By Christina Staudt
Apr. 26, 2017: The Friends of Sarah Lawrence College Library invite the community to a screening of the documentary Dear Babe on Friday, April 28, at 4:00 pm. A conversation between the filmmaker, Rosanne Ehrlich, and Sarah Lawrence College film professor Robin Starbuck will follow the one-hour film. The event will take place in the Heimbold Visual Arts Center and will include a reception afterward with the filmmaker.
When Mike Siegelbaum joined the army in 1943, he left behind his pregnant wife, Hazel, and their young daughter, Rosanne. Almost every day for two years--during basic training and from the European front--Mike wrote a letter to Hazel, beginning each one with "Dear Babe." His daughter, a Sarah Lawrence College alumna, took this salutation as the title for the documentary she created based on these letters after her father's death. Intertwined with the reading of the letters are World War II newsreels, archival footage, family pictures, and interviews with Hazel and other family members. The result is a simultaneously personal and universal story.
The film follows Mike, an idealistic young Jewish-American man who joins the war to fight fascism but transforms into a disillusioned man who has witnessed the horror of the Holocaust during the liberation of the Ohrdruf concentration camp. It is the story of one soldier's life, with events elevated to universal significance in Mike's anecdotes about army life and his commentaries on patriotism, race, and the purpose of war, and in the deep love and longing he shows for his family back in America.
The event is free and open to the public. Registration is requested but not required; for more information and to make reservations, contact Janet Alexander, 914-395-2432 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Bronxville is a quaint village (one square mile) located just 16 miles north of midtown Manhattan (roughly 30 minutes on the train) and has a population of approximately 6,500. It is known as a premier community with an excellent public school (K-12) and easy access to Manhattan. Bronxville offers many amenities including an attractive business district, a hospital (Lawrence Hospital), public paddle and tennis courts, fine dining at local restaurants, two private country clubs and a community library.
While the earliest settlers of Bronxville date back to the first half of the 18th century, the history of the modern suburb of Bronxville began in 1890 when William Van Duzer Lawrence purchased a farm and commissioned the architect, William A. Bates, to design a planned community of houses for well-known artists and professionals that became a thriving art colony. This community, now called Lawrence Park, is listed on the National register of Historic Places and many of the homes still have artists’ studios. A neighborhood association within Lawrence Park called “The Hilltop Association” keeps this heritage alive with art shows and other events for neighbors.
Bronxville offers many charming neighborhoods as well as a variety of living options for residents including single family homes, town houses, cooperatives and condominiums. One of the chief benefits of living in “the village” is that your children can attend the Bronxville School.
The Bronxville postal zone (10708, known as “Bronxville PO”) includes the village of Bronxville as well as the Chester Heights section of Eastchester, parts of Tuckahoe and the Lawrence Park West, Cedar Knolls, Armour Villa and Longvale sections of Yonkers. Many of these areas have their own distinct character. For instance, the Armour Villa section has many historic homes and even has its own newsletter called “The Villa Voice” which reports on neighborhood news.
Link to Village of Bronxville One Square Mile Monthly Newsletter
Village of Bronxville Administrative Offices
337-6500
Open 9:00am - 4pm excluding holidays and weekends
Bronxville Police Department
337-0500
Open 24 hours
Bronxville Parking Violations
337-2024
Open 9:00am - 4pm excluding holidays and weekends
Bronxville Fire Deparment
793-6400