1. Mystic Seaport and Mystic Aquarium, October 6
2. Thomas Paine Cottage & Museum, October 27

Mystic Seaport Museum & Mystic Aquarium
Picnic Lunch at the Seaport
October 6, 8:30 a.m. - ~ 6 p.m.

Stroll through Mystic Seaport on a docent-led tour of this recreated seaport village and discover how America’s maritime past shaped life today. The buildings, originals dating from the 1800s, were transported to the Mystic Seaport Museum from locations around New England. They house many maritime trades of that era—from ship smiths and coopers to woodcarvers and riggers. After your tour, enjoy a picnic lunch with beautiful views of the water, then board the bus to travel 1.5 miles to Mystic Aquarium.

Tour the aquarium at your own pace. Mystic boasts the largest outdoor beluga whale habitat in the U.S. Special exhibits include Stellar sea lions, a ray and shark touch pool and an African penguin exhibit. The gallery is home to thousands of unique and colorful fish - from the central 35,000-gallon exhibit featuring eels, tangs and many more, to habitats featuring pufferfish, sea slugs and one of the most diverse displays of jellyfish around.

The cost of the trip will be $125. Please contact Suzanne Page at spage@iona.edu for details on how to reserve your spot. Reservation forms must be mailed in by September 22. If you make a reservation but find you cannot attend, we will do our best to find a replacement for your spot from the waitlist. Because we pay for tickets in advance, refunds are only possible if we can replace you. Replacements can only be made from the waitlist; you may NOT organize your own replacement.

The bus company will require proof of vaccination. The bus departs at 8:30 a.m. and returns at approximately 6 p.m.

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Thomas Paine Cottage & Museum
North Ave. and Sicard Ave.
October 27, 11 a.m.

Drive or Carpool, Bring You Own Lunch

Your fully guided tour begins in the cottage. On the first floor, learn about Thomas Paine’s life in New Rochelle and on the second floor, about the history of New Rochelle and the founding families, the Huguenots. Visit Paine’s gravesite and the Sophie Brewster 1834 one-room school where you will have the opportunity to write with a quill pen. You will also be able to fire a musket. Watch a video which outlines the Revolutionary War and enjoy a reenactor give a historical presentation. Lunch will be held outside on the grounds or inside the Paine Museum building depending on the weather. A Paine Historian will be there for a Q&A session.

The cost of the trip will be $20. Please contact Suzanne Page at spage@iona.edu for details on how to reserve your spot. Reservation forms must be mailed in by October 13. If you make a reservation but find you cannot attend, we will do our best to find a replacement for your spot from the waitlist. Because we pay for tickets in advance, refunds are only possible if we can replace you. Replacements can only be made from the waitlist; you may NOT organize your own replacement.

Google Maps: Directions to Thomas Paine Cottage Museum

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 College and oversees daily operations.

Director

• Suzanne Page, Ph.D.

Officers

• President: Linda Levine
• Vice Presidents: Shirley Radcliffe & Jeanne de Saint Ouen
• Secretary: David Moore
• Treasurer: Bob Kent

Committee Chairs

• Communications: Lew Koflowitz
• Curriculum: Linda Whetzel
• Hospitality: Gail Apfel
• Membership: Lorraine Rosano
• Trip Coordinator: Dianne Heim
• Member Liaison: Teddi Cerino

Representatives at Large

• Lori Blumenfeld
• Greg Koster
• Chris McCormick

Jump to:

• Monday
• Tuesday
• Wednesday
• Thursday
• Friday

Monday

10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

News And Views

7 sessions
October 4, 18, 25
November 1, 8, 15, 29

Join us in a stimulating discussion of current events. LIRIC members Bob Kent (November 8 & 29), Roseanne Klein (October 18, November 1 & 15), and Jim O’Neill (October 4 & 25) will alternate in leading provocative conversations about topical and often controversial news. People attending the class are invited to bring their own views to these lively sessions.

Mah Jongg

7 sessions
October 4, 18, 25
November 1, 8, 15, 29

Mah jongg, a tile-based game thought to have originated in China several hundred years ago, spread throughout the world during the twentieth century. (Its name is believed to come from the Chinese word for sparrow because the clicking of tiles resembles the chattering of sparrows.) 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 to members who took the class in Fall 2019 and would like to refresh their skills, and to beginners who want to learn the fundamentals.

Since we will be meeting in the small room and observing whatever COVID restrictions are still in place, attendance will be limited. Moreover, as mah jongg cards may need to be purchased, we need to know ahead of time how many people will attend. Please call Linda Levine at (914) 235-9878 before September 20 to register and to let her know if you need 2021 cards.

Instructor: Linda Levine and Cheryl Millman are both long-time mah jongg players who will share their expertise.

12:30 – 1:45 p.m.

The Aging Brain

4 sessions
October 4, 18, 25
November 1

Join LIRIC member Bob Casey as he moderates a Great Courses video lecture series on The Aging Brain, presented by Professor Thad A. Polk of the University of Michigan. We will have a look at what changes as we, and our brain, age – and deal with the question of why we don’t live forever. We’ll also be hearing about emotional aging, aging well, dementia and Alzheimer’s, as well as strategies for an aging memory before concluding with the actual science of immortality.

Presenter: Bob Casey, who recently moderated a course on The History of Medicine, is an Iona graduate and businessman who has had a lifelong interest in medical history, hospitals, doctors, and research. He recently joined the New York Academy of Medicine.

Armchair Tours of NYC

3 sessions
November 8, 15, 29

November 8: Tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Discover highlights from the vast collections at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Featured artworks span cultures and centuries, ranging from Ghanaian textiles and French painting to Japanese pottery. Encounter new artworks and revisit familiar favorite artists, including Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Michelangelo, and Jackson Pollock.

Presenter: Julie Averbach, Founder, smARTee Tours

November 15: Fort Tryon Park: The Cloisters, an Estate, a Shrine

A historic Revolutionary War battle; a replica of a medieval monastery; remnants of an incredible Gilded Age estate; the Cabrini shrine. It’s time to take a virtual tour to one of the highest points in Manhattan and uncover the sights and stories hidden throughout this extraordinary New York park.

Presenter: Jim Ryan, Founder, Jim Ryan Tours

November 29: I Didn’t Know That

History, stories, anecdotes – even some video clips – provide fascinating facts you didn’t know about New York City.

Presenters: Susan and Art Zuckerman, Founders, Z-Travel & Leisure Tours

2-3:15 p.m.

Play-Reading

7 sessions
October 4, 18, 25
November 1, 8, 15, 29

Play-Reading is a fun activity open to all members of LIRIC who enjoy reading aloud or listening to plays being read—both entertaining activities. Last year our group read British plays by Noel Coward, George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde and others. For both terms this year we will be focusing on American dramas and comedies. In the fall we will be reading comic and dramatic classics of the theater from the 1930s to the 1960s that deal with ethical issues related to family, social classes, finance, industry, war, and politics. Scripts will be provided.

• October 4 & 18
  • You Can’t Take It With You (1936), a socially conscious family comedy by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart.
• October 25 & November 1
  • All My Sons (1946), a drama by Arthur Miller that explores November 1 an ethical clash between self- interest and social responsibility.
• November 8 & 15
  • The Best Man (1960), a political drama that seems oddly prophetic for our times, written by Gore Vidal.
• November 29
  • To be determined

Presenter: Iona College grad, Len Poggiali spent his 33-year career teaching mostly high school English and drama and directing college, community, and school productions in Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and Westchester.

The New Art Workshop

7 sessions
October 4, 18, 25
November 1, 8, 15, 29

This “new” workshop hopes to bring back to LIRIC a place to work with various forms of artists’ materials. Participants are encouraged to continue working in their favorite media as well as experimenting in media out of their comfort zone. Suggested media might include watercolor, acrylic, oil paint, pastels, charcoal, crayon, conte crayon, drawing ink. All levels of experience are welcome. Please call Gail at (914) 961-5661 if you have questions.

Instructor: Gail Apfel, a NYC High School of Music and Art graduate with a concentration in Textile Design, studied art at Buffalo State College and the Westchester Art Workshop. She has taught photography and arts and crafts and has worked as a custom framing designer. Gail chairs LIRIC’s Fine and Performing Arts Committee.

Tuesday

9-10 a.m.

Tai Chi

8 sessions
October 5, 12, 19, 26
November 2, 9, 16, 30

Pre-registration and an additional fee of $65.00 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.

10:30-11:45 a.m.

Postwar America — A Troubled Feast (Part II): From LBJ to the Election of Reagan

4 sessions
October 5, 12, 19, 26

Continuing our study of postwar America during the 1960s and 1970s, we will focus on how our nation was threatened by both social upheaval and an involvement in an unpopular war which escalated over a decade. We will learn how a generational revolt and a growing militancy of the Civil Rights movement challenged our society’s norms. Our economy continued to be prosperous and expansive but not inclusive. By the end of the ‘60s, a recession hit, faltering under new foreign competition, bringing with it the 1973 oil crisis. In addition, we will examine, in an historical context, how the Watergate Affair shocked the nation, revealing corruption and gross misconduct at the highest level of government. With the seizure of the American Embassy in Iran, at the end of the ‘70s, we will recognize how America found itself mired in a growing sense of national malaise. With the victory of Conservative Republican Ronald Reagan, our nation now embarked upon a dramatically different path.

Presenter: Geoffrey Cahn has a Ph.D. in History and is Chairman Emeritus of the History Department at Yeshiva University High School in New York City. He has been teaching at both the university and high school level for over forty years, and last semester offered us a course on The Roaring Twenties.

Greek Philosophy

4 sessions
November 2, 9, 16, 30

This course is an introduction to ancient Greek philosophy and its enduring significance. We will focus on representative figures; notably, several Pre-Socratic philosophers, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Emphasis will be placed not only on the development of Greek thought itself but particularly on those ideas that form the foundation of Western philosophy more generally.

Presenter: Alex Eodice is a professor of Philosophy and Chair of the Philosophy Department at Iona College where he has also served as Director of the Honors Program and Dean of the School of Arts and Science. He holds a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Fordham University and a professional certificate in Management and Leadership in Education from Harvard.

12:30-1:45 p.m.

Fall Cornucopia

7 sessions
October 5, 12, 19, 26
November 2, 9, 16

Join us for one or all of these single presentations on a variety of topics.

• October 5
  • Living in the Unknown
    Presenter: Chaplain Rosemary Parandelis, M.A.
• October 12
  • Debating the Morality and Value of Zoos
    Presenter: Dianne Heim
• October 19
  • Autonomous Vehicles and 3D Printing: Disruptive Technologies
    Presenter: Kobie Thakar
• October 26
  • Reflections on the Corrections System
    Presenter: Anastasia Raptis, Adjunct Professor, Department of Law and Police Science, John Jay College
• Nov. 2
  • Our Health Care System: Is Rationing Coming?
    Presenter: Jack Rosenbluth
• Nov. 9
  • Am I Building Sand Castles in My Brain?
    Presenter: Deborah Lea Cohen, TBI Long-Term Survivor
• Nov. 16
  • Trivia Tuesday (begins at 12:30 p.m. and continues at 2 p.m.)
    Grab a table, find a few other people to join you, and get ready to have fun! How much trivia does your team know? No “buzzing in” required, just one agreed-upon answer from each table. (If you don’t want to play, come watch and cheer your friends on!) There will be a 15-minute break at 1:45 p.m. before we resume the game at 2 p.m.

2-3:15 p.m.

The Shape of Music

2 sessions
October 5, 12

Joan Mallory, former head of Nyack College’s Music Education Department who has given us hours of enjoyment with her opera courses, returns to LIRIC to give us two interactive classes on such musical forms as fugues, sonatas, concertos and lieders.

All That Jazz: In-Concert Performances

4 sessions
October 19, 26
November 2, 9

The lucky thirteenth semester of All That Jazz will once again enjoy classic performances filmed in Europe. The line-up will include: John Coltrane – Live in 1965; Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – Live in 1959; Thelonious Monk – Live (solo) in 1969; and Johnny Griffin – Live in 1971.

Presenter: Gregory Koster has been a Jazz fan since the early ‘60s, was a Jazz DJ in college, contributed Jazz reviews and surveys to The Sensible Sound magazine for over fifteen years, and is a Past President of the PJS Jazz Society in Mount Vernon.

Wednesday

9-10:15 a.m.

Writers’ Workshop via Zoom

7 sessions
October 13, 20, 27
November 3, 10, 17
December 1

Note that this is a Zoom-only class, which will not begin until October 13.

An open invitation to those among you who love to express themselves through writing -- and need a little nudge to get them started! Sign up early (csm611@aol.com) since there will be a limit on the number of students in the class.

Course Leader: Chuck Miller is both leader and participant. He enjoys writing, and especially enjoys working with the participants of the Workshop.

Fall Trips

2 trips
October 6, 27

Please see the "Trips" section on this page for details.

Thursday

10:30-11:45 a.m.

Troubled Countries

4 sessions
October 7, 14, 21, 28

The United Nations lists more than 190 countries in our world. Many have severe problems: war, violence, gangs, famine, political unrest, lack of economic opportunity and more. These classes will look at three of these countries and one region which have been in upheaval for decades. They are: Somalia, Syria, Yemen and the Northern Triangle (Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras). Unfortunately, there are many more that could have been included.

Presenter: Lois Lovisolo is a frequent presenter at LIRIC – her most recent class was Reflections on Rivers – and is a member of the Curriculum Committee as well as LIRIC’s Comptroller.

Historic Westchester

4 sessions
November 4, 11, 18
December 2

• Nov. 4
  • Resources at the Westchester County Historical Society
    Presenter: Patrick Raftery, Librarian & Archivist, Westchester County Historical Society
• Nov. 11
  • Touring Westchester
    Presenter: Barbara Davis, Co-Director, Westchester County Historical Society
• Nov. 18
  • The Magical Life of Billie Burke
    Presenter: Natalie Barry, President of the Hastings Historical Society
• Dec. 2
  • Cemeteries of Westchester
    Presenter: Patrick Raftery, Librarian & Archivist, Westchester Historical Society

12:30-1:45 p.m.

The History and Culture of Greece

8 sessions
October 7, 14, 21, 28
November 4, 11, 18
December 2

An appreciation of the history and culture of ancient Greece is essential for a full understanding of the western world. These first six sessions will provide an overview of the Greek contribution to art, music, philosophy, the sciences, and politics. From the food we eat to the language we speak, the Greek achievement has been extraordinary. Among other topics, we consider the architectural marvels of Athens along with its political contributions, the epics of Homer, the tragedies of Aeschylus and comedies of Aristophanes, the philosophy of Plato and Aristotle. We will look at the course of Greek history from the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations of the Bronze Age through 1825 when Greece achieved its independence from the Ottoman Empire.

Presenter: Shirley Radcliffe taught in the New York City public school system for 38 years, and after retirement at Manhattanville College. One of LIRIC’s most popular presenters, she has led book discussions, given single lectures, and offered classes on literature, language, dining, clothes, Native Americans, the infrastructure, art, and, most recently, the year 1493,. One of LIRIC’s two vice-presidents, she also serves on both the Humanities and Curriculum Committees.

On November 18 , join a Greek chef as he talks about Greek Cuisine, provides us with some delicious recipes, and perhaps even treats us to a sample of Greek food.

On December 2, Father Nick Anctil of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church – our gracious hosts – talks a bit about The Greek Church and takes us on a walking tour of our home away from home.

2-3:15 p.m.

Literary Discussion

8 sessions
October 7, 14, 21, 28
November 4, 11, 18
December 2

Preserved in vivid detail by ancient poets, Greek myth has inspired Western authors for centuries. Mythological tales endure because they depict universal aspects of the human condition; in myth, both deities and mortals act on their alltoo-human emotions of love, envy, rage, greed, resentment, sorrow, joy, vanity, and vengeance, often with devastating consequences. Present-day adaptations have become a trend, finding audiences of all ages; teenagers have even created TikTok videos to share their reactions. This fall, we'll read some of these adaptations, beginning with one of the younger generation’s favorites, The Song of Achilles, a retelling of Homer’s Iliad. Other readings include an all-female chronicle of the Trojan War, the saga of faithful Penelope awaiting Odysseus' return from the war, Sophocles' tragedy Antigone transported to 21st century London, as well as a variety of short works.

The Westchester library system owns multiple copies of the full-length works, including some eBooks available on OverDrive. Short works will be distributed a week before the session in which they will be discussed. Most attendees read the works in advance, but all are welcome as listening to the discussion may inspire reading the work.

• October 7
  • The Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller
    Presenter: Jeanne de Saint Ouen
• October 14
  • Theme: Women Who Rise to a Challenge, selected short works
    Presenter: Kobie Thakar
• October 21
  • A Thousand Ships, by Natalie Haynes
    Presenter: Rick Leibert
• October 28
  • Theme: The Trojan War, selected short works
    Presenter: Kobie Thakar
• November 4
  • The Penelopiad, by Margaret Atwood
    Presenter: Linda Whetzel
• November 11
  • Theme: Love Stories, selected short works
    Presenter: Kobie Thakar
• November 18
  • Theme: Icarus, selected short works
    Presenters: Barbara Hickey and Linda Whetzel
• December 2
  • Home Fires, by Kamila Shamsie
    Presenter: Beth Hofstetter

Friday

1:30-4:30 p.m.

Film Course: An Odyssey of Friday Flicks

6 sessions
October 8, 22, 29
November 12, 19
December 3

Romita Auditorium in Ryan Library

Italian Neo-Realism. The French New Wave. German Expressionism. The Greek Weird Wave? Thwarted by war, political unrest, and financial instability, the Greek film industry has not been a major cinematic force. Though the ‘50s and ‘60s saw a brief “golden age” with Greek films receiving Academy Award recognition, censorship policies of the 1967 junta led to a quick decline. It wasn’t until Minister of Culture actress Melina Mercouri, a member of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement from 1981—1989, got government support and funding, that the Greek film industry headed toward an upswing. What eventually emerged were art house films dubbed the "Greek Weird Wave” which failed to gain a worldwide audience. But what constitutes a Greek film anyway? A Greek director? Greek stars? A Greek theme? A Greek setting? For our purposes, all the aforementioned are part of LIRIC’s Odyssey of Friday Flicks.

• October 8
  • Never on Sunday, 1960, directed by Jules Dassin (91 minutes)
• October 22
  • Zorba the Greek, 1964, directed by Michael Cacoyannis (142 minutes)
• October 29
  • Z, 1969, directed by Costa-Gavras (127 minutes)
• November 12
  • Little England, 2013, directed by Pantelis Voulgaris (132 minutes)
• November 19
  • A Touch of Spice, 2003, directed by Tassos Boulmetis (108 minutes)
• December 3
  • Worlds Apart, 2015, directed by Christophoros Papakaliatis (113 minutes)

Note: Some films are sub-titled.

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 Staff Resource Center, the Adult Education program in New Rochelle, and, in the last few years, to LIRIC.

Four Tuesdays:
July 6, 13, 20, 27

10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

YESTERDAY AND TODAY

Start your day by hearing four of LIRIC’s popular and knowledgeable presenters talk about yesterday’s history and today’s current affairs.

• July 6
  • The Story of Rebecca Turner, A Remarkable Woman
  • Presenter: David Osborn, St. Paul’s Church
• July 13
  • Prejudice in the Criminal Justice System
  • Presenter: Dr. Paul O’Connell, Iona College Department of Criminal Justice
• July 20 
  • Kent’s Comments
  • Presenter:  Bob Kent
• July 27 
  • “Wish You Were Here” – Summer on New Rochelle’s Sound Shores
  • Presenter: Barbara Davis, Co-Director, Westchester County Historical Society

Noon – 1:15 p.m.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT!

• July 6
  • Learning in the Workplace
  • David Moore returns to talk more about how we learn, providing a bridge between this spring’s class on learning  and next spring’s, when he’ll have us all Thinking About Work.
• July 13
  • Ponderables
  • Joyce Kent is back to give us more fascinat-ing facts to ponder in this class postponed from February!
• July 20
  • Book Talks
  • Wondering what to read these days? LIRIC members tell you about books they’ve read, enjoyed and recommend.
  • Presenters: Jeanne de Saint Ouen, Teddi Cerino, Linda Whetzel, and Jo-Anne Weinberg
• July 27
  • Girls or Women?
  • Shirley Radcliffe offers us a light-hearted look at how women have been portrayed in the media, with particular attention to print adver-tising.

ART EN PLEIN AIR

We’ve changed the location of LIRIC’s art class this summer. We are moving outside to take advantage of the warm weather by drawing and painting outdoors.

Bring your pencils, pastels, or any favorite media. Be sure to bring a drawing board or clipboard and your own lightweight chair as well, since we can’t provide tables or chairs as we create our art en plein air.

Call instructor Gail Apfel for details at (914) 961-5661.
(Leave a message and she’ll get back to you!)

Course Descriptions: Monday

8 sessions
March 1, 8, 15, 22
April 5, 12, 19, 26
3 – 4:15 p.m.
Zoom Class

Play-Reading

Contact Len Poggiali (think “Po-jolly”), lppoggiali@yahoo.com, (914) 813-8403 (leave a voicemail), if you wish to participate.

We will be reading four classics of the British theater, all of which are available from the public library, online for no cost at projectgutenberg.org, and for the Kindle at no cost or for a very small fee on amazon.com. Listeners are welcome as well.

• March 1 & 8
  • Night Must Fall (1935), a psychological thriller
    by Emlyn Williams 
• March 15, 22 & April 5 
  • She Stoops to Conquer (1773), a farcical comedy of manners by Oliver Goldsmith
• April 12 & 19
  • Candida (1894), a love triangle, romantic comedy
    by George Bernard Shaw
• April 26
  • The Twelve-Pound Look (1910), a one-act, pro-feminist satire by J.M. Barrie

Presenter

Iona College grad, Len Poggiali spent his 33-year career teaching mostly high school English and drama and directing college, community, and school productions in Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and Westchester.

Course Descriptions: Tuesday

8 sessions
March 2, 9, 16, 23
April 6, 13, 20, 27
9 – 10 a.m
In-person option

Tai Chi

Pre-registration and an additional fee of $65.00 are required for this in-person class. The registration form is at the end of this catalog, along with information about Zoom Tai Chi classes should you wish to arrange one unconnected to LIRIC. 

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.

Thinking About Learning

4 sessions  
March 2, 9, 16, 23
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.
In-person option

What are we talking about when we say we learned something? How does that happen, and what makes it happen more or less effectively? Does it depend on positive reinforcement, as behaviorists think? On holistic insight, as the Gestalt theorists claim? On social context, as some situationists argue? What’s the difference between learning to ride a bike and learning to solve a calculus problem? Between remembering someone’s name and critiquing a poem? Do all people learn the same way, or do they vary by style, by age, by culture? What factors make us learn better or worse in different kinds of contexts – classrooms, workplaces, playgrounds? Do we learn better or worse when we are distracted, interrupted, or pressured? In this course, we will explore some approaches to answering these questions proposed by philosophers and scholars from Plato to Locke, from William James to Jerome  Bruner. And we will think about learning as a lifelong experience, even beyond LIRIC.

Presenter

David Moore earned a doctorate in Learning Environments from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 1977. After brief stints at  Columbia Teachers College and Washington University in St. Louis, he spent 33 years on the faculty of the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at NYU. He did extensive research and publishing on experiential learning (internships, service-learning, community engagement), and taught a variety of courses on concepts like  community, the meaning of work, and everyday life.

Postwar America—A Troubled Feast (Part l): From Hiroshima To The Assassination Of JFK

4 sessions  
April 6, 13, 20, 27
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.
In-person option

Following World War II, the United States experienced an economic boom that brought unparalleled prosperity to the majority of its citizens, raising expectations and inculcating a belief that most economic and social problems could be solved.  Similarly, as America emerged victorious from the war, we were confident in our military prowess and ability to lead the free world. At the same time, this was an era of intense anxiety as well as dynamic, creative change which exposed underlying divisions in our society. Among the issues to be discussed are: the struggle for equality among women and minorities, the move to the suburbs, the new popular culture, the Cold War, the Second Red Scare, McCarthyism, and the tragic end of the "Camelot Presidency.”

Presenter

Geoffrey Cahn has a Ph.D. in History and is Chair Emeritus of the History Department at Yeshiva University High School in New York City. He has been teaching at both the university and high school level for over forty years, and last semester offered us a course on The Roaring Twenties.

All That Jazz: In-Concert Performances

4 sessions  
March 2, 9, 16, 23
Noon – 1:15 p.m.
In-person option

The twelfth semester of All That Jazz will once again enjoy classic performances filmed in Europe: The line-up will include: Woody Herman – Live in 1964; Art Blakey – Live in ’65; Anita O’Day – Live in ’63 and ’70; and an all-star finale with short sets by Coleman Hawkins, Erroll Garner, and Jimmy Smith – with his Mojo workin’ full time.

Presenter

Gregory Koster has been a Jazz fan since the early 60s, was a Jazz DJ in college, contributed Jazz reviews and surveys to The Sensible Sound magazine for over 15 years, and is a Board Member and Past President of the PJS Jazz Society in Mount Vernon.

Hands-On-Art

4 sessions  
April 6, 13, 20, 27
Noon – 1:15 p.m.
In-person option

LIRIC has a new look this year, and so do the art classes. The Art Workshop and Drawing and More will be incorporated into a new class called Hands on Art. Participants are encouraged to continue working in their favorite media, as well as experimenting in media out of their comfort zone. Suggested media: Watercolor, acrylics, oils, pastels, graphite  pencils, charcoal, conte crayons, drawing inks. All levels of experience welcome.  Since space is limited, please call Gail to reserve your place at a table in the large room where social distancing is possible. Call (914) 961-5661 to leave a message with your name and phone number.

Instructor

Gail Apfel graduated from New York City’s High School of Music and Art then studied art at Buffalo State College and the Westchester Art Workshop. She taught photography and Arts and Crafts at summer camps for years and worked as a designer of custom framing as a sideline while teaching at the high school level in Westchester. Gail chairs our Fine & Performing Arts Committee.

Course Descriptions: Wednesday

Wednesday classes are Zoom classes only, and meet on the dates and at the times indicated.  They are not recorded for future viewing.

Writers’ Workshop

8 sessions  
March 3, 10, 17, 24
April 7, 14, 21, 28
9 – 10:15 a.m.
Zoom Class

This class, for those who truly love to write and desire to share their writing with others, is for a limited number of participants. It is important to register using email csm611@aol.com. There may be a waiting list.

Facilitator

Chuck Miller has been running the Writers’ Workshop for the past few years. It has proven to be a rewarding experience for the participants as well as for Chuck.

Literary Discussion

8 sessions  
March 3, 10, 17, 24
April 7, 14, 21, 28
2 – 3:15 p.m.
Zoom Class

This spring, our readings are tied to Geoff Cahn’s course on postwar America. We begin with John Hersey’s Hiroshima, which has been called the most important journalistic work of the 20th century. Hersey, a war correspondent, was the first reporter to inform the American people of the devastation caused by dropping the atomic bomb. Originally published as a single issue of The New Yorker, Hiroshima cut through government propaganda to reveal the full extent of human suffering.

We will then explore postwar American fiction. As shown in the schedule below, we’ll read and discuss the work of several different authors of the period. Please take note of the March 10th lecture on poets of the period, offered by Professor Dean  DeFino, Assistant Chair and Director of Film Studies in the Iona College English Department. Dr. DeFino is a long-time friend to LIRIC, having presented wonderful lectures on film in past semesters.

The Westchester library system owns multiple copies of most of the readings, including some eBooks available at OverDrive.com. Because of the pandemic, paper copies of short works will not be distributed. Please contact Kobie Thakar at kLIRIC@yahoo.com with requests for PDF copies of (or links to) short works. Also because of the pandemic, Literary Discussion will meet over Zoom, with invitations included in  LIRIC’s regular emails.

• March 3
  • Hiroshima, by John Hersey
    Presenter:  Linda Whetzel
• March 10*
  • Poetry
    Presenter: Dr. Dean DeFino, Assistant Chair,
    Iona College English Department
• March 17
  • Player Piano, by Kurt Vonnegut
    Presenter:  Jeanne de Saint Ouen
• March 24
  • Various short works
    Presenter: Kobie Thakar
• April 7
  • Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury
    Presenter:  Beth Hofstetter
• April 14
  • Short stories by James Baldwin
    Presenter:  Rick Leibert
• April 21
  • Various short works
    Presenter:  Kobie Thakar
• April 28
  • Goodbye, Columbus, by Philip Roth (selected stories)
    Presenter:  Shirley Radcliffe

*On March 10, Professor DeFino will screenshare poems so we can read them together. For the other sessions, most attendees will read the work in advance, but all are welcome; listening to the discussion may inspire reading the work.

Course Descriptions: Thursday

1493

6 sessions  
March 4, 11, 18, 25
April 8, 15.
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.
In-person option

What happened to the rest of the planet after Columbus set foot on the island of Hispaniola? The fierce political disputes, from immigration to trade policies to culture wars of today have their origin in the encounter of the old world and the new. In this six-part series we will look at how the network of ecological and economic exchange — the Columbian Exchange — resulted in among other things: the rise of Europe; the decline of Imperial China; the devastation of Africa. 

Presenter

Shirley Radcliffe taught in the New York City public school system for 38 years, and after retirement at Manhattanville College. Here at LIRIC she has led book discussions, given single lectures, and offered classes on literature, language, dining, clothes, the year 1491, the infrastructure, art, and, most recently, Native Americans. One of LIRIC’s two vice-presidents, she also serves on both the Humanities and Curriculum Committees.

Looking Back — And Forward

2 sessions  
April 22, 29
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.
In-person option

On Earth Day, April 22, Brad Hochberg addresses the question What is the Green New Deal Anyway? On April 29, Pat Hayes shares with you her expertise on genealogy as she describes Researching Your Military Ancestors.

Reflections On Rivers

4 sessions  
March 4, 11, 18, 25
Noon – 1:15 p.m.
In-person option

Rivers and their tributaries are described by National Geographic as “the veins of the planet.” They are the lifeblood of human civilization, providing us with shipping routes, fresh water, food, recreation, and energy.

In these four classes we will explore the Amazon (March 4), the Tigris and Euphrates, called the Cradles of Civilization, (March 11), the Nile (March 18), and the Hudson River (March 25).

Presenter

Lois Lovisolo has only been a member of LIRIC for a few years, but she is one of our most active members. After giving a number of talks, she joined the Curriculum Committee and recently became LIRIC’s Controller.

The World Around Us

4 sessions  
April 8, 15, 22, 29
Noon – 1:15 p.m.
In-person option

Exhausted by politics and the pandemic? Join perennial favorites Joyce Kent and Dianne Heim  as they explore the world of nature and its wonders. 

• April 8
  • Mimicry and Camouflage: The Art of Deception in the Animal Kingdom
    Presenter: Joyce Kent
• April 15
  • How Three Women Revolutionized Primatology
    Presenter: Dianne Heim
• April 22
  • Biomimicry:  Mother Nature Knows Best
    Presenter: Joyce Kent
• April 29
  • Endangered Species and How to Save Them
    Presenter: Dianne Heim

Course Descriptions: Friday

Great Decisions

2 sessions  
March 12, 19
11 a.m. – Noon
Zoom Class

We’re continuing with topics scheduled for last spring since those videos are available on YouTube and the current ones are not. You’ll watch the videos before the class (www.youtube.com, search “great decisions 2020 videos”), then meet with Roseanne Klein to discuss the topic.  Great Decisions is a product of the Foreign Policy Association.

• March 12: China’s Road into Latin America
• March 19: U.S. Relations with the Northern Triangle (Central America)

The Women of SNCC

2 sessions  
April 9, 16
11 – Noon
Zoom Class

On April 9 and 16, C. Dale Gadsden, an Americanist specializing in intellectual history, religion, culture, race and African American studies, will offer two classes on The Women of SNCC, the student civil rights organization active during the ‘60s. While the recent demonstrations have led many to draw parallels between the Black Lives Matter movement and the earlier Civil Rights Movement, most of those stories focus on Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Black Panther Party. These classes, however, will deal with the role women played, and continue to play, in social change movements in the United States. 

Friday Flicks:  Let’s Have A Laugh

8 sessions  
March 5, 12, 19, 26
April 9, 16, 23, 30
2  – 2:45 p.m.
Zoom Class

Each week we will send you information about the many ways you can stream the movie, (the cost ranges from $0 to $3.99, depending on the movie and your own subscriptions).  Watch it on your own, then join us on Zoom at 2 p.m. for a discussion led by Cheryl Passavanti. We are including the running time so you’ll know how much time you need to allot to watch it.

Bubonic plague, the Spanish flu, Ebola—pandemics launch pandemonium, bringing out both the best and the worst in humanity, shaping politics, economics, social structures, and psychological adjustment, underscoring that we are part of one human family rather than divisions of race, economic status, and ethnicities.  Community counts. What affects one anywhere affects all everywhere.  Social distancing and living in isolation, we muse on our lives, examining our values, successes, and failures.  We think about the “what ifs” and reflect on the possibilities of “do overs,” wondering how different actions or words would impact who we are and what we have become.  Until we are all vaccinated, we have few tools to combat the uncertainty of life in the time of COVID.   Fortunately,  a dose of cinema therapy can brighten these dark days.  A guffaw or titter is the spice that makes the horrible palatable, tolerable, and even joyful. Laughter is a survival skill that is greatly underestimated, so fellow LIRICITES, let’s have a laugh. 

• March 5: About Time, 2013, starring Domhnall Gleeson, Bill Nighy, (2 hours, 20 minutes)
• March 12: Best in Show, 2000, starring Christopher Guest, Fred Willarrd, (1 ½ hours)
• March 19: As Good As it Gets, 1977, starring Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, (2 hours, 18 minutes)
• March 26: About a Boy, 2002, starring Hugh Grant, Toni Collette, (1 hour, 41 minutes)
• April 9: Little Miss Sunshine, 2006, starring Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin, (1 hr. 23 min.)
• April 16: Lady Bird, 2018, starring Saoirse Ronin, Laurie Metcalf, (1 hour 34 minutes)
• April 23: Enough Said, 2013, starring Julia Louis Dreyfus, James Gandolfini, (1 hour 33 min.)
• April 30: Defending Your Life, 1991, starring Albert Brooks, Meryl Streep, (1 hr. 52 min.)

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 Staff Resource Center, the Adult Education program in New Rochelle, and, in the last few years, to LIRIC.

Any Day, Any Time

We are pleased to offer you a series of lectures from the Virtual Learning Library of Road Scholar LLI Resource Network, with whom LIRIC is affiliated. Simply go to https://www.roadscholar.org/virtuallearning.

Scroll down past all the lectures that say “Buy Tickets,” and past the “make a donation” option to the section headed “Our Virtual Lecture Library.” There you will find a series of recorded lectures which change on a regular basis. You can watch any recording that sounds interesting to you – and you can do it any day, at any time, at no charge. The lectures run from 40 minutes to an hour and cover history (Churchill, Truman, the Lincolns), falconry, botany, cuisine, countries, and art, to name just a few.

The Curriculum Committee reviewed some of them last semester and are pleased to recommend those on Michelangelo, Truman, and Newfoundland. (Others that we watched are no longer being offered.)

Remember – any time, any day, any lecture!
Enoy!

Four Tuesdays:
January 19, 26; February 2, 9

PAIN, PUS AND POISON – plus PONDERABLES

10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

Bob Casey, who gave us a history of medicine class last year, returns to moderate an entertaining medical series that shows us how drugs have revolutionized medicine and changed the course of human history. In three episodes, Dr. Michael Mosley shows how humans learned to fight back against disease and death.

For our fourth class, Joyce Kent returns to give us more fascinating facts to ponder

THE ARTS

Noon – 1:15 p.m.

For those who love the arts!

January 19: A Living, Dancing Culture: Native American Dance as History and Identity

This class will explore the importance of dance in Native American life as both entertainment and duty, examining the role of dance in religious rituals, ceremonies and celebrations.

Presenter: Hannah Park, Iona College, Fine & Performing Arts Dept.

January 26: Indigenous Art

Images impact our lives. They shape our perceptions of the world and its history. We'll look at works that portray Native Americans.

Presenter: Shirley Radcliffe

February 2: Gustav Mahler – The Man and His Music

We will examine the life and works of Gustav Mahler, considered by many the most important composer of symphonies since Beethoven, and discover why his music speaks to us today.

Presenter: Geoff Cahn

February 9: Book Talks

Wondering what to read these days? LIRIC members tell you about books they’ve read, enjoyed and recommend.

Presenters: Jeanne de Saint Ouen, Teddi Cerino, Linda Whetzel, Jo-Anne Weinberg

Facilitator: Chuck Miller

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ZOOM CLASSES

WRITERS’ WORKSHOP

Wednesdays, January 20, 27; February 3, 10
9 - 10:15 a.m.

This class, for those who truly love to write and desire to share their writing with others, is for a limited number of participants. Be sure to register early by emailing csm611@aol.com as there may be a waiting list.

MORE MAH JONGG!

Thursdays, January 21, 28; February 4, 11
11 a.m. – ???

At this point we can’t teach you mah jongg, so this class is for those of you who have taken mah jongg at LIRIC or who consider yourselves intermediate level players. If you’d like to Zoom with one another and play with one another, contact Linda Levine (914) 235-9878, ljslevine@gmail.com to sign up, or to get further information. (If you don’t have a card, don’t worry; we’ll get one to you!)