LIRIC is run by a group of dedicated, creative volunteers. We govern ourselves through an executive board and formulate our own by-laws, policies and procedures. The LIRIC board is made up of the officers and the chairs of our standing committees. Our curriculum committee designs our programs and arranges for presenters from among our members, Iona faculty and the community at large. All members of LIRIC are encouraged to suggest courses, speakers and presenters and to assist in arranging for them. Our Hospitality committee provides us with daily coffee and cookies, and arranges several luncheons each year, some of which are free. Other volunteers edit or write articles for our newsletter, collect membership checks, arrange trips and special events, even stuff envelopes for mailings. LIRIC also has a paid director who is our liaison with Iona University and oversees daily operations.

Director

• Maureen Arnold

Board Members

• President: Shirley Radcliffe
• Vice Presidents: Linda Levine
• Secretary: Lannie Spalding
• Treasurer: Martha Johnson
• Comptroller: Lois Lovisolo
• Member Liaison: Beth Hofstetter & Dawn Vetrano

Committee Chairs

• Curriculum: Linda Whetzel
• Hospitality: Gail Apfel
• Membership: Lorraine Rosano
• Newsletter Editor: Monica Grey
• Special Events: Kathy Sheldon
• Trip Coordinator: Dianne Heim

Representatives at Large

• Chris McCormick
• Jeanne de Saint Ouen

Course Descriptions: Monday

Newsworthy Topics

7 sessions
October 6, 20, 27;
November 3, 10, 17;
December 1.
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

Each session will delve into recent news stories within a specific field such as geopolitical concerns, finance or scientific advances. We encourage your active participation in this current events course and will leave plenty of time for civil discourse and a lively, informative, cordial discussion.

• October 6: Science w/Joyce Kent
• October 20: U.S. Foreign Policy w/Jim O’Neill
• October 27: Finance w/Seth Thompson
• November 3: Middle East w/Fred Towers
• November 10: The Faces of the Democratic Party 2025 and Beyond w/Chuck Miller
• November 17: Medicine w/Adrienne Weiss-Harrison
• December 1: When Disaster Strikes The Red Cross Answers w/David Gonsalves and Marty Kanengiser

Class Representative: Joyce Kent

Canasta

7 sessions
October 6, 20, 27;
November 3, 10, 17;
December 1.
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

Canasta, a card game in the rummy family, originated in Uruguay and is the Spanish word for “basket” (you gather a “basket-full” of 7 cards for a canasta!). Popular in the US in the early 1950s, it is enjoying a revival as card players discover/rediscover it. Enmeshed in melding, freezing, baiting and signaling, Canasta engages cognitive activity to analyze, strategize and plan tactical moves - all well rewarded when you “go” Canasta!

Since there will be no beginner class in the Spring, join now to learn!

Instructor: Lori Blumenfeld played Canasta in the ‘50s as a teenager and loved the game. She took a refresher course two years ago and discovered that not only did she still love it, but she made new friends with whom she continues to play weekly.

Classical Music’s Greatest Orchestral Works

7 sessions
October 6, 20, 27;
November 3, 10, 17;
December 1.
12:30 – 1:45 p.m.

Gregory Koster, who has been a student of classical music since the early ‘60s, continues his LIRIC presentations Classical Music 101 and What’s Opera, Doc? with a new series featuring The 30 Greatest Orchestral Works. As in the Opera course we will begin each week with a presentation by Prof. Robert Greenberg of The Great Courses, and then listen in depth to the work being discussed. This first series will cover seven works by Vivaldi, Bach, Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. [In future semesters we will move on to the Classical Era, the Romantic Era, and the Twentieth Century.]

Play-Reading

7 sessions
October 6, 20, 27;
November 3, 10, 17;
December 1.
2 – 3:15 p.m.

When the cast of a play meets for the first time they do a "table read." This is a practice in film, television, and theater where the script is read aloud by the cast, often around a large table, to explore the dialogue, character dynamics, and overall flow of the story. That's what we do: we sit around a table and read a play. No acting, just reading. Just for fun. And it is: FUN. Join us for a rollicking good time! This semester’s selections all fall into the category of Romantic Farce, and feature works by Anton Chekov, George Bernard Shaw, and other American and European playwrights. Scripts will be provided.

Presenters: Andrew Harrison, a long-time member of the Play-Reading class, and Alan Dindas, a former teacher of English who directed student productions, will lead the class.

Art Workshop

7 sessions
October 6, 20, 27;
November 3, 10, 17;
December 1.
2 – 3:15 p.m.

LIRIC’s redesigned Art Workshop continues to evolve, providing a friendly, well lighted, atmosphere where you can unleash your inner artist and express yourself. All skill levels are welcome. Some instruction will be provided for beginners and new guidelines suggested for the more advanced. If you enjoy painting, drawing, coloring, even doodling, the Art Workshop is the creative place to be. A list of suggested materials can be provided, or bring what you already have from home, and be prepared to enjoy yourself. For more information contact Gail Apfel at gdapplehead@optonline.net. 

Instructor: Gail Apfel is a graduate of the High School of Music and Art and has participated in classes at the Westchester Art Workshop as well as art classes through Road Scholar and the Hudson River Museum. She chairs LIRIC’s Fine & Performing Arts Committee.

Course Descriptions: Tuesday

NOTE: Tuesday classes do not begin until October 21.

The Rise and Demise of Journalism in America

5 sessions
October 21, 28;
November 4, 18;
December 2.
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

Is the truth on life support in America? Join us for a gripping journey through the collapse of journalism as we know it. In this five-session presentation, we’ll trace the bold beginnings of colonial newspapers, when a single issue could spark government crackdowns, to the golden age of investigative reporting and the rise of the mighty “Fourth Estate.” Finally, we will take a deep dive into today’s turbulent and exhausting media landscape, where truth battles disinformation and the very foundations of a free press are under siege from political, economic, and technological forces. Discover how the story of journalism is, and always has been, the story of America itself – shaped by struggle, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of truth.

Presenter: Jim Fauvell taught at New York Institute of Technology for 39 years and was chairperson of their Communication Arts Department for 15 years.

Fall Cornucopia

5 sessions
October 21, 28;
November 4, 18;
December 2.
12:30 – 1:45 p.m.

As always, this series of unrelated single talks offers an eclectic mix of topics. The
first and last are interactive, so be ready to participate!

• October 21: Getting to Know You
  Presenter: Linda Creary
• October 28: How to Give Memorable Speeches and Eulogies
  Presenter: Dr. Jeffry Haber, LaPenta School of Business
• November 4: The Women in Picasso’s Life and Art
  Presenter: Beth Gersh-Nesic, PhD, art historian, critic
  Director of New York Arts Exchange
• November 18: Demystifying ChatGPT and AI
  Presenter: Rob Kissner, Clinical Lecturer
  Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
• December 2: Chair Yoga: Lecture and Demonstration
  Presenter: Shannon DiNota, Certified Yoga Instructor

Basic Spanish and Beyond

5 sessions
October 21, 28;
November 4, 18;
December 2.
2 – 3:15 p.m.
Meets in the small Lapidus room.

This is a multi-level Spanish language acquisition course highlighting pronunciation, conversation, grammar, readings on varied subjects, and – songs. If you can’t say it, you can sing it!

Instructor: Rosalie Hollingsworth taught Spanish and bilingual subjects in New York City for some 35 years. Afterwards she taught Spanish classes to retired teachers at the UFT. She brings her expertise in both language and music to LIRIC with this class.

Writers’ Workshop

5 sessions
October 21, 28;
November 4, 18;
December 2.
2 – 3:15 p.m.

For those of you who don't get the "writers itch" until later in the day, the Writers' Workshop is for you. Unleash your dormant Tolstoy and Hemingway in a relaxed informal setting. There is a writer within all of us.

Facilitator: Chuck Miller returns as the facilitator of the Writers' Workshop. An educator with five decades of experience, he enjoys writing and creating an environment in which others are encouraged to reengage with their writing talent.

Course Descriptions: Wednesday

Wednesdays are special at LIRIC. Classes are suspended that day to allow for additional intellectual and artistic pursuits off site. The familiar is intertwined with the new in often off-beat adventures to expose our members to things and places that enrich and feed the mind as well as the soul.

We have several exciting trips in the planning stages. Look for flyers in your welcome packets and via e-blast. Trip planner Dianne Heim likes to travel far and near. With so many things to see in the world, Dianne would like to share with you some of those in our own backyard.

Course Descriptions: Thursday

The Law in Theory and Practice

4 sessions
October 9, 16, 23, 30.
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

This 4-part series deals with various aspects of the law.

• October 9: A panel of lawyers, led by Bob Kent and Steven Levine, discusses the legal system.
• October 16: The Honorable John P. Colangelo, Justice, Supreme Court, State of New York (retired), explains to us How Judges Are Chosen.
• October 23 & 30: Alex Eodice, professor emeritus of Iona’s Philosophy Department, presents theories of judicial interpretation (e.g. textualism, originalism, democratic li erty) and shows how they play out in particular cases.

Class Representative: Linda Levine

What We Did in Bed: A Horizontal History

4 sessions
November 6, 13, 20;
December 4.
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

More than an article of furniture, the bed is where we spend one third of our lives. Louis XIV ruled France from his bed. Winston Churchill governed Britain from his during WWII. Tutankhamun was buried on a golden bed. Deceased middle-class Victorians were propped up in their beds for a final photograph. Groucho Marx quipped: " Anything that can't be done in bed isn't worth doing at all." Join Shirley Radcliffe as she looks at the topic of sleep and the varied roles of the bed as researched by archeologists Brian Fagan and Nadia Durrani who wrote the book.

Presenter: Shirley Radcliffe is one of our most popular presenters. After teaching in the New York City public schools for more than 38 years, and ending her pre-retirement at Manhattanville College, she brought her considerable talents to LIRIC where she’s offered courses in literature, language, dining, clothes, pre-Columbian history, art, being WEIRD, Chaucer’s Prologue to The Canterbury Tales as history, Happiness, and most recently, A History of the World in 6 Glasses.

Papal Stories: History and Legends, Saints and Sinners and Heretics

7 sessions
October 9, 16, 23, 30;
November 6, 13, 20.
12:30 – 1:45 p.m.

The Roman Catholic Church and the Papacy, looked to by 1.5 billion people, have existed for nearly 2,000 years, yet almost all of those two millennia are clothed in mystery and ignorance of the facts. Illustrated with 100-150+ slides of paintings, and medieval illuminations and manuscripts, this seven-part series will deal with important moments in the Papacy’s history.

You will learn about: Popes named Leo; Martyred Popes; the Byzantine Papacy and the Frankish Papacy, when Popes were appointed, approved, or dominated by the Emperors; the 10th century crisis that might have destroyed the Papacy; Popes and Crusades; the Western Schism and Avignon Popes; and Popes and the Renaissance.

Presenter: Mark D. Fichtel, raconteur extraordinaire, who recently gave us a series on Lesser-Known Presidents, returns to give us stories about the popes of yore.

Attendees are encouraged, but not required, to read the works in advance; all are welcome.

Course Representative: Kobie Thakar

Mah Jongg

7 sessions
October 9, 16, 23, 30;
November 6, 13, 20.
2 – 3:15 p.m.
Meets in the small
Lapidus room.

Mah Jongg, a tile-based game thought to have originated in China several hundred years ago, spread throughout the world during the twentieth century. While it involves a degree of chance, it is a game of skill, strategy and calculation – all of which you will learn in this class which is open not only to beginners who want to learn the fundamentals but also to those who already know how to play. You will need a 2025 Mah Jongg card, which can be purchased from Amazon, the Mah Jongg League, or at a local store.

Instructor: Linda Levine

Literary Discussion: The Magic and Reality of Mexico

7 sessions
October 9, 16, 23, 30;
November 6, 13, 20.
2 – 3:15 p.m.

This semester many of our readings exemplify magical realism, a genre that blends history, myth, and fantasy. In Pedro Páramo, required reading for Mexican high school students, Juan Rulfo depicts a “world swirling around in his head” in which a man’s search for the father he never knew uncovers an unsettling past. And the characters in Laura Esquivel’s Like Water for Chocolate view the supernatural as intrinsic to daily life. We’ll also explore the long-standing, complicated issue of migration from the perspectives of Mexican and American authors. Sessions devoted to short works by several acclaimed Mexican authors will broaden our exposure to Mexican literature. 

The Westchester Library System owns many copies of the full-length books including some eBook and audio book versions. Paper copies of short works will be distributed the week before they will be discussed. Attendees are encouraged, but not required, to read the works in advance; all are welcome!

• October 9: Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo
  Presenter: Beth Hofstetter
• October 16: Short works (paper copies will be distributed on 10/9)
  Presenter: Linda Whetzel
• October 23: Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
  Presenter: Jeanne de Saint Ouen
• October 30: Short works (paper copies will be distributed 10/23)
  Presenter: Elizabeth Ward
• November 6: Into the Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea
  Presenter Linda Ferruzzi
• November 13: Short works (paper copies will be distributed 11/6)
  Presenter: Kobie Thakar
• November 20: Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle
  Presenter: Barbara Hickey

Class Representative: Kobie Thakar

Course Descriptions: Friday

Lecture Series: Mexico

8 sessions
October 10, 17, 24, 31;
November 7, 14, 21;
December 5.
1 – 2:15 p.m.

Classes meet in Romita Auditorium in Ryan Library on the New Rochelle Campus.

Join us in this series of eight presentations by knowledgeable LIRIC members and Iona faculty as we explore the rich history and culture of our neighbor south of the border.

• October 10: Mexico’s History: The Aztecs and the Spanish
  Presenter: Lois Lovisolo
• October 17: Mexico’s History: From the Defeat of Santa Anna to the U.S. Annexation of Texas
  Presenter: Lois Lovisolo
• October 24: Mexico’s History: The Rise of Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata
  Presenter: Kobie Thakar
• October 31: The Mexico I Love – Language, Culture, and Song
  Presenter: Rosalie Hollingsworth
• November 7: The Three Amigos (Not the Movie): Cuarón, Iñárritu, del Toro and the Rise of Mexican Cinema
  Presenter: Dean Defino, Director of Film Studies
• November 14: The Indigenismo Art of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera
  Presenter: Kristy Caratzola, Arts and Languages Department
• November 21: Indigenism and Literature
  Presenters: Jimena Perry, History Department Nereida Segura-Rico, Former Iona Faculty Member
• December 5: South of the Border: Mexican Immigration
  Presenter: James Carroll, History Department

Please note that this is an abbreviated program as we were not able to find rooms for all the dates on which we have lectures.

Film Course: Mexico on the Movie Screen

5 sessions
October 10;
November 7, 14, 21;
December 5.
2:30 – 4:45 p.m.

Classes meet in Romita Auditorium in Ryan Library on the New Rochelle Campus.

From the silent films of yesteryear to the streaming platforms of today, the connection between Hollywood and Mexico has been a complex interplay of art, culture, politics, and commerce. For decades, Hollywood has ventured south of the border for cost-effective production services, while Mexican talent has traveled north for better opportunities. As the world’s fourth-largest movie market, Mexico serves as a training ground for shaping the modern movie landscape.

• October 10: And Starring Poncho Villa as Himself, 2008, 110 minutes
  This re-make of an early silent film made by D.W. Griffith at the behest of Poncho Villa who wanted to raise money and present a heroic image of himself of himself as Mexico’s Robin Hood, stars Antonio Banderas and Alan Arkin.
• October 17: No Class
• October 24: No Class
• October 31: No Class
• November 7: Roma, 2018, 135 minutes
  Directed by Alfonso Cuarón, this award-winning film focuses on a Mixteco housekeeper who nurtures her employer’s children through their parents’ impending divorce while dealing with her own unwanted pregnancy.
• November 14: Maria Candelaria, 1944, 96 minutes
  This classic award-winning melodrama, starring Dolores del Rio, tells the story of a
  poor indigenous couple who long to marry despite the obstacles in their way.
• November 21: Like Water for Chocolate, 1992, 105 minutes
  Based upon the novel, this is a cinematic example of magic realism. When Tita is
  prevented from marrying Pedro, he marries her sister to be close to her, and she
  takes to fantastical cooking.
• December 5: Sin Nombre (Without a Name), 2019, 96 minutes
  When a young woman tries to emigrate to the U.S. with her estranged father, their
  journey is interrupted when she meets a pair of Mexican gang members on the same
  American-bound train.

Instructor: Cheryl Passavanti is a learning facilitator and lecturer on current topics about and through film. A frequenter of film festivals and film clubs, she has brought her expertise to the New Rochelle Resource Center, the Adult Education on program in New Rochelle, and, in the last few years, to LIRIC.

Class Representative: Lorraine Rosano

Summer Intersession at a Glance: Tuesdays and Fridays 

Four Tuesdays: June 3, 10, 17, 24

Temple Israel of New Rochelle
1000 Pinebrook Boulevard
New Rochelle, NY

11 a.m.—12:15 p.m.
YESTERDAY AND TODAY

12:15—1 p.m.
LUNCH

1—2:15 p.m.
LIRIC LIGHT

Four Fridays: June 6, 13, 20, 27

Romita Auditorium in Ryan Library on Iona’s New Rochelle Campus

2—4:45 p.m.
FILM COURSE

Tuesdays:  June 3, 10, 17, 24

Temple Israel of New Rochelle
1000 Pinebrook Boulevard
New Rochelle, NY

YESTERDAY AND TODAY

11 a.m.–12:15 p.m.

While most of these classes are history-oriented and will be held at the Temple, the June 10 class will be held off-site at New Rochelle High School’s Planetarium. See details below.

June 3 

Norman Rockwell’s Westchester Years
Presenter: Barbara Davis, Director, Westchester County Historical Society

June 10 

Trip to New Rochelle High School Planetarium
Signup at Temple on 6/3 for spot on our bus. Bus departs from Temple parking lot at 10:30 a.m. Show begins at 11; no late entry. If you drive yourself, note that parking is limited and will require walking.

June 17 

1775: The Shot Heard Round the World
Presenter: Lois Lovisolo

June 24 

Napoleon: Enlightened Reformer Undone by Unbridled Ambition
Presenter: Robert Henrey

LIRIC LIGHT

1–2:15 p.m.

Learn and have fun at this eclectic mix of afternoon classes!

June 3 

Creatures of the Sea
Presenter: Dianne Heim

June 10 

Stories in Glass: The Temple Windows
Presenter: Shirley Radcliffe

June 17 

Trivia
Choose a table and a team when you get here and compete to see which team knows the most answers to the questions posed by Joyce Kent.

June 24 

Performance: The Bedquilt
Presenter Michėle LaRue returns, this time with stories about Aunt Mehitabel’s journey to self-respect, universal admiration, and the realization of her ideal.

Fridays: June 6, 13, 20, 27

FILM COURSE

2–4:45 p.m.

Iona University, New Rochelle
Romita Auditorium in Ryan Library

Join us to see those movies we had no place to watch this spring! Cheryl Passavanti returns to talk about movies from the late ‘40s and ‘50s that reflect our changing world. Even if you’ve seen these movies before, learn something new about them, and enjoy the communal experience with other LIRIC members.

June 6

The Day the Earth Stood Still
(1951, 92 minutes)

June 13

Double Indemnity
(1944, 107 minutes)

June 20

The Rose Tattoo
(1955, 117 minutes)

June 27

Pillow Talk
(1959, 102 minutes)

Mondays

Great Decisions

8 Sessions

March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31;

April 7, 21, 28

10:30-11:45 A.M.

Great Decisions is a course sponsored by the Foreign Policy Association that encourages people to learn about and discuss U.S. foreign policy. Each session includes a 30-minute DVD for background and then a discussion led by LIRIC members. Although it is not required, participants who wish to get the most from the course should purchase a copy of the Great Decisions Briefing Book ($35.00 + shipping) and do the readings for each class. Copies may be ordered directly from The Foreign Policy Association by calling 1-800-477-5836 between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, or online at www.fpa.org/greatdecisions.

• March 3
  • America at a Global Crossroads
  • Presenter: Jim O’Neill
• March 10
  • The Evolution of U.S. Leadership in the Global Economy
  • Presenter: Andrew Harrison
• March 17
  • U.S. – China Relations in Tense Times
  • Presenter: Paul Zerzan
• March 24
  • India Between China, the West, and the Global South
  • Presenter: Jim O’Neill
• March 31
  • International Climate Cooperation in an Era of Geopolitical Turmoil
  • Presenter: Fred Towers
• April 7
  • The Future of NATO and European Security =
  • Presenter: Adrienne Weiss-Harrison
• April 21
  • A.I. and American National Security
  • Presenter: Paul Zerzan
• April 28
  • American Foreign Policy in the Middle East: Taking Stock and Looking Ahead
  • Presenter: Fred Towers

Canasta

8 sessions

March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31;

April 7, 21, 28

10:30-11:45 A.M.

Canasta, a card game in the rummy family, originated in Uruguay and is the Spanish word for “basket” (you gather a “basket-full” of 7 cards for a canasta!).Popular in the US in the early 1950s, it is enjoying a revival as card players discover/rediscover it. Enmeshed in melding, freezing, baiting and signaling, Canasta engages cognitive activity to analyze, strategize and plan tactical moves - all well rewarded when you “go” Canasta!

Instructor:

Lori Blumenfeld played Canasta in the ‘50s as a teenager and loved the game. She took a refresher course two years ago and discovered that not only did she still love it, but she made new friends with whom she continues to play weekly.

Why Not Wine? What is it, where does it come from, how do you buy it?

4 sessions

March 3, 10, 17, 24

12:30-1:45 P.M.

This course is designed for anyone who would like a better appreciation of wine. How is it made and where? What are the characteristics of wine grapes and the regions in which they are grown? How do you cut through all the promotional hype and buy wine for your own enjoyment? We shall end with a tasting which will focus on just four of the most popular varieties.

Presenter:

John Ward has been a wine drinker since his student days in Paris in 1962, and his appreciation is informed by a degree in chemistry. On Cape Cod in 2010 he organized a 30-person monthly wine-tasting group which is still running. In addition, he attended Cornell’s Cuvee course and has made wine himself from Winexpert kits.

Author! Author!

4 sessions

March 31;

April 7, 21, 28;

12:30-1:45 P.M.

March 31

Four authors talk to us about their books, how they came to write them, and where you can get them.
Shen’s Unlikely Journey: From Confucian China to the

Court of Louis XIV The telling of a carefully researched historical event with added fictional elements

Ten free copies of the book will go to people who really want to read it and will make the time to do so! Information on how to purchase it in paperback or on Kindle will be provided. Author: Robert Henrey, who’s spoken at LIRIC on language and culture.

April 7

Painful Joy: A Holocaust Family Memoir

A journey of discovery about the author’s parents, both Holocaust survivors who met after their liberation, including their lives before the war, what they lost (everyone) and endured during the Holocaust and the traumas that remained.

Copies of the book ($20 cash or check) will be available for sale and signing by the author. Also available from Amazon.
Author:Max J. Friedman, LIRIC member

April 21

The Art of Trader Joe’s: Discovering the Hidden Art Gems of America's Favorite Grocery Store
Embracing the intersection of art and pop culture, this book uncovers the secret and surprising stories behind the art at Trader Joe's, from the store's product packaging to its handmade murals and signs. Copies of the book will be available for sale and signing by the author. The cost is $25 for paper and $35 for hardcover, and it’s available on Amazon.br> Author: Julie Averbach, who’s given us tours of MOMA, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Paris, and the Art Institute of Chicago.

April 28

The Path to Immortality
An in-depth examination of the “secret” knowledge of immortality according to the ancient wisdom of the East
Author: Wenling Wang is a lifelong Tai Chi practitioner and a Yoga instructor.

Play-Reading

8 Sessions

March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31;

April 7, 21, 28;

2- 3:15 P.M

A plethora of playwrights have set their works in vibrant, cosmopolitan New York City, and this semester we will take a look at four of them – some familiar to you, some not -- chosen last summer by longtime course instructor Len Poggiali.

All LIRIC members are welcome to come and read the plays aloud (scripts will be provided) or to sit and listen. After a while, the listeners often become readers, but the readers never seem to become strictly listeners. This is not an acting class, so little direction to a single reader is ever given, except a very rare and very gentle, “A little louder, please.” The readings are arranged so that everyone who wants to read gets a chance to do so, and “missing” a class is never an issue.

• March 3 & 10
  • A Thousand Clowns by Herb Gardner
• March 17 & 24
  • A Memory of Two Mondays by Arthur Miller
• March 31 & April 7
  • My Sister Eileen by Joseph Fields and Jerome Chodorov
• April 21 & 28
  • Laura by Vera Caspary and George Sklar

Presenter: This semester the class will be led by Andy Harrison, one of a quartet of enthusiastic members who have stepped up in the absence of a formal instructor.

Note: This spring we are seeking an individual interested in Theater and willing to pre-read and select a short series of plays for the Fall 2025 semester and beyond. If this sounds like you and you’re willing to do a little extra work, please contact Curriculum Chair Linda Whetzel, 718-324-1120, lroemerw@aol.com.

Art Workshop

8 sessions

March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31

April 7, 21, 28

2-3:15 P.M.

LIRIC’s Art Workshop has evolved from a Watercolor Workshop into a multi-media Art experience. All skill levels are welcome. If you enjoy painting, drawing, coloring, even doodling, the Art Workshop is the creative place to be. Unleash your “inner artist” and express yourself in a friendly, well lighted, atmosphere. A list of suggested materials can be provided, or bring what you already have from home, and be prepared to enjoy yourself.For more information contact Gail Apfel at gdapplehead@optonline.net.

Instructor: Gail Apfel is a graduate of the High School of Music and Art and has participated in classes at the Westchester Art Workshop as well as art classes through Road Scholar and the Hudson River Museum. She chairs LIRIC’s Fine & Performing Arts Committee.

Tuesdays

Tai Chi

7 sessions

March 4, 18, 25

April 1, 8, 22, 29

9-10 A.M.

Pre-registration and an additional fee of $56.00 are required for this class. The registration form is at the end of this catalog.

Tai Chi, as it is practiced in the west today, can perhaps best be thought of as a moving form of yoga and meditation combined. In Chinese philosophy and medicine, “chi” is a vital force that animates the body; thus one purpose of Tai Chi is to enhance the health and vitality of the practitioner. Tai Chi also fosters a calm and tranquil mind by focusing on the precise execution of the exercises.
Learning to do them correctly provides a practical method for improving balance, posture, alignment, fine-scale motor control, rhythm of movement, and breathing. Tai Chi has been recommended as an adjunct therapy for chronic pain, arthritis, insomnia, asthma, high blood pressure, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis and fibromyalgia.

Instructor: Domingo Colon is the owner of the Tai Chi School of Westchester in Bronxville. He has been practicing Tai Chi since he was fifteen, and is the teacher of other Tai Chi masters as well as a frequent judge at Tai Chi competitions.

A Memoir-Writing Workshop

7 sessions

March 4, 18, 25;

April 1, 8, 22, 29

9-10:15 A.M.

Right now, you can begin to re-experience, and reflect on, the work of your life – the exciting, wonderful, and even the unhappy events. Your grandmother’s cookies. The house that nurtured you for years and years. A special and meaningful person. A dear friend. A diving catch at a Little League baseball game. A crocheted afghan made with Mom, Grandma or Aunt Bea.

In this class, we sit and recall events that to others might mean little, but to ourselves are filled with richness. Through recollection, reflection, creation, you can return to a special day, a week, a year — experiences that you are invited to remember and put on paper via memoir writing.

Contact the instructor at billwerth@aol.com to register for this limited enrollment class.

Instructor: Bill Wertheim has taught both memoir writing and poetry workshops throughout Westchester for over ten years. He holds a BA in English Literature from Columbia, an MA from SUNY Stony Brook, and is currently at work producing a volume of his poetry and writing his own memoirs.

The Science Corner

5 sessions

March 4, 18, 25;

April 1, 8

10:30-11:45 A.M.

This five-session series will explore the mind, the body, and the ethical issues that can arise when they intersect. To begin with, however, we’ll hear from Joyce about Forensic Anthropology

• March 4
  • I have a Bone to Pick with You: How Forensic Anthropology Solves Crimes
• March 18 & 25
  • Ethical Issues in Contemporary Society Presenter:
  • Joyce Kent, who coordinated this program, is the retired chairperson of Science at New Rochelle High School where she introduced a course on Bioethics.
• April 1 & 8
  • Addiction
  • These two sessions will delve into the complexities and contradictions of how addiction is understood in the medical, psychological, and sociological communities. The effects of framing addiction as a moral issue will be touched on, as will the nuanced definitions of abuse, dependence, and addiction.
  • Presenter: Noelle Elia is a retired psychotherapist with 30 years experience. With a B.A. in Psychology from Iona and an MSW from Columbia, she spent the early part of her career working in Montefiore’s Substance Abuse Program.

Television from the 1950s through the 1980s and its Impact on American Culture

2 sessions

April 22 and 29

10:30-11:45 A.M.

As someone who grew up in the early days of television, your childhood memories as well as your current behavior were likely significantly shaped by this new medium. These two classes will take a closer look at how early television likely influenced your experiences.

• April 22
  • 1950s: The Golden Age
  • 1960s: Social Change
• April 29
  • 1970s: Pushing Boundaries
  • 1980s: Commercialization and Fragmentation
• Presenter: Jim Fauvell taught at New York Institute of Technology for 39 years and was chairperson of their Communication Arts Department for 15 years.

What’s Opera Doc? – How to Listen to and Understand Opera

7 sessions

March 4, 18, 25;

April 1, 8, 22, 29;

12:30-1:45 P.M.

This series will provide a listener’s introduction to Opera as a unique marriage of words & music plus theatrical staging in which the whole is greater than its parts. Each session will begin with a presentation by Prof. Robert Greenberg (The Great Courses), followed by excerpts from one of the operas discussed on the DVD.We will begin with two sessions of Introduction, featuring Puccini’s Turandot and Bizet’s Carmen.Then two sessions on the Bel Canto style of opera, featuring Rossini’s Barber of Seville; two sessions on the Verismo style, featuring Puccini’s Tosca; the final session will be an introduction to German Opera, with a surprise finale.

Presenter: Gregory Koster, LIRIC’s jazz expert, has been a classical fan since the early ‘60s and presented a course called Classical Music 101 at LIRIC in 2019-2020.

Basic Spanish and Beyond

7 sessions

March 4, 18, 25;

April 1, 8, 22, 29;

2-3:15 P.M

This is a multi-level Spanish language acquisition course highlighting pronunciation, conversation, grammar, readings on varied subjects, and – songs, If you can’t say it, you can sing it!

Instructor: Rosalie Hollingsworth taught Spanish and bilingual subjects in New York City for some 35 years. Afterwards she taught Spanish classes to retired teachers at the UFT. She brings her expertise in both language and music to LIRIC with this class.

Spring Salmagundi

7 sessions

March 4, 18, 25;

April 1, 8, 22, 29;

2-3:15 P.M.

This series of unrelated talks ends a long day, but it has something for everyone – so stick around if a topic appeals to you. (There’s a surprise for you on the very last day.)

• March 4
  • Securing Your Legacy: Estate Planning Basics
  • Presenter:Seth Thompson, CFP, Financial Advisor Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
• March 18
  • More Than Bunnies and Easter Eggs: The Origins and History of the Celebration of Lent and Easter
  • Presenter:Rev. Vaughn J. Fayle, Arts & Languages Department
• March 25
  • Give Back, Get Inspired: A Panel on Local Volunteer Opportunities
  • Coordinators: David Gonsalves and Marty Kanengiser April 1 The 7th Regiment of N.Y. & the Park Avenue Armory Presenter: Brigadier General (ret’d) Thomas J. Principe
• April 8
  • The National Debt: Issues and Implications
  • Presenter:Ted Francavilla
• April 22
  • The End of British Colonization in India
  • Presenter:Kobie Thakar
• April 29
  • Congratulations and Happy Birthday! The History of Greeting Cards
  • Presenter: Jo-Anne Weinberg

Wednesday

Wednesdays are special at LIRIC. Classes are suspended that day to allow for additional intellectual and artistic pursuits off site. The familiar is intertwined with the new in often off-beat adventures. The goal is to expose our members to things and places that enrich and feed the mind as well as the soul.

Space is limited, so LIRIC members receive first priority. Information about our trips is included with this catalog. Trip planner Dianne Heim likes to travel far and near. With so many things to see in the world, Dianne would like to share with you some of those in our own backyard.

Spring trips at a glance, with the deadlines to register, so you can make your plans.

Thursday

Music: Meaning and Morality

4 sessions

March 6, 13, 20, 27

10:30-11:45 A.M. 

Music occupies a unique and central role in human experience; its meaning far exceeds its entertainment value. As an art form, music is not only a source of immense pleasure, it necessarily contributes to, reflects, and, in some instances, is identified with a cultural ethos; as embedded in religious ritual, it has spiritual significance; it characteristically defines individual, societal, and generational thought and behavior; and it embodies features that give rise to human emotions. In such respects, music also bears a unique relationship to morality. It contributes to (or may detract from) the cultivation of virtues and the development of moral character; it enhances our understanding of good and evil; it informs our sense of right and wrong and inspires actions that have moral value.
Through a consideration of classical and contemporary philosophical sources as well as listening to various forms of music, this course examines the place of music in lived experience and considers its normative dimension as a source of moral influence.

Presenter: Professor Emeritus Alex Eodice hails from the Philosophy Department of Iona University, where he served as department chair.

A History of the World in 6 Glasses

4 sessions

April 3, 10, 24;

May 1

10:30-11:45 A.M

Thirst is deadlier than hunger, and for most of human existence water satisfied our thirst, but in the past 10,000 years six manufactured beverages have emerged almost as important. Beer. Wine. Spirits. Coffee. Tea. Coca Cola. These 6 have been used as currency, in religious rites, as political symbols, markers of status, and sources of artistic inspiration among other functions. According to Tom Standage, author and editor at The Economist, they have influenced global history.

Using Mr. Standage’s book as a guide, in these four classes one of our favorite
presenters will be taking us from the Stone Age through the twenty-first century by way of a metaphorical glassful of each.

Presenter: Shirley Radcliffe, in addition to being LIRIC’s president, is one of our most popular presenters. After teaching in the New York City public schools formore than 38 years, and ending her pre-retirement at Manhattanville College, she brought her considerable talents to LIRIC where she’s offered
courses on literature, language, dining, clothes, pre-Columbian history, art,being WEIRD, Chaucer’s Prologue to The Canterbury Tales as history, and most recently, Happiness.

Lesser-Known Presidents

4 sessions

March 6, 13, 20, 27;

12:30-1:45 P.M.

Most people know the last few presidents, as well as Washington, Lincoln, and a few others. Our speaker, Mark Fichtel, has chosen eight more late 19th century, early 20th century presidents that he believes are not well-known and will tell their stories in entertaining and well-illustrated talks.

• March 6 James Garfield and Chester Arthur,
• March 13 Grover Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison,
• March 20 William McKinley and Howard Taft,
• March 27 Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge.
• Presenter:Mark D. Fichtel

African Colonization

3 sessions

April 3, 10, 24

12:30-1:45 P.M.

In the 1880s European nations “scrambled” for colonies in Africa. The first European country to discover its vastness and wealth was Portugal, and today six African nations use Portuguese as their national language. King Leopold II of Belgium, whose exploitation and brutality are legendary, held the Congo as his personal colony from 1885 to 1908 when it was given to the Belgian government. The Congo became independent in 1960 and decades of killing and instability followed. Now, in the twentyfirst century, China and Russia are making inroads throughout the continent. Is their involvement improving the lives of the African people?

Presenter: Lois Lovisolo is one of our most popular speakers, as well is a member of the Curriculum Committee and LIRIC’s Comptroller. In past semesters she has presented informative classes on the history and geography of many countries of the world and this semester she takes on Africa.

Literary Discussion: A Selection of Notable Works

7 sessions

March 6, 13, 20, 27;

April 3, 10, 24.

2– 3:15 p.m.

Last summer the New York Times canvassed literary luminaries asking them to identify the best works of the first quarter of the twenty-first century. The Times published a list of the one hundred works named most often. Unsurprisingly, readers had mixed reactions. The Times received letters expressing appreciation for some of the works included in the list, dismay over omissions, or a combination of the two, and they published a list of the one hundred works most often extolled by readers. This spring, the Literary Discussion class will provide LIRIC members the opportunity to share thoughts and feelings about some of the works included in at least one of the two lists. As in prior semesters, we can explore themes, character development, favorite scenes, and craftsmanship; in addition, let’s discuss whether we agree that the work merits recognition for literary excellence.

• March 6 Olive Kitteridge, by Elizabeth Strout
  • Presenter: Kobie Thakar
• March 13Small Things Like These, by Claire Keegan
  • Presenter: Beth Hofstetter
• March 20 Bel Canto, by Ann Patchett
  • Presenter: Kobie Thakar
• March 27 Short works by Alice Munro (distributed on 3/20)
  • Presenter: Rick Leibert
• April 3 Homegoing, by Yaa Gyasi
  • Presenter: Paulette Gabbriellini
• April 17 Short works by Lydia Davis and George Saunders (distributed on 4/3)
  • Presenter: Jeanne de Saint Ouen
• April 24 James, by Percival Everett
  • Presenter: Linda Whetzel

Attendees are encouraged, but not required, to read the works in advance of the session in which they are discussed. All are welcome!

Mah Johngg

7 sessions

March 6, 13, 20, 27;

April 3, 10, 24.

2– 3:15 p.m

Mah Jongg, a tile-based game thought to have originated in China several hundred years ago, spread throughout the world during the twentieth century.While it involves a degree of chance, it is a game of skill, strategy and calculation – all of which you willlearn in this class which is open not only to beginners who want to learn the fundamentals but also to those who already know how to play. You will need a 2024 Mah Jongg card, which can be purchased from Amazon, the Mah Jongg League, or at a local store. Also obtain a 2025 card as we will use it in April.

Friday

Lecture Series: The Mid-Twentieth Century (1945-1959): A Changing World

6 sessions

March 7, 14

April 4, 11, 25;

May 2.

1– 2:15 p.m.

Bob Dylan may not have written the times they are a changin’ till 1963, but in fact the world was changing a number of years before that, as most of us can attest. World War II ended, but the Cold War began and schoolchildren were taught to “take cover” under their desks. Consumerism ruled, Levittown was built, and people moved to the suburbs. Truman integrated the military and the Supreme Court outlawed segregation in the schools. Radio was eclipsed by a media called television, and now you could see the Lone Ranger instead of just hearing him. The beatnik era began, with writers and artists rejecting mainstream culture and values. Globally, a modern state of Israel was founded and colonialism waned as countries gained independence. We lived it; now hear from the experts about this era.

• March 7 Advances in Medicine and Health Care Presenter:
  • Professor Kavita R. Dhanwada, Dean, New York-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences
• March 14 Post-War Prosperity and the Emergence of a New Middle Class
  • Presenter: Professor James T. Carroll, History Department
• March 21 No Class
• March 28 No Class
• April 4 The 1950s: Hollywood’s Best and Worst Decade
  • Presenter: Professor Dean Defino, Director of Film Studies
• April 11 The Rise of Television in Post WWII America
  • Presenter: Professor Mitchell Bard, Chair, Media & Strategic Communication Department
• April 25 The Founding of Modern Israel, 1945-1949
  • Presenter: Rabbi Evan Hoffman,
  • Congregation Anshe Sholom in New Rochelle
• May 2 The Abstract Expressionists and Beatnik Counter-Culture
  • Presenter: Dr. Kristy Caratzola, Arts & Languages Department

Film Course

3 sessions

March 7, 14;

April 11.

2:30 – 4:45 p.m.

Please note that this is an abbreviated program as we were not able to find rooms for all the proposed dates. The remaining four films will be shown in Romita on four Fridays in June.
Mid-century America saw many changes. The end of WWII brought prosperity to some and disillusionment to others. 'Rosie the Riveter' could do a man’s job, but would domesticity fulfill this mid-century woman? There was television and time-saving appliances, but also the atomic bomb. The fear of nuclear annihilation and the threat of communism fueled the Cold War and ignited the Red Scare, McCarthyism, blacklisting, and the Korean War. On the home front, Brown versus the Board of Education made segregation unconstitutional, and Brando transformed classical acting into the method. The times indeed were changing

March 7

• The Front,1976, 95 minutes
• This movie provides a context for what happened in the ‘50s, when actors, writers, and directors were blacklisted because they were accused of being communists.

March 14

• On the Waterfront,1954, 108 minutes
• With an absolutely stellar cast (Brando et al.) and directed by Elia Kazan, we see the violence, corruption and racketeering on the waterfrontof the 1950s.

March 21, 28, and April 4

• No Class

April 11

• The Defiant Ones ,1958, 96 minutes
• The film tells the story of two escaped prisoners, one white, one black, who are shackled together and must cooperate to survive. It stars Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier, both of whom were nominated for Academy Awards.

Instructor: Cheryl Passavanti is a learning facilitator and lecturer on current topics about and through film. A frequenter of film festivals and film clubs, she has brought her expertise to the New Rochelle Resource Center, the Adult Education program in New Rochelle, and, in the last few years, to LIRIC.

Class Representative: Lorraine Rosano

The films to be viewed in June are:

• The Day the Earth Stood Still 1951 92 minutes
• Double Indemnity 1944 107 minutes
• The Rose Tattoo 1955 117 minutes
• Pillow Talk 1959 102 minutes

Four Thursdays: January 9, 16, 23 & 30

YESTERDAY AND TODAY or CANASTA
11a.m.-12:15 p.m.

Lunch
12:15-1 p.m.

THE ARTS or MAH JONGG
1-2:15 p.m.

11 a.m.– 12 :15 p.m.

CANASTA

In the Lapidus Room.

YESTERDAY AND TODAY 

January 9

John Jay and Jay Heritage: Achieving Sustainability at Historic Sites Through Accessibility and Inclusion

Presenter: Suzanne Clary, President, Jay Heritage Center

January 16

Save the Sound

Presenter: David Ansel, VP of Water Protection

January 23

Freedomland U.S.A. More Definitive History

Presenter: Mike Virgintino, Author (Note: A different talk on Freedomland than his last one — and lots more memorabilia!)

January 30

Westchester Politics and Issues

Presenter: Judah Holstein, Westchester District 10 County Legislator

1-2:15 p.m.

MAH JONGG

In the Lapidus Room.

THE ARTS

January 9

The Most Famous Non-famous Musical Film Star: The Secret Singer

What do West Side Story, The King and I, and My Fair Lady have in common?
(Note: This first class runs until 2:30 p.m.)

Presenter: Louise Edeiken

January 16

Biblical and Martyred Women in Western Art

Presenter: Mark D. Fichtel

January 23

More Biblical and Martyred Women in Western Art

Presenter: Mark D. Fichtel

January 30

North American Indian Art

Presenter: Jack Rosenbluth