat rising antisemitism and Holocaust denial by empowering young people to learn, reflect, and take a stand against hate. The exhibit features powerful storytelling, personal artifacts, and interactive elements, encouraging visitors to connect deeply with the past while considering their role in shaping a more just future. “This isn’t just a school project,” said one student curator. “It’s our response to a world where too many people are forgetting — or even denying — what really happened.