Learning in Retirement at Iona University

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

• Suzanne Page, Ph.D.

Board Members

• President: Shirley Radcliffe
• Vice Presidents: Viviane Ponslet & Linda Levine
• Secretary: Rosemary McDonough
• Treasurer: Bob Kent
• Comptroller: Lois Lovisolo

Committee Chairs

• Publicity: Lew Koflowitz
• Newsletter Editor: Monica Grey
• 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
• Jeanne de Saint Ouen

Four Thursdays: July 6, 13, 20, 27

BYGONE DAYS
or
PLAY-READING
11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

LUNCH
12:15-1 p.m.

LIRIC LIGHT!
1-2:15 p.m.

---

11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

PLAY-READING

During this special four-week session, under the direction of instructor Len Poggiali participants will read aloud George Bernard Shaw’s comic, romantic, and philosophic masterpiece Man and Superman. Scripts will be provided and time will be allowed for discussion of this lengthy, very challenging, very funny battle of the sexes.

BYGONE DAYS

July 6: My Bronx, My Oz

A multimedia presentation about growing up in the Bronx during the ‘40s, ‘50s and early ‘60s.

Presenter: Robert Blaufarb (His book will be available for $15 cash or check – all proceeds to the New York State Fire Service.)

July 13: Parisian Art of the Belle Époque (1870-1914)

Tour key landmarks of the period and explore the birth of Impressionism and Art Nouveau.

Presenter: Julie Averbach, Yale University Cohen Public Service Fellow

July 20: Remembering Remarkable Women of Westchester

Presenter: Barbara Davis, Co-Director Westchester County Historical Society

July 27: Thomas Paine’s American Revolution

Learn about the fascinating man who inspired Washington’s troops during the American Revolution.

Presenter: Dr. Michael Crowder, Public Historian, Institute for Thomas Paine Studies, Iona University

---

1-2:15 p.m.

LIRIC LIGHT!

July 6: How the Other Half…

Professional actress Michèle LaRue performs two vibrant tales from America’s Gilded Age, which gleefully remind us that people haven’t changed in 100 years: Mary Wilkins Freeman’s “The Apple Tree” and O. Henry’s “Transients in Arcadia.”

July 13: A Rainbow of Birds

Learn how to identify over 40 species of birds found commonly throughout Westchester, plus interesting facts about them.

Presenter: Sandy Morrissey, President, Bronx River–Sound Shore Audubon Society

July 20: Conservation Challenges and Strategies in Westchester County

Learn about the threats to flora and fauna and the strategies being implemented to protect both wildlife and plants via trail camera footage and still photos.

Presenter: Steve Ricker, Conservation Director, Westmoreland Sanctuary

July 27: LIRIC’s own Antique Roadshow

Bring in jewelry, art, bronzes, silver, porcelain or any small items (no furniture!) for appraisal by Ronan Clarke, owner, auctioneer and appraiser, and other experts from Clarke Auction Gallery.

Course Descriptions: Monday

7 sessions
March 6, 13, 20, 27;
April 10, 24;
May 1.
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

Great Decisions

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 by ordering online at www.fpa.org/great_decisions.

• March 6
  • Energy Geopolitics
    Presenter: Muhammad Saleem

• March 13
  • War Crimes
    Presenter: Jim O’Neill

• March 20
  • China and the U.S.
    Presenter: Bob Kent

• March 27
  • Economic Warfare
    Presenter: Muhammad Saleem

• April 10
  • Politics in Latin America
    Presenter: Jim O’Neill

• April 24
  • Global Famine
    Presenter: Bob Kent

• May 1
  • Iran at a Crossroads
    Presenter: Lois Lovisolo

Mah Jongg

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 to beginners who want to learn the fundamentals and to members who took the class last fall or in 2021-2022 and would like to refresh their skills.

Since we will be meeting in the small room, attendance will be limited. We’ll be using the 2022 card, though the 2023 card, which will be available in April, can be ordered now from the Mah Jongg League or Amazon..

Please call Linda Levine at 914-235-9878 before February 27th to register or for more information about the class

Back to Business

For the first time, LIRIC will present a full program of business classes, all from the faculty of Iona’s LaPenta School of Business.

• March 6
  • Social Styles in Your Daily Life – An interactive session showing that everyone has one of 4 social styles, and how to interact with another’s style.
    Presenter: Dr. Lynne Richardson

• March 13
  • The CPA Evolution – The impact of time on the accounting profession.
    Presenter: Dr. John DeMelis

• March 20
  • Transforming Personal Finance with Financial Technology (Session One)

• March 27
  • Transforming Personal Finance with Financial Technology (Session Two)
    Presenter: Dr. Helena He

• April 10
  • Consumer Behavior in Today’s World
    Presenter: Dr. Chrissy Martin

• April 24
  • Leveraging the Academic Trading Floor: Experiential Learning in a Financial Markets Context – How LaPenta School of Business uses the trading floor, Bloomberg and other challenges and simulations to prepare its students for careers in financial services.
    Presenter: Professor Matt Carey

• May 1
  • Networking to Stay Engaged and Alert – Actually learn how to network and discover why it’s important to your health!
    Presenter: Dr. Lynne Richardson

• Class Representative:
  • Chris McCormick

Play-Reading

Play-Reading is an entertaining activity open to all members of LIRIC who take pleasure in reading aloud or in listening to plays being read. This semester we will be covering plays dealing with marriage during the 19th and 20th centuries as portrayed by both British and American playwrights.

• March 6 & 13
  • Gaslight by Patrick Hamilton (1938) is a thriller set in London during the Victorian era about a husband’s attempts to drive his wife insane so he can reap the rewards of a former crime he committed.

• March 20 & 27
  • Barefoot in the Park by Neil Simon (1963) is a New York City comedy dealing with the first day of a marriage between a funloving wife and her workaholic husband.

• April 10 & 24
  • In An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde (1895), a wealthy noblewoman discovers that her influential husband is anything but the ideal she has believed him to be.

• May 1
  • “Bea, Frank, Richie, and Joan” (1968) is a one-act comedy by Renée Taylor and Joseph Bologna about the breakup of a young marriage and the compromises and disappointments of a mature one.

• Presenter:
  • Iona University graduate and Carnegie-Mellon M.F.A. recipient in Drama, Len Poggiali spent his 33-year career teaching mostly high school English and theater arts and directing college, community, and school productions in Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and Westchester.

Art Workshop

The Art Workshop has been expanding and now will include multi media forms of art. These will include watercolor, acrylic, oil paint, pencil or charcoal drawing, colored pencils and adult coloring books. Bring your own materials and work in a relaxed, brightly lit and airy space. All skill levels, from “I like art but can’t draw a straight line,” to "I have an exhibit coming up," are welcome. Join us and have fun creating something beautiful.

Questions? Call the instructor at 914-961-5661.

• 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

Tai Chi

7 sessions
March 7, 14, 21;
April 11, 18, 25;
May 2.
9:00 – 10:00 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

(Note that there is no class March 28th.)

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

8 sessions
March 7, 14, 21, 28;
April 11, 18, 25;
May 2.
9:00 – 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

Enrollment is limited, so contact the instructor at billwerth@aol.com to register.

• Instructor:
  • Bill Wertheim has taught both memoir writing and poetry workshops throughout Westchester for over ten years. His BA degree in English Literature is from Columbia University; he holds an MA degree from SUNY at Stony Brook, an MSW degree in Social Work from Hunter College, and is currently at work producing a volume of his poetry and writing his own memoirs.

Bioethics: Then and Now

4 sessions
March 7, 14, 21, 28.
10:30 – 11:45 a.m

Bob Casey, who is fascinated by all things medical, begins this series with an examination of Nobel Prize winner Fritz Haber, who both saved and destroyed many lives. Then Joyce Kent discusses the ethical dilemma Haber faced before moving on to present contemporary bioethical issues

Science: From Micro to Macro

4 sessions 
April 11, 18, 25;
May 2.
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

• April 11
  • Your DNA and You
    Presenter: Kerry Mullaney, Memorial Sloan Kettering
    Department of Pathology

• April 18
  • Planetarium Trip
  • New Rochelle High School is fortunate in having a state of the art planetarium that is used for student instruction. Its director, Bruce Zeller, has invited LIRIC to a special class at the planetarium on Tuesday, April 18th at 10:30. Since parking has been a problem in the past, we have arranged to have a bus leave the church parking lot at 10:15 and return at 11:45, but of course those of you who wish to take your own cars can meet us at the school. You will be asked to sign up for the bus the week before as it can only accommodate 42 people.

• April 25
  • Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Elsewhere
    Presenter: Kobie Thakar

• May 2
• What Every Grandparent Should Know About Medicine Presenter: Adrienne Weiss-Harrison, M.D.

More Interesting Countries of the World

4 sessions
March 7, 14, 21, 28.
12:30 – 1:45 p.m.

Presenter Lois Lovisolo returns to tell us about other countries she considers fascinating and important. They are Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa and one of the most corrupt, which, though rich in natural resources is challenged by terrorism and the destruction of the environment. She moves on to Indonesia, where she discusses how 17,400 islands became one nation – and one with the largest Muslim population in the world at that. The Ottoman Empire ended following its defeat in World War I, and in October 2023 Turkey celebrates its centennial, its prosperity, and its position as a major player on the world’s stage.The final class takes us even further back in history, to The Gilded Age and the Spanish-American War, when the United States “acquired” The Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico and we are asked the question: How did that go?

Secrets and Scandals of the British Monarchy

4 sessions
April 11, 18, 25;
May 2.
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

Over the last few centuries the British royal family was often regarded as pompous, austere and repressed. However, behind the façade were behaviors that would have shocked the nation. We will delve into some of these secrets – as well as much publicized scandals – from the time of George III until the more recent past.

• Presenter:
  • Rick Leibert is a retired adjunct professor of marketing at Iona University, an educator at the Holocaust Museum and Study Center at Rockland Community College, and a course leader at Collegium at Westchester Community College. A man of many parts, he has offered LIRIC classes on the Holocaust, American and World history, and even sports, in addition to leading literary discussions.

The Arts

2 sessions
March 7 & 14.
2:00 – 3:15 p.m.

• March 7
  • Opera: Donizetti’s Daughter of the Regiment
    Join returning music teacher and performer Joan Mallory for an interactive experience of opera. Discover what this opera is about, volunteer to play a role if you like, and sit back and enjoy excerpts.
• March 14
  • Parisian Art of the Belle Époque
    Immerse yourself in the arts and culture of Paris during the “Golden Age” of the Belle Époque (1870-1914). Julie Auerbach, a Cohen Public Service Fellow at Yale University who holds a B.A. in the History of Art and Psychology, takes us on a tour of key landmarks of the period, from the Eiffel Tower to the Moulin Rouge, and explores the birth of artistic movements including Impressionism and Art Nouveau.

Academically Speaking

4 sessions
March 21, 28;
April 11, 18.
2:00 – 3:15 p.m.

Join members of the Iona faculty as they speak about the projects they’re working on and the topics that interest them.

• March 21
  • The Disney Princess Culture
    Presenter: Dr. Christina Carlson, English Department
• March 28
  • First Amendment: Thriving or Threatened?
    Presenter: Dr. Jack Breslin, Media & Strategic Communication Dept.
• April 11
  • The Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Iona University Presenter: Dr. Christopher Winkler, Founding Program Director
• April 18
  • The Coercive Force of Law
    Presenter: Dr. Alexander Eodice, Philosophy Department

Communicating

2 sessions
April 25, May 2.
2:00 – 3:15 p.m.

• April 25
  • Navigating Today’s Technology
    Iona University Assistant Professor Sinead Harrington and the Occupational Therapy students in her Assistive Technology class take on the task of explaining today’s technology to those of us in need of assistance. They will discuss mobile phones, tablets, and IPads, and show us how home devices such as Alexa, Nest, and Google home can benefit us.
• May 2
  • LIRIC’s Writers Read! Members of LIRIC’s writing workshops have been engaged in their own form of communication all year as they reflect on their lives and put their memories on paper. Today you, their friends and peers who enjoy life-long learning, will have the chance to enjoy the fruits of their labor

---

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. The goal is to expose our members to things and places that enrich and feed the mind as well as the soul.

This spring we have three very different, very exciting trips planned, one to a museum and a Gilded Age home – in keeping with our semester's theme – one to the theater for a production of Gypsy, and one to an aquarium that will include a two-hour river cruise. Space is limited, so LIRIC members receive first priority. Information about our trips will be included with this catalog, in your welcome packet when you join, or as a separate mailing.

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 World’s Greatest Paintings

8 sessions
March 9, 16, 23, 30;
April 13, 20, 27;
May 4.
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

This class is a continuation of one begun a year ago, but no prerequisites are needed to enjoy this semester’s offering! Come to one session or all eight. The class consists of a 25 minute video talk by the Great Courses professor, William Kloss, who discusses an art work he has nominated as “great” – for reasons he explains. The remainder of each session is a live (and lively) presentation by Shirley Radcliffe, one of our favorite presenters. She adds historical context, biographical sidebars, and examples of art from the same period but by other artists – women – and from other cultures besides the West.

Spring Salmagundi

7 sessions
March 9, 16, 23, 30;
April 13, 20, 27.
12:30 – 1:45 p.m.

Join us for this series of seven totally unrelated – and thoroughly engaging – talks.

• March 9
  • Inventions of the 1800s
    Presenter: Kobie Thakar
• March 16
  • The Story of Hudson Yards
    Presenter: Neil Murray, Managing Director, Hudson Yards
• March 23
  • Spring Books You Won’t Want to Miss
    Presenter: Tracy Wright, Director, Eastchester Public Library
• March 30
  • Getting to Know Yourself in Your Geriatric Years
    Presenter: Dr. Arlene Hector, Psychologist
• April 13
  • Nixon: Fifty Years Later
    Presenter: Dwight Chapin, author The President’s Man: Memoirs of Nixon’s Trusted Aide
• April 20
  • Adventures in the Wild: The Serengeti and Other Great Migrations
    Presenter: Dianne Heim
• April 27
  • (Almost) Everything You Wanted to Know About Aviation: Aircraft Performance, Federal Aviation Regulations, Air Traffic Control
    Presenter: Fred Towers, Former Director of Operations, General Electric Flight Department

Literary Discussion: America during the Gilded Age

7 sessions
March 9, 16, 23, 30;
April 13, 20, 27.
2:00 – 3:15 p.m

During the late 19th century America was transformed by inventions as mundane as barbed wire and as extraordinary as the transcontinental railroad. Many abandoned farming for city or factory jobs, and immigrants arrived from China and Europe to fill the demand for cheap labor. Wealth and income inequality prompted Mark Twain to write of a Gilded Age in which the gross materialism of the upper class was a glittering distraction from poverty and political corruption.

Our readings explore both the veneer and the reality. The Devil in the White City contrasts the technological and architectural marvels of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair with the evil deeds of a predator. Set immediately after the end of the Civil War, The Sweetness of Water describes people rebuilding their lives amid devastation. The Age of Innocence depicts and deplores the social maneuvering of the wealthy. In our last selection, Small World, diverse families struggle to create a better future for their children. Selected short works will acquaint (or reacquaint) us with several authors of the time period.

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 one week before the session in which they will be discussed. Attendees are encouraged, but definitely not required, to read the works in advance; all LIRIC members are welcome.

• March 9
  • The Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson
    Presenter: Rick Leibert
• March 16
  • Selected short works
    Presenter: Linda Whetze
• March 23
  • The Sweetness of Water, by Nathan Harris
    Presenter: Kobie Thakar
• March 30
  • Selected short works
    Presenter: Jeanne de Saint Ouen
• April 13
  • The Age of Innocence, by Edith Wharton
    Presenter: Beth Hofstetter
• April 20
  • Selected short works
    Presenter: June Hesler
• April 27
  • Small World, by Jonathan Evison
    Presenter: Paulette Gabbriellini
• Class Representative:
  • Kobie Thakar

---

Course Descriptions: Friday

Lecture Series: The Gilded Age, 1865-1900: The Transformation of America

6 sessions
March 10, 24, 31;
April 14, 21, 29.
1:00 – 2:15 p.m.

Class meets in
Romita Auditorium
in Ryan Library

America stands at a dramatic crossroads:

• Massive banks and corporations wield disturbing power
• The huge income gap between the 1% and the other 99% grows visibly wider.
• Astounding new technologies are changing American lives
• Conflicts over U.S. military interventionism, the environment, and immigration dominate public debate.

Sound familiar? You might be surprised to know that these headlines were ripped, not from today’s newspapers, but from newspapers over 100 years ago. These and other issues that characterize the early 21st century were also the hallmarks of the transformative period known as The Gilded Age.

• March 10
  • An Overview of The Gilded Age
    Presenter: Dr. James T. Carroll, History Department
• March 24
  • Education During the Gilded Age
    Presenter: Brother Dennis Gunn, Education Department
• March 31
  • Selling Consumer Society: The Dramatic Growth of Modern Advertising During the Gilded Age
    Presenter: Dr. Anthony Kelso, Media & Strategic Communication
• April 14
  • Criminal Justice in the Gilded Age
    Presenter: Dr. Paul O’Connell, Criminal Justice Department
• April 21
  • The Robber Barons
    Presenter: Toni McKeen
• April 28
  • The Gilded Age “Cottages” of Newport
    Presenter: Toni McKeen
• Class Representative:
  • Linda Whetzel

Film Course: The Gilded Age

5 sessions
March 10, 31;
April 14, 21, 28.
2:30 – 4:45 p.m.

The completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869 ushered in tremendous economic, political, and social change. The Old West of gun toting heroes and outlaws was “somewhat” tamed and settled by farming, ranching, and mining. A thriving economy based on industry and trade emerged thanks to new inventions and an influx of European immigrants providing cheap labor. Cities grew and the disparity between the rich and the poor grew wider. Abysmal working conditions led to the emergence of labor unions. During this “Gilded Age” things may have looked golden to the privileged few, but the glossy veneer hid the corruption and inequality which enabled these times to thrive. The social restrictions, especially on women, race, class, and nationality, were festering beneath the shiny surface, igniting the next era, the explosive Roaring Twenties.

• March 10
  • The Age of Innocence, 1993 (139 minutes), Set in 1870s New York, this film, based on Edith Wharton’s novel, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder and Daniel Day-Lewis, explores the social mores of the upper class.
• March 31
  • The Current War, 2019 director’s cut (105 minutes)
    Starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Michael Shannon, the film centers on the rivalry between Edison and Westinghouse (with Tesla’s help) as they race to wire American cities for electricity.
• April 14
  • Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, 1960 (110 minutes)
    Written by William Goldman and starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman, the film examines what happens when a successful gang of train robbers angers the barons of the train industry – who hire the Pinkertons to take them out.
• April 21
  • Matewan, 1987 (2 hours and 12 minutes)
    Chris Cooper, James Earl Jones, Mary McDonnell, and David Strathairn star in this classic involving labor union organizers and strike-breakers in a coal-mining community.
• April 28
  • Houdini, 1953 (94 minutes)
    Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh star in this fictionalized biography of magician and escape artist Harry Houdini, who, following the death of his mother, makes it his mission in life to expose fraudulent mediums in the spiritualist movement.
• 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

Four Tuesdays:
January 10, 17, 24, 31

NOW AND THEN
11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

LUNCH
12:15-1 p.m.

LIRIC LIGHT
1-2:15 p.m.

---

NOW AND THEN

11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

In this course we’ll deal with the Now as we learn what forensic science today can reveal to us, and discover the impact that Latin and Greek have had on the English language. Then is covered by a pair of historians who talk about both Westchester County and New York City.

January 10

Forensic Science: The Truth, the Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth

Presenter: Dan Rothenberg, Forensic Science Specialist for the Westchester County Division of Forensic Science

January 17

How Historic Eastchester and Nearby Communities  Helped Win the Revolution

Presenter: Rich Forliano, Eastchester Town Historian

January 24

A Little Latin and a Peek at Greek

Presenter: George Morris

January 31 

The Bowery: The Strange History of New York’s  Oldest Street

Presenter: Stephen Paul DeVillo, author and historian
(Copies of The Bowery will be available for purchase at $25 cash or check.)

---

LIRIC LIGHT

1-2:15 p.m.

While most of these classes are decidedly “light,” geared to entertain, amuse, and inform, one addresses a serious issue we’re dealing with today – book banning.

January 10

Cookin' with Books

Presenter Jo-Anne Weinberg offers us a blend of cookbook memoirs,  mysteries with recipes and tidbits on the side.

January 17

Book Banning in 2023: Where We Are - Where We've Been

Presenters: Richard Palladino, Director of Libraries and Sydni Meyer, Research and Instruction Services Librarian, Iona University.

January 24

Trivia

Pick 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. Prizes awarded!

January 31

Play-Reading

Len Poggiali and members of LIRIC’s Play-Reading Class present dramatic readings of two one-act plays, the well-known  radio play, Sorry, Wrong Number, and the J.M. Barrie feminist play, The Twelve-Pound Look.

Course Descriptions: Monday

Newsworthy Topics

7 sessions
October 17, 24, 31;
November 7, 14, 28;
December 5.
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

Each session will delve into recent news stories within a specific field such as geopolitical concerns or scientific advances. Newsworthy Topics is similar to News and Views, a LIRIC class on current events offered in prior semesters, in that the presenter will leave plenty of time for what is sure to be a lively and informative discussion.

• October 17 The Middle East
  • Presenter: Jim O’Neill
• October 24 U.S. in the South Pacific: Australia & China
  • Presenter: Jim O’Neill
• October 31 Medicine
  • Presenter: Joyce Kent
• November 7 China, Taiwan and the U.S.
  • Presenter: Muhammad Saleem
• November 14 Outer Space
  • Presenter: Kobie Thakar
• November 28 Science
  • Presenter: Joyce Kent
• December 5 Technology
  • Presenter: Kobie Thakar

Mah Jongg

7 sessions
October 17, 24, 31;
November 7, 14, 28;
December 5.
10:30 – 11:45 a.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 will learn in this class which is open to beginners who want to learn the fundamentals and to members who took the class in the 2021-2022 sessions and would like to refresh their skills.

Since we will be meeting in the small room and observing whatever COVID restrictions are still in place, attendance will be limited. A 2022 Mah Jongg card can be purchased from Amazon, the Mah Jongg League or at a local store.

Please call instructor Linda Levine at (914) 235-9878 before October 12 to register or for more information about the class.

Fall Cornucopia

7 sessions
October 17, 24, 31;
November 7, 14, 28;
December 5.
12:30 – 1:45 p.m.

Join us for one or all of these single presentations on a variety of topics – but don’t miss the first one if you want to meet tour LIRIC classmates!

• October 17 Getting to Know You
  • Presenter: Linda Creary
• October 24 African Tribal Art
  • Presenter: Jack Rosenbluth
• October 31 Adventures in the Wild: Darwin and The Galapagos Islands
  • Presenter: Dianne Heim
• November 7 T.S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land” at 100
  • Presenter: John Mahon, Professor Emeritus, Iona University
• November 14 The Story of Hudson Yards
  • Presenter: Neill Murray, Managing Director, Hudson Yards
• November 28 New Books You Won’t Want to Miss
  • Presenter: Tracy Wright, Director, Eastchester Public Library
• December 5 Westchester County: A History in Postcards
  • Presenter: Patrick Raftery, Westchester County Historical Society

Play-Reading

7 sessions
October 17, 24, 31;
November 7, 14, 28;
December 5.
2:00 – 3:15 p.m.

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.

Presenter: Iona University graduate and Carnegie-Mellon M.F.A. recipient in Drama, Len Poggiali spent his 33-year career teaching mostly high school English and theater arts and directing college, community, and school productions in Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and Westchester.

• October 17 & 24 Arsenic and Old Lace (1941), by Joseph Kesselring, is a murderously funny mystery comedy about a pair of elderly sisters who take in friendless male boarders and have a unique way of dealing with them.
• October 31 & November 7 An Inspector Calls (1945), by J. B. Priestley, deals with members of a wealthy British family who are questioned by an unusual police inspector as to each person’s involvement in the death of a young, working-class woman.
• November 14 & 28 The Mousetrap (1952), by Agatha Christie, is the longest running play in theatrical history. Need we say more?
• December 5 Twelve Angry Men (1954) is a teleplay by Reginald Rose about a jury determining the guilt or innocence of a non- white man charged with the knifing murder of his father. This script for television was later lengthened and turned into a well-known feature film starring Henry Fonda.

Art Workshop

7 sessions
October 17, 24, 31;
November 7, 14, 28;
December 5.
2:00 – 3:15 p.m.

Share your creativity when you join our expanded multi-media Art Workshop. Bring your own pencils, paints, pastels, crayons and paper, canvas, even coloring books. Try a new medium or refine the one you have been using. Paint, draw or color with other LIRIC members. This is the place to express yourself. All levels are welcome. Need more information? Call Gail at (914) 961-5661.

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

Tai Ch

Pre-registration and an additional fee of $65.00 are required for this class. The registration form is in the catalog. Please contact Suzanne Page at spage@iona.edu for more information.

8 sessions
October 11, 18, 25;
November 1, 8, 15, 29;
December 6.
9 – 10 a.m.

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.

Writers’ Workshop

7 sessions
October 11, 18, 25;
November 1, 8, 29;
December 6.
9 – 10:15 a.m.

There is a writer within each of us. Join us and explore your untapped talent. Interested? Email csm611@aol.com to register for this limited enrollment class. First come, first served!

Course Leader: Chuck Miller has led the Workshop for a number of years. He gets as much enjoyment out of it as do the participants.

Environment Issues of New York State

4 sessions
October 11, 18, 25;
November 1.
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

Join Dean Joseph Stabile and faculty from Iona University and New York University for this four-session course. Each week a different presenter will discuss an environmental issue of importance in New York State.

• October 11 The history of the environmental/civil rights movement in NYC and the impact of recent environmental policies under Mayors Bloomberg, De Blasio and Adams.
  • Presenter: Joshua Leon, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Political Science, Iona University; New York Historical Society, 2022-23 Robert David Lion Gardiner -Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellow University.
• October 18 Phytoremediation: How can plants be used to restore the environment?
  • Presenter: Yourha Kang, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Biology, Iona University
• October 25 Toxic Effects of Pollutants on Hudson River Biota
  • Presenter: Isaac Wirgin, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Medicine, New York University
• November 1 Invasive Exotic Species and their impact on native species in New York State
  • Presenter: Joseph Stabile, Ph. D. Dean & Professor of Biology, Iona University
• Class Representative: Joyce Kent

America at the Crossroad of Modernity and Change: The Progressive Era, 1901–1918

4 sessions
November 8, 15, 29;
December 6.
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

As the United States transitioned to an industrial economy during the Gilded Age (the latter half of the 19th century), the nation was challenged by many problems. A heterogeneous group of reformers, which included Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson, local politicians, muckrakers, suffragists, and others, attempted to address these problems and subsequently changed the social, economic, and political landscape of our nation at the turn-of-the-century. The arts of the period and how they ushered in an “Era of Modernity” will also be discussed.

Presenters:

Rick Leibert is a retired adjunct professor of marketing at Iona University, an educator at the Holocaust Museum and Study Center at Rockland Community College, and a course leader at Collegium at Westchester Community College. A man of many parts, he has offered LIRIC classes on the Holocaust, American and World history, and even sports, in addition to leading literary discussion classes.

Lucy Leibert majored in history at Skidmore College and received an M.A.T. in history from Columbia University where she studied American history and research methods. She has taught middle school and high school history as well as English and English skills. Most recently, she helped students prepare for the SATs and compose college admission essays.

Healthy, Wealthy and Wise

8 sessions
October 11, 18, 25;
November 1, 8, 15, 29;
December 6.
12:30 – 1:45 p.m.

Join these professionals as they advise us about staying healthy, wealthy and wise.

• October 11 Promoting Your Health
  • Presenter: Deidra G. Brown, Ph.D., RN New York Presbyterian Iona University School of Health Sciences
• October 18 Living With Chronic Pain
  • Presenters: Occupational Therapy Department of Iona University Dr. Tripta Velamoor and Adjunct Professor Alice Massa, Advisors
• October 25 Living Safely
  • Presenters: Occupational Therapy Department of Iona University, Adjunct Professor Alice Massa, Advisor
• November 1 Acupuncture in Modern Medicine
  • Presenter: Dr. Rubina Heptulla, M.D.. M.S., LaC
• November 8 What Every Grandparent Should Know: Pediatric Medicine
  • Presenter: Adrienne Weiss-Harrison, M.D.
• November 15 Beyond the Smile
  • Presenter: Lois Dreyer, M.S. Associate Professor, Department of Dental Hygiene
• November 29 Plan Today for Tomorrow: Estate and Eldercare Planning
  • Presenter: Salvatore Di Costanzo, Attorney-at-Law
• December 6 The Library Today: Research and Resources
  • Presenter: Jennifer O’Neill, Library Director, Mamaroneck Public Library

Eat, Drink and Be Merry

4 sessions
October 11, 18, 25;
November 1.
2 – 3:15 p.m.

LIRIC begins to celebrate our 30th Anniversary with classes that combine Brazilian culture, delicious food and drink, and pure entertainment.

• October 11 A Taste of Brazil
  • Brazilian born Carolina Figueiredo, chef and owner of the Boleria Brazilia Bakery and Café in Mamaroneck, speaks about Brazilian cuisine and brings along treats for your delectation.
• October 18 Samba!
  • Professional dance instructors Karen Schneider and Carlos Sampelayo teach us that most famous of Brazilian dances – the samba. Bring your dancing shoes!
• October 25 The Music of Brazil
  • Performing the works of famous Brazilian composers are Maria Tiscia and David Oliver, members of the Brazilian band Rio Bound which specializes in jazz. You’ll have a chance to practice those samba steps you learned!
• November 1 Wine & Cheese Tasting
  • Nothing Brazil here, as Greg Koster puts on his non-musical hat to talk about – and help us appreciate – some excellent wines.

All That Jazz: In-Concert Performances

4 sessions
November 8, 15, 29;
December 6.
2 – 3:15 p.m.

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

---

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. 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. One trip will be to Kykuit, the Rockefeller Estate in Pocantico Hills pictured be- low. Look for information about other trips in your welcome packet or in a separate mailing.

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 World’s Greatest Paintings

8 sessions
October 6, 13, 20, 27;
November 3, 10, 17;
December 1.
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.

Participants in last semester’s course on The World’s Greatest Paintings voted to continue with an additional 8 weeks of great art, but no prerequisites are needed to enjoy this semester’s offering! Come to one session or all eight. The class consists of a 25-minute video talk by the Great Courses professor, William Kloss, who discusses an art work he has nominated as “great” – for reasons he explains. The remainder of each session is a live (and lively) presentation by Shirley Radcliffe, one of our favorite presenters. She adds historical context, biographical sidebars, and examples of art from the same period but by other artists – women – and from other cultures besides the West.

Countries of the World

3 sessions
October 6, 13, 20.
12:30 – 1:45 p.m.

In these three sessions we will learn about some very different countries, starting with Iran and tracing its history from the Persian Empire to the present. Then we move from the Middle East to Europe where we examine Yugoslavia’s creation and collapse. Finally we visit six of the smallest countries in Europe: Andorra, Liechtenstein, Malta, Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City, discovering how they were created and how they survive – and thrive.

Presenter: Lois Lovisolo is a frequent presenter at LIRIC – her most recent classes introduced us to troubled countries of the world – and is a member of the Curriculum Committee as well as LIRIC’s Comptroller.

Kent’s Comments

3 sessions
October 27;
November 3, 10.
12:30 – 1:45 p.m.

The first lecture on October 27 will focus on significant Supreme Court cases decided during the term that ended in June. The second session will be divided between additional court rulings and a look at the upcoming congressional and state elections. The final installment will examine the election results, the implications for the presidential election in 2024 and the possible future impact they may have upon our increasingly fragile democracy.

Presenter: Bob Kent is an attorney specializing in health care and human re-sources. With a JD from Harvard Law School and an MBA from NYU, he has, over the years, worked with NBC Universal, Lifetime Entertainment Services and TWA among others. In the last few years he has spoken to LIRIC primarily about supreme court cases and the presidency.

Hate: A History of Anti-Semitism

1 session
November 17.
12:30 – 1:45 p.m.

Presenter Steve Goldberg is the retired chair of the Social Studies Department at New Rochelle High School, where he was interim principal last year. He is presently Co-Director of Education at the Holocaust and Human Rights Education Center in White Plains.

Literary Discussion: Exploring Brazil

7 sessions
October 6, 13, 20, 27;
November 3, 10, 17.
2 – 3:15 p.m.

We’ll begin our exploration of Brazil with The River of Doubt, Candice Millard’s riveting account of Theodore Roosevelt’s journey through the Amazon. The River of Doubt has widespread appeal for history buffs, nature lovers, and all of us who like a thrilling adventure story. Our exploration continues with some of Brazil’s greatest literature, including short stories by Clarice Lispector and Machado de Assis. Our last selection, The Air You Breathe, is a sweeping historical novel that takes the reader from a sugar plantation in the 1930s through twenty years of Brazil’s culture and history.

The Westchester Library System owns many copies of The River of Doubt, The Caregiver, and The Air You Breathe. Some are available as an eBook or audio book on Libby. Paper copies of short works will be distributed a week before the session in which they will be discussed. Most attendees will read the works in advance, but all are welcome; listening to the discussion may be of interest.

• October 6 The River of Doubt, by Candice Millard
  • Presenter: Roseanne Klein
• October 13 Short Stories of Clarice Lispector
  • Presenter: Barbara Hickey
• October 20 The Caregiver, by Samuel Park
  • Presenter: Paulette Gabbriellini
• October 27 Selected Short Works
  • Presenter: Jeanne de Saint Ouen
• November 3 Selected Short Works
  • Presenter: Kobie Thakar
• November 10 Short Stories of Machado de Assis
  • Presenter: Rick Leibert
• November 17 The Air You Breathe, by Frances Peebles
  • Presenter: Beth Hofstetter
• Class Representative: Linda Creary

---

Course Descriptions: Friday

Lecture Series: Brazil

7 sessions
October 7, 14, 21, 28;
November 4, 18;
December 2
1 – 2:15 p.m.

Murphy Auditorium:
October 7, & 14;
November 4 & 8;
December 2.

Romita Auditorium in Ryan Library:
October 21 & 28

If all that comes to mind when you hear “Brazil” is soccer (and Pele), Carnival, the samba, and the Amazon rainforest, like most of us you have a great deal to learn – and this is just the place to do it.

• October 7 (Murphy) Latin America’s Giant: Brazil’s Journey from the Nineteenth Century until Today
  • Presenter: Dr. Jimena Perry, History Department, Iona University
• October 14 (Murphy) An Introduction to Brazil: Its History, Places, and Culture
  • Presenter: Ines Rodrigues, author
• October 21 (Romita) Race and Representation in Brazil
  • Presenter: Dr. Nereida Segura-Rico, Arts & Languages Department, Iona University
• October 28 (Romita) The Brazilian Northeast
  • Presenter: Dr. Galen Barry, Philosophy Department, Iona University
• November 4 (Murphy) The Amazon Rainforest
  • Presenter: Dr. Christina Andruk, Biology Department Iona University
• November 18 (Murphy) The Music and Dance of Brazil
  • Presenters: Hannah Park and Adam Rosado, Arts and Languages Department, Iona University
• December 2 (Murphy) Brazil’s Economy
  • Presenter: Dr. Arif Qayyum, Associate Professor of Finance LaPenta School of Business, Iona University
• Class Representative: Linda Creary

Film Course: Brazil

All classes meet in Romita Auditorium in Ryan Library.

7 sessions
October 7, 14, 21, 28;
November 4, 18;
December 2.
2:30 – 4:45 p.m.

Although Brazilian movies and performers have deservedly garnered some major awards worldwide, Brazil is not a major player on the silver screen. Inconsistent government support, funding, and a lack of tax incentives have often made investments in Brazilian films precarious. In spite of this, there have been some stellar successes.

The early 20th century “silents” ushered in the “bela época,” the golden age of Brazilian cinema. This era was followed by a combined comedy and musical revue genre, “chanchada,” featuring stars like Carmen Miranda. The ‘60s birthed “Cinema Nôvo,” focusing on the underclass, especially poor Afro-Brazilians. Ironically, the most repressive political regime in Brazil became the most successful period in the country’s film history as it created the National Film Institute (INC) and sponsored production subsidies. Paradoxically, in 1989 under the most democratic election in Brazilian history, the movie industry collapsed overnight.

In 1993, amid continuing financial and political turmoil, the new Ministry of Culture catapulted Brazilian films to international recognition. The Academy Award for Best Actress went to Fernanda Montenegro and Best Foreign Language film and Golden Bear to director Walter Salles for the mega hit Central Station. Miramax and Disney’s distribution of director Fernando Meirelles’s much praised City of God in 2003 was a major international success, raking in ten times the initial 3 million dollar investment. Today with streaming, Brazilian films have a wider audience and are available through YouTube, Netflix, and the Amazon marketplace among others.

• October 7 The Edge of Democracy, 2019, documentary (121 minutes)
• October 14 The Mission, 1986, Oscar for Best Cinematography (125 minutes)
• October 21 Black Orpheus, 1960, Best Foreign Language Film Oscar (107 minutes)
• October 28 The Emerald Forest, 1985, directed by John Boorman (114 minutes)
• November 4 Central Station, 1998, won two Oscars 110 minutes)
• November 18 City of God, 2002, set in the slums of Rio (130 minutes)
• December 2 The Year My Parents Went on Vacation, 2006 (110 minutes)
• 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