Classes, Courses, and Lectures
Our exciting Spring Semester will begin on February 3! Scroll down to find out what we are offering.
Winter Intersession 2020
Important Notes
- Room numbers have not yet been assigned.
- The start time of the afternoon (PM) sessions will be either 1 or 1:15 p.m., depending on the location of the room.
- Call the BLL office (718.951.5647) on or after January 7 for the room numbers and afternoon start times.
- Morning classes are approximately 1¼ hours long and include both video and discussion. Afternoon sessions are longer. Film run times are noted below (plus time for discussion). There will be a break for lunch.
Thursday, January 23, 11 a.m.—Medical Breakthroughs: Miracles or Marketing?
Facilitator – Maura McGovern
We'll review "ancient" medical practices that are seeing renewed interest today. The push for new technology and treatments is driving modern medicine. But are the latest developments meeting the needs of the vast majority of people on this planet? Are the "newest" advances accessible? Are they truly essential to the health of everyday citizens?
Thursday, January 23, PM Class—Film: Walkabout
Facilitator – Sol Makon
An Australian teenage girl and her younger brother, while lost in the Australian outback, are rescued by an Aborigine adolescent male, who is on his "walkabout." The walkabout is his rite of passage into manhood, where he must walk alone in the outback for six months, using only his skills for survival. With the Aborigine's help, as the Australians search for civilization, the two teenagers’ communication with each other becomes essential. Director Nicolas Roeg. Actors Jenny Agutter, David Gumpilil. 1971, 100 minutes. In color.
Spring 2020
Monday
International Folk Dancing
Folk dancing is not only great exercise, it also involves the memory and increases cognitive agility. Most dances will be circle or line dances so partners are not necessary.
- Instructor: Elaine Sohn has been leading folk dance groups in Brooklyn Heights for more than 20 years.
- Time: 9:15-10:45
- Dates: February 3-April 27 (weekly except 2/17, 4/13)
The Short Story: From All Over
The art form of the short story offers a unique opportunity to explore how fiction can reflect and/or imitate life. Participants help choose stories that stimulate discussion and thought. Please read “Wives of the Dead” by Nathaniel Hawthorne before the first class. Copies will be available in the office.
- Instructor: Rotating Facilitators
- Time: 10:50-11:50
- Dates: February 3-April 27 (weekly except 2/17, 4/13)
Actor's Workshop
This is your opportunity to tap into your creative side and explore your hidden talents…but most of all to HAVE FUN! Come join us. Please be aware that this class runs from September through May, leading up to a final performance. All are welcome.
- Instructor:
- Julie Kirshner graduated from Brooklyn College with a degree in Theatre and a Master’s degree in English.
- Sunny Brandler, a retired professor from CUNY who holds a BA, MSW and MA in English Literature, and a Doctorate from Adelphi University.
- Time: Noon-3
- Dates: February 3-April 27 (weekly except 2/17, 4/13)
Spanish for Beginners (Level 1)
This course is based on a functional focus with special emphasis on oral communication and practical uses of the language. Students will learn about culture and useful, familiar and everyday expressions, basic grammar, vocabulary and phrases aimed to interact and survive in a Spanish-speaking context.
- Instructor: Nilita León, a certificated teacher with exceptional knowledge of Spanish-speaking countries.
- Time: Noon-1:30
- Dates: February 24-April 27 (weekly except 4/13)
Energy and the Environment
This course will introduce some simple chemical and physical principles that will hopefully lead to a deeper understanding of environmental issues confronting us. Ozone depletion, climate change, nuclear energy and renewable energy sources will be discussed to the extent that will clarify the problems at hand.
- Instructor: Henry Brenner, a member of the chemistry faculty at NYU for 37 years. He taught “Energy and the Environment,” a science distribution option for non-science majors.
- Time: 12:30–2
- Dates: February 24–March 23 weekly
Hebrew Scriptures: Easter and Passover
We will delve into the origins, relationship and meaning of the major spring holydays of Judaism and Christianity. We will watch videos of this Harvard University course and discuss them.
- Facilitators: Gail Weber and Charles Edelman
- Time: 2:15-3:30
- Dates: March 2-March 30 weekly
BLL Walk Fit Program
- Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
- 1-2
- Meet at the Brooklyn College Athletic Field
- Dates to be announced in our newsletter
Special Lectures
- February 3, 12:30-2: "Say Yes!" Flying Solo after Sixty - Pamela Hull, an interior designer and painter, now author who writes that neither age nor being alone is an impediment to living a rich life.
- February 10, 12:30-2: "Moments that Mattered" Recalling ordinary moments, that over time, proved to be life altering - Pamela Hull
- March 16, Noon-1:30: “Brooklyn” Photojournalistic images from the last 25 years - Professor Kenneth Axen, an Adjunct Full Professor at Brooklyn College. His training in photojournalism and documentary filmmaking enables him to create slide shows and short films of his world travels
Special Event
- “Theater Art Performance” Featuring our students from the Actor's Workshop
- Producer/Director: Julie Kirshner and Sunny Brandler
- May 4
- 1-3
Tuesday
*Contemporary Book Club
We will discuss “Empire Falls” by Richard Russo, “The Silence of the Girls” by Pat Barker, “Sula” by Toni Morrison, “The Third Daughter” by Talia Carner and “The Sense of an Ending” by Julian Barnes. *Pre-Registration is required. Class is limited.
- Time: 10-11:45
- Dates: 2/4, 3/3, 3/31, 5/5, 6/2
Recognition and Prevention of Scams
We will cover various types of scams, how to avoid becoming a victim and what to do if you become one.
- Instructor: Alan Podhaizer, a retired attorney who has published several articles on scams as well as lectures on the subject.
- Time: 11-12:15
- Dates: March 10–March 31 weekly
Yoga, Pilates, and Body Movement Awareness
This course will consist of a series of postures and breathing exercises combined with relaxation techniques and exercises.
- Instructor: Cynthia Arenson,a graduate of Brooklyn College and has a Masters’ Degree in Exercise Physiology from Queens College. She has taught yoga for over 30 years.
- Time: Noon-1:20
- Dates: February 18-April 21 (weekly except 4/7, 4/14)
Painting with Acrylics, Intermediate
We will expand our use of color and different types and styles of artwork. Please bring paints, brushes, canvas boards, water container and rags
- Instructor: Susan Tischler, a BLL member who has studied Art and has been painting for over 10 years
- Time: 12:30-1:50
- Dates: February 18–March 17 weekly
History and Styles of Jazz
This course will include the history and characteristics of Ragtime, Traditional New Orleans Jazz, Swing, Bebop, Jazz Funk and Free Jazz. Audio selections will be played.
- Instructor: Robert Mishaan thought his love for jazz would be a fun way to contribute to our program.
- Time: 12:30-2
- Dates: February 4-February 25 weekly
Great Documentaries
We will view and discuss “Fog of War,” “Koyaanisqatsi,” “Bowling for Columbine,” “Point of Order,” and other great documentaries.
- Facilitator: David Krupp, attended SUNY Buffalo as a Psychology major and taught in the NYC public schools for 45 years
- Time: 2:15-3:30
- Dates: February 11-April 28 (weekly except 4/14)
Intellectual Life Lecture Series
- All presented: 11-12:15
- February 11: “Life in Turkey Today” - Goksel Guven, Exec. Director of the Turkish Cultural Center
- Date TBA: “Life in Ukraine Today” - Father Michael Perry
- Date TBA: “Life in Zimbabwe Today” - Sister Celia Deutsch, member of the Sisters of Sion
Special Lectures
- 12:30-2
- March 31: “What's Wrong with The New York Times 1619 Project?” - The “1619 Project” focuses on demonstrating links between the harshness of slavery and white supremacy today. Does it rely on misrepresentations and misinterpretations of slavery with adverse ramifications for black Americans? Presented by Prof. Robert Cherry, has been teaching economics at Brooklyn College for almost 40 years and has published a number of articles on Jewish middlemen and Herman Lubinsky, the owner of one of the more important jazz record companies, Savoy.
- April 21: “Identity Theft - How to Protect Yourself” - Identity Theft is the fastest growing financial crime in the United States. Learn how to protect yourself and your assets. Presented by: Marianne Gennari has 38 years of experience in the Legal/Compliance area with an expertise in money laundering and fraud investigation. She is a trainer for Live On NY. Dennis Hochbaum is a Certified Fraud Examiner with extensive experience in government auditing. He is a trainer for Live on NY. (Website – liveon-ny.org)
Wednesday
TED Talks: Innovative and Exciting Ideas for the Future
TED talks are riveting videoed lectures (10-20 minutes each) by remarkable people. We’ll stick to those which are highly informative, and we’ll definitely choose ones likely to spark spirited discussions among those attending. Each session will be self-contained, and a wide variety of themes will be explored.
- Facilitator: Peter Sohn, is committed to learning more as a retiree in an occasionally organized way than he did for the 40 years he worked in the information technology field.
- Time: 9:30-10:45
- Dates: February 5-April 29 (weekly except 2/12, 4/8, 4/15)
Spanish, Intermediate and Beyond
We invite any student who has a reasonable background in Spanish study to attend. We read, converse, listen and write in order to achieve the goal of mastering the language.
- Instructor: Edward Drayton’s passion for Spanish began when he won the medal for Spanish at his junior high school. He graduated from Brooklyn College, and went on to become a NYC public school teacher.
- Time: 10:30-11:45
- Dates: February 19-April 29 (weekly except 2/12, 4/8, 4/15)
Reading The New York Science Times
Great things are happening in the world of science today. Read and bring the Tuesday, NY Times Science Section to class for our informative discussions about the latest breakthroughs.
- Instructor: Dr. Leslie Jacobson, a long-time Professor in Health and Nutrition Sciences and a “founding mother” of IRPE/BLL has been a major supporter of our organization since its beginning.
- Time: 11-Noon
- Dates: February 5-April 29 (weekly except 2/12, 4/8, 4/15)
Nathaniel Hawthorne's Short Fiction
The heritage of puritanism, sin, guilt, moral ambiguity, and magic realism in Hawthorne’s short romances. First class: “The Maypole of Merry Mount” and “My Kinsman, Major Molineux.”
- Instructor: Brian Keener, a retired professor at NYC College of Technology. Author of John Updikes’s Human Comedy: Comic Morality in The Centaur and the Rabbit Novels
- Time: 11-12:30
- Dates: 2/19, 3/4, 3/18, 4/1, 4/22
Current Events Discussion Group
This group will enlist rotating facilitators for discussions of local, national and international news. Come tell us what you think.
- Instructor: Morty Marshack, an attorney who specialized in litigation, first for the Nassau County Legal Aid Society and then for the City of New York. Before that, he did agricultural extension as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Nepal and taught public school in the South Bronx.
- Time: 12:30-2
- Dates: February 5-April 29 (weekly except 2/12, 3/4, 4/8, 4/15)
BLL Walk Fit Program
- Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
- 1-2
- Meet at the Brooklyn College Athletic Field
- Dates to be announced in our newsletter
Thursday
Classic Book Club
We will discuss: “Middlemarch” by George Elliot, “The Leopard” by Giuseppe de Lampedusa, “1984” by George Orwell, and “Sentimental Education” by Gustave Flaubert.
- Facilitator: Richard Redmond retired from the IT Department of a major investment bank. Prior to that he worked as a Librarian for many years.
- Time: 10-11:30
- Dates: 2/27, 3/26, 4/23, 5/14
Significant Presidential Elections in U.S. History
We are examining the critical election of 1968 conducted in the tumultuous era of the Vietnam war and antiwar protests, and of assassinations of revered leaders and widespread urban unrest. We will see how Richard Nixon exploited these conditions to usher in an era of relative conservatism in the White House.
- Instructor: Stephen Appell, Esq., an attorney who specialized in labor law. A graduate of Cornell and Rutgers Law School, he is an avid student and teacher of historical subjects.
- Time: 12:30-1:30
- Dates: February 13-April 30 (weekly except 2/27, 4/9, 4/16)
Essays, Articles, and Op-Eds
This class will consist of open discussion on selected thought-provoking topics found in essays, articles, op eds and documentaries. Discussion will be enhanced by using PowerPoint slides, videos and documentaries. Please read “Is the American School System Damaging Our Kids?” before the first class. Copies available in the office.
- Instructor: Annette Libert, has been a Registered Nurse/Administrator and educator for 45 years. She has facilitated training sessions for BLL.
- Time: 12:30-1:50
- Dates: February 6-April 30 (weekly except 4/9, 4/16)
Walt Whitman Initiative Lecture Series
- 2:15-3:30
- February 13: “The Wound Dresser: Whitman and the Civil War” - Ian Maloney, St. Francis College
- February 27: “Walt Whitman and the Making of Leaves of Grass” - Matt Miller, Yeshiva University
- March 12: “The Commercialization of Walt Whitman in Modern Society” - Ed Centeno, Whitman collector
- March 26: “Whitman's Poe: A Story of Literary Networks in Bohemian New York” - Ed Whitley, Lehigh University
- April 2: “Walt Whitman goes to the Opera” - Greg Trupiano, Director, Walt Whitman Project
- April 23: “Walt Whitman, Brooklyn Housebuilder,Home Owner,Lifelong Learner” - Karen Karbiener, NYU
Special Lecture—Presented by Prof. Rochelle Cherry
- “Hearing Loss and Related Conditions” - Depression, Balance, Social Isolation, Cardiovascular Disease, etc.
- April 2
- 12:30-2
Prof. Rochelle Cherry, taught Audiology classes at the college level for over 40 years and was a certified clinical Audiologist since 1970. She was head of Audiology at Brooklyn College for over 20 years and has written several journal papers on this subject.
Friday
The Start of Something Mysterious Book Club!
Each month we will tackle a different mystery novel, enjoy a lively discussion based on its merits and review a brief biography of the author. Please read “Still Life” by Louise Penny before the first class. The next book will be selected in class.
- Instructor: Sharon Sturm, a retired New York City school teacher who loves reading serial mysteries in chronological order, (though she is open to stand alones as well.)
- Time: 10:30-11:45
- Dates: 2/14, 4/17, 5/1
Dramatic Film Comedy - Part One
We will be watching dramatic film comedies this semester. The films to be viewed will include “Groundhog Day,” The Big Lebowski,” “Diner,” etc. Discussion will follow each film screening.
- Instructor: Sol Makon’s passion is film. He has an extensive knowledge of cinema, much of it gained through film courses he took at The New School.
- Time: 10:30-1
- Dates: February 7-May 1 (weekly except 4/10)
The Constitution in the News
This course will examine the U.S. Constitution and Supreme Court cases relevant to abortion, immigration, guns, and public safety (vaccines).
- Instructor: Dianne Stillman practiced law for over 20 years, was an adjunct professor of law, and a high school English teacher. Currently she writes about public education.
- Time: 11-12:15
- Dates: March 13-April 24 (weekly except 4/10)
Decorative Arts and Crafts
The classes will consist of creating functional dcoupage bowls, cardboard bracelets and marble painted initials. Please bring any kind of scrap paper including newspapers, magazines and paper cartons as well as Mod Podge glue, brushes and a small container.
- Instructor: Elaine Wilshire has worked in hospitals and health care management. Sheila Washington has worked flea markets, churches and community centers in the arts.
- Time: 11-12:30
- Dates: February 7-May 1 (weekly except 4/10)
BLL Walk Fit Program
- Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
- 1-2
- Meet at the Brooklyn College Athletic Field
- Dates to be announced in our newsletter
Special Lectures
- 12:30-2
- April 3: “Points Aren’t Apples: Exploring the Mysteries of Infinity” - Where does infinity come from? How big is infinity? Are there little infinities and big infinities? Can you take an infinite number of steps? How far would you get? Presented by Fred Friedland who teaches Mathematics at Baruch College. He has given lectures at the IRPE/BLL since 1990.
- April 24: “The Best of Times: Nearly 100 years of Time Magazine covers which have both delighted and outraged readers" - We will conclude with a sneak peek at the latest cover not yet on the newsstands. Presented by Dr. Margery Marcu, a retired English teacher who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, a Master’s degree and Doctorate both in English. Dr. Marcus lectures frequently for OSHER Lifelong Learning programs in Florida. th
*“Museum Walks and Talks”
- Coordinator: Linda Silverman, is an avid museum-goer. She was a program director at NYC College of Technology/CUNY in adult and continuing education.
- Members travel independently to museums.
- All tours are on Fridays at 11 a.m. unless noted.
- Registration begins on the day of receipt of the catalog. Early pre-registration is advised.
- February 28, 12:30: 100 Years of Chinese Posters at Poster House. $10
- March 20: The Art of Impermanence: Japanese Works at Asia Society and Museum. $10
- April 3: Burke Prize and Exhibit Highlights at Museum of Arts and Design. $25
- April 24: Sahel: Art on the Shores of the Sahara at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. $25
- May 1: Mexican Muralists at the Whitney Museum of American Art. $24
