LEARNINGINRETIREMENT,INC.C/OTEMPLEBETHEL350ROXBURYROADSTAMFORD,CT06902-1294

WINTER/SPRING2020

LearninginRetirementLAST WEEK OF JANUARYWINTER/SPRING2020CalendarMONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURS. FRIDAY

27 28 29 30 AM - REGISTRATION Help at TBE 10-12:00

31

FEBRUARY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURS. FRIDAY

3 4 AM – REGISTRATION Help at TBE 10-12:00

5 6 7

10 11 12 13 AM – REGISTRATION Help at TBE 10-12:00

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17 PRESIDENT’S DAY 18 19 20 AM– #401 Religion: Does it have a Future – Michael Leach

21 AM – #501 Architects of NY Public Library - Dr. Heather Ewing

PM –#201 Soul, Stax, And Civil Rights – Dr. Brian Torff

PM- #301 Jews And Hollywood - Michael Feldstein

24 AM –#101 Boeing B737 MAX Crisis - Jet Vertz

25 AM –#202 The Ten Commandments - Dr. Joel Baden

26 AM – #302 Caravaggio: Criminal, Pioneer, Master – Dr. Page Knox

27 28 AM – #502 The Golden Age Of Italian Opera - Dr. Gil Harel

PM -#203 The Oscars, …Over the Years – Joe Meyers

MARCH MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURS. FRIDAY

2 3 AM –#204 Gatsby in CT: The untold Story – Robert Williams

4 AM –#303 Anti-Semitism: Pre-Christian Times To Middle Ages - Andrée Brooks

5 6 AM –#503 Seeing in Patterns – David Dunlop

PM – #102 Andy’s Gang of Followers - Dr. Beth Gersh-Nešić 9

10 AM –#205 Convergence of Christians, Muslims, Jews in Medieval Spain - Robert Henery

11 AM – #304 Anti-Semitism: The Later Years: From Superstition To Competition - Andrée Brooks

12 13 AM – #504 The Fidgety Reader’s Guide to Getting Ready to Read Ulysses - Dr. Jesse Meyers

PM –#103 Post-Pop:”Pictures Generation”- Dr. Beth Gersh-Nešić PM- #305 Women in the American

Revolution - Eric Chandler PM - #402 Life & Literature – Mark Schenker

16 AM-#104 American Vistas: The Hudson River To Uncharted Territories. - Robin Hoffman

17 AM –#206 An Important Topic – Dr. Kevin Buterbaugh

18 AM – #306 An Important Topic ENCORE – Dr. Kevin Buterbaugh

19 20 AM – #505 The Rise Of The Virtuoso - Dr. Gil Harel

PM –#207 The Beatles: In My Life - Dr. Brian Torff

23 AM –#105 The World Of Digital Media – Alice Knapp

24 25 AM – #307 Understanding Indonesia: The World’s Fourth Largest Country- Wayne Forrest

26 AM – #403 Anatolian Turkey - Robert Henrey

27 AM – #506 What's Jewish about Jewish Music? - Cantor Jill Abramson

30 AM –#106 Changing Perceptions of Tosca - Dr. Daniel Egan

31 APRIL

1 2 3 AM –#507 Elections 2020 & The State of American Politics - Dr. Susan Herbst

PM – #208 The History & Evolution Of Money - Dr. Mark LeClair

APRIL MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURS. FRIDAY

6 7 8 9 PASSOVER 10 GOOD FRIDAY PM –#107 Japan: Possible Futures - Dr. Alexis Dudden

13 NO 14 CLASSES 15 THIS 16 WEEK 17 20 AM –#108 Little Sister- a Memoir - Patricia Chadwick

21 AM –#209 Alchemy of Italy/Leading Ladies Of The Renaissance - Carla Gambescia

22 23 #404 FIELD TRIP: Bronx Zoo Part 2 – Joanne Zammit

PM – #109 Shakespeare In A New Way - Michael Langlois

PM – #210 From The Page To Stage - Steve Karp

PM - #308 18th C. French Art –Erotic & Sensual and its Complete Opposite - Helane Rheingold

27 28 29 AM – #309 Parting of the Ways -Robert Abrams

30 MAY 1

FIRST TWO WEEKS OF MAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURS. FRIDAY

4 5 AM – #211 Provide Affordable Housing In Fairfield County-Richard Freedman

6 7 #405 FIELD TRIP: PepsiCo Gardens – Barbara Gotch

8 AM –#508 Sandy Hook - Attorney Joshua Koskoff

PM –#212 Our Glorious Language - Dr. Georgiana White

11 AM –#110 "Oh, there's nothing halfway": Meredith Willson's The Music Man-Dr. Daniel Egan

12 AM – #213 Tower of Babel -Dr. Joel Baden

13 14 15

PM - #310 Curtailing the abuse of Power - Rev. Blaine Edele

Learning in Retirement c/oTempleBethEl

350RoxburyRoad,Stamford,CT06902203.595.0398●lirstamford@gmail.com●www.lirstamford.org

LEARNING IN RETIREMENT, INC. is a non-profit organization that provides education and enrichment for retired and senior citizens. NEW THIS SEMESTER: LIR registration is now online. You will be able to register for a class online up to midnight the night before the class. As a result, walk-ins the day of the class will be charged $15.00. Go to our website www.lirstamford.org for instructions on creating your unique account and registering online, for viewing our full current catalog, and for connecting to our new online registration site. Registration: • Class fees are $10 when registering online • Walk-ins will be charged $15 for each class • We do not create waiting lists when classes are fully subscribed • No refunds for missed single classes • You will be notified if a lecture is rescheduled or cancelled • Registration is limited for all classes • Create a unique account on our registration site Security Policy: • Temple Beth El (TBE) doors are now locked at all times and those entering must ring to be admitted • LIR will have someone at the door to admit participants 20 minutes prior to scheduled classes (9:40-10:00 AM and 12:40-1:00 PM). Please do not arrive prior to 9:40 AM or 12:40 PM • Everyone is encouraged to arrive on time since latecomers disrupt the TBE office staff Communication: • The LIR office is open only during class hours • Please leave phone messages at 203.595.0398 • Check our website, https://www.lirstamford.org,where you can find the latest LIR Catalog Inclement weather: • If Stamford schools are closed due to weather, LIR does not meet and classes will be rescheduled • LIR will open as scheduled even if Stamford schools have a delayed opening • Check Cable Channel 12 for information or News 12 online: http://closings.news12.com/school_closings.jsp?region=CT&flag=1 • You will receive an email from LIR Info when a cancelled class has been rescheduled Handicapped accessibility: • Wheelchair is available at LIR’s entrance to TBE • Handicapped accessibility is available at TBE Officers: President: Steve Cole Vice President: Sylvia Romero Secretary: Ronny Kaplan Treasurer: Joel Brest Board of Directors: Amy Fleishman, Beverly Frank, Barbara Friedman, Barbara Gotch, Linda Gratt, Ira Kaplan, Pam Levine, Judy Liebeskind, Roz Nesin, Barbara Sherber, Joan Wexler

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How to Create an Account • Go to LIR website: https://www.lirstamford.org/ • Click on To Register Now • Click Create Account on top right of Home Page

o Enter all required information Ø USERNAME: If you have a unique email address, we suggest that

you use it as your Username; if you share an email address, each of you must create a unique Username (e.g., gsmith, bsmith). PLEASE remember/make note of your chosen Username.

Ø EMAIL ADDRESS: Use the email you currently have (if you share an email, it can be used more than once)

Ø PASSWORD: Create your Password (password is case sensitive and must be at least 8 characters with 1 capital letter and 1 numeral.) PLEASE remember/make note of your chosen password.

Ø Click on Agree and Create Account to proceed (you must agree to our Registration Policy to continue)

******************************************************* How to Register for Classes Online

Once you have an Account you can return to browse through classes by clicking on Home at the top right of the screen • The first screen you see will be the Home Page where you can search for classes in different ways:

o Using the search bar for a specific class or a specific instructor o Searching through the categories on the left hand side (Subject, Day of Week) o Using the date fields (‘to’ and ‘from’) o Using the calendar on the top right of the screen

• For more information about the class, click on the Course name. There will be a detailed description of the class, date and time and the instructor’s name with a picture and a brief bio

• Once a class is chosen, add it to your cart by clicking Add to cart • Continue adding classes to your cart • When all your classes have been selected, click Checkout to go to the checkout screen • At this point you will be asked to login • First time users: create an account (see How to Create an Account process)

o Enter all required information (your name, address, phone # and email address) o Click on Agree and Create Account to proceed (you must agree to our Registration Policy to continue) o Create your Username and Password

• Already have an account? o Log in using your Username and Password (password is case sensitive)

• All your classes and the total price are listed • To delete a class click the “x” (for 1) or “empty cart” (to cancel all). To continue, click Checkout • Review the classes you have selected to ensure that the classes selected are correct (remember, LIR does not issue

refunds, unless the course is cancelled by LIR) • Click Proceed to Payment to continue • Choose a payment option:

o Credit card: (we do not store your credit card information) Select “Credit Card” in the “Payment methods” dropdown box, then click Place Order Now; you are now registered and will be taken to the Order Receipt page where, if you wish, you can print the receipt for your records (you will also receive a confirmation email).

o Check: Select “Check” in the “Payment methods” dropdown box, then click Place Order Now; you are now enrolled, but we must receive your check payment prior to your first class in order to be fully registered. You can print the receipt for your records but the confirmation email that you will receive needs to be printed and enclosed with your check payable to “Learning in Retirement.” Please mail both to: LIR, c/o Temple Beth El, 350 Roxbury Road, Stamford, CT 06902

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WINTER/SPRING PROGRAM 2020

ONLINE REGISTRATION HELP Attend ONE of these Help sessions in our classroom at TBE. No need to register for the Help sessions. THURSDAY, January 30 – 10-12 TUESDAY, February 4 - 10-12 THURSDAY, February 13 - 10-12 Board of Directors and Volunteers will be available to help members to register online. Bring your completed registration worksheet (see page 15 & inside back cover) and payment (check or credit card).

MONDAY 10-12 - February 24 Tuition $10.00 #101- BOEING B737 MAX CRISIS This presentation will focus on how two air crashes in late 2018 and early 2019 (in which over 350 people perished) of the B737MAX model resulted in the FAA’s grounding of the model. What changes made in the B737M caused its being an unsafe airplane? A fascinating case study at the intersection of a major U.S. aircraft manufacturer, the FAA regulatory framework and several US airlines forced to revise their fleet plans (and schedules). Presenter Jet Vertz retired from Pratt & Whitney Aircraft as Vice President after a long career in the aviation business.

MONDAY 1-3 - March 2 Tuition $10.00 #102 - ANDY’S GANG OF FOLLOWERS Dr. Beth Gersh-Nešić, Director of the New York Arts Exchange, will present a slide lecture that connects Andy Warhol’s Pop Art to his followers Jeff Koons, Deborah Kass, Roslyn Drexler and Ai Wei Wei. MONDAY 1-3 - March 9 Tuition $10.00 #103 - POST-POP: “PICTURES GENERATION” The so-called “Pictures Generation” (mainly Baby Boomers) was raised on television shows and advertising. Their artwork comments on our visual culture. Dr. Beth Gersh-Nešić will illustrate this by discussing Cindy Sherman, Bettye Saar, Laurie Simmons, Robert Longo and Fred Wilson. ______________________________________________________________________________ To Register or for Catalog updates go to: https://www.lirstamford.org/ 3 Online Registration will be open until midnight before each class. Walk-ins will be charged $15.00

MONDAY 10-12 - March 16 Tuition $10.00 #104 - AMERICAN VISTAS: FROM THE HUDSON RIVER TO UNCHARTED TERRITORIES Robin Hoffman, has been teaching art appreciation with ArtScapades in Connecticut since 1998. She will focus on the Hudson River School painters. The changes in art brought about by national pride, the westward expansion and the growth of travel will be discussed. She will include four Hudson River School artists: Thomas Cole, Frederic Edwin Church, Asher B. Durand and Albert Bierstadt.

MONDAY 10-12 - March 23 Tuition $10.00 #105- THE WORLD OF DIGITAL MEDIA Digital Media is a blend of technology and content. Every day we have the option of finding information, entertainment, and commerce in an online or physical environment. Alice Knapp, president of the Ferguson library, will discuss some digital media examples from now and in the future and what the ethical and practical concerns are. MONDAY 10-12 - March 30 Tuition $10.00 #106 - CHANGING PERCEPTIONS OF TOSCA Puccini's Tosca has been a staple of the operatic repertoire for over a century, thrilling and moving audiences with each passing era. Join Yale professor, Dr. Daniel Egan, as he returns to discuss how perceptions of Puccini's masterpiece have changed over time. In particular, the current climate of social critique and the "me too" movement make this taut drama in music feel more urgent, pointed and at times more terrifying than ever. Egan's comments will reference the Metropolitan Opera production, to be broadcast live in HD on April 11. MONDAY 1-3 - April 6 Tuition $10.00 #107 - JAPAN: POSSIBLE FUTURES Japanese society is more deeply divided today than at any point since the end of WWII. This talk will consider various competing interests often masked in international coverage. Dr. Alexis Dudden, history professor at UConn and the author of several books, has lived in Japan and South Korea. MONDAY 10-12 - April 20 Tuition $10.00 #108 - LITTLE SISTER - A MEMOIR Patricia Chadwick, current Avon Theater Advisory Board Member, will shed light on her childhood experience, growing up in a religious cult of 100 people in the 1950s and 1960s, separated from her parents and four siblings, with no access to the outside world or its influences or contact with anyone, including family who lived outside the community. She was evicted from the community at age seventeen into the world with no money or family support, a stranger to newspapers, magazines, television and the simple act of making a phone call and had to face a world that she had been taught to believe was full of sin and danger. _______________________________________________________________________________ To Register or for Catalog updates go to: https://www.lirstamford.org/ 4 Online Registration will be open until midnight before each class. Walk-ins will be charged $15.00

MONDAY 1-3 - April 20 Tuition $10.00 #109 - EXPERIENCE SHAKESPEARE IN A NEW WAY Acting Shakespeare is considered by many to be one of the most difficult challenges an actor can face. But many people do not know that the Bard left acting clues in all of his plays. Using lines from a variety of Shakespearean texts, producer,directorandeducatorMichael Langlois returns to LIR to help uncover those clues in order to make the works of Shakespeare come alive in a new way---you may never read or watch a play by Shakespeare the same way again. MONDAY 10-12 – May 11 Tuition $10.00 #110 –"OH, THERE'S NOTHING HALFWAY": MEREDITH WILLSON'S THE MUSIC MAN Yale professor Dr. Daniel Egan returns to LIR to discuss Meredith Willson's The Music Man as a well-nigh perfect portrait of small town America and how we sometimes discover our best selves even as we resist change and insist on staying put. In anticipation of the show's revival on Broadway next fall, we will explore the music, the characters and the message of this classic piece of American musical theater. TUESDAY 1-3 - February 18 Tuition $10.00 #201 - SOUL, STAX AND CIVIL RIGHTS Professor of music, composer and bassist, Dr. Brian Q. Torff analyzes the tremendous impact of soul music from the 1950s to the 1970s, focusing on the legacy of Stax Records in Memphis. Using his 2018 trip to Memphis and Mississippi, Torff will show his photos and explain southern blues and soul from church to recording studio, including the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis. TUESDAY 10-12 - February 25 Tuition $10.00 #202 - THE TEN COMMANDMENTS Often considered the central laws of the Hebrew Bible, the Ten Commandments may not be quite what they seem. In this session Yale Professor Dr. Joel Baden will explore the history and development of the Ten Commandments, and how they changed from a Jewish symbol to a Christian one.

TUESDAY 1-3 - February 25 Tuition $10.00

#203 - THE OSCARS: CHANGES OVER THE YEARS

Joe Meyers has written about movies, theater and books (Connecticut Post etc.) and since 2016 has been the director of programming for the Focus on French Cinema festival in Greenwich. His presentation will examine how the Oscar awards have changed over the decades, both reflecting (and in some cases anticipating) changes in the movie industry in recent years. _______________________________________________________________________________ To Register or for Catalog updates go to: https://www.lirstamford.org/ 5 Online Registration will be open until midnight before each class. Walk-ins will be charged $15.00

TUESDAY 10-12 - March 3 Tuition $10.00 #204 - GATSBY IN CONNECTICUT: THE UNTOLD STORY Robert Steven Williams (director and producer) and Richard Webb (executive producer) of Gatsby In Connecticut: The Untold Story will present excerpts from their film, as well as present additional archival and scholarly research (from Westport to Princeton and further afield) that was uncovered during their seven year journey to validate a 1996 New Yorker article claiming that “the seeds of The Great Gatsby were in Westport”, the results of which will change how you view one of America’s greatest novels. TUESDAY 10-12 - March 10 Tuition $10.00 #205 - CONVERGENCE OF CHRISTIANS, MUSLIMS, JEWS IN MEDIEVAL SPAIN Robert Henrey, a retired international financial consultant and graduate of Oxford University, has traveled widely, researching religious and cultural traditions around the world. This presentation will explore how unique circumstances in medieval Spain paved the way for Europe’s scientific and intellectual awakening. He will stimulate our intellectual curiosity in previously unknown cultures, which eventually ushered in our interconnected contemporary world. TUESDAY 10-12 - March 17 Tuition $10.00 #206 - AN IMPORTANT TOPIC Dr. Kevin Buterbaugh, professor of political science at Southern CT State College, defers his choice of topic until near presentation time when he will select an important current event. He will deliver this lecture again on Wednesday, March 18 – course #306 – An Important Topic Encore TUESDAY 1-3 - March 17 Tuition $10.00 #207 - THE BEATLES: IN MY LIFE Professor of music, composer and bassist Dr. Brian Q. Torff takes a sweeping look at the evolution of the Beatles from their early days in Liverpool and Hamburg, to the creation of their breathtaking catalog of original music that has influenced generations of musicians and artists around the world. TUESDAY 1-3 - March 31 Tuition $10.00 #208 - THE HISTORY AND EVOLUTION OF MONEY This course details the development of money, from its early inception to the present, including the use of precious metals, paper money and crypto-currency. Dr. Mark LeClair, professor at Fairfield University, will discuss the essential nature of money including what roles a currency must fulfill to qualify as being money. The characteristics and implications of a future, nearly-cashless marketplace will be considered. _______________________________________________________________________________ To Register or for Catalog updates go to: https://www.lirstamford.org/ 6 Online Registration will be open until midnight before each class. Walk-ins will be charged $15.00

TUESDAY 10-12 - April 21 Tuition $10.00 #209 - THE ALCHEMY OF ITALY/LEADING LADIES OF THE RENAISSANCE Carla Gambescia, an award-winning author, travel journalist and cultural expert, will explore the special alchemy of Italy and its multiple influences on the world, western civilization and popular imagination over the course of millennia. She will also examine the evolution of perceptions of women from Roman and Medieval times through the Renaissance when our concept of today's modern woman began to take shape-- in part by focusing on several unheralded women who inspired some of the Renaissance's most beloved artists and paintings. Viva Italia! TUESDAY 1-3 - April 21 Tuition $10.00 #210 - FROM THE PAGE TO STAGE Steve Karp will describe the creative process and the economic considerations by which a play/film gets to the stage. Steve will share his experiences in the theater, which included acting on and off Broadway, TV commercials, producing three short award winning films, and currently, dramatic writing. He was the founder and producer of the Stamford Theater Works, a regional theater company, which achieved great success in Stamford for twenty years. The presentation will include a screening of one of his films. TUESDAY 10-12 - May 5 Tuition $10.00 #211 - THE STRUGGLE TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN FAIRFIELD COUNTY Fairfield County is one of the country's most expensive housing markets. One-third of the residents are unable to afford adequate housing. Three-quarters of Black and Hispanic residents are concentrated in high-poverty areas. A severe shortage of clean, decent affordable housing directly results from longstanding state and local policies. Richard Freedman, president of Garden Home Management and Chairman of the Stamford Board of Finance, will discuss the history and causes of these policies and prognosis for the future. TUESDAY 1-3 - May 5 Tuition $10.00 #212 - OUR GLORIOUS LANGUAGE Linguist and syndicated columnist Richard Lederer wrote many books in which he recounts the hilarious misuse of English by both native and foreign speakers. As a true admirer of Lederer and of our splendid language, Dr. Georgiana White will explore how English invites such gaffes and aberrations and is a most dynamic and fertile language. TUESDAY 10-12 - May 12 Tuition $10.00 #213 - THE TOWER OF BABEL Yale professor Dr. Joel Baden will look at the story of the Tower of Babel – only nine verses in the book of Genesis, but verses that have resonated in art and the popular imagination for millennia. What was the Tower, where did this story come from, and what does it mean?” _______________________________________________________________________________ To Register or for Catalog updates go to: https://www.lirstamford.org/ 7 Online Registration will be open until midnight before each class. Walk-ins will be charged $15.00

WEDNESDAY 1-3 - February 19 Tuition $10.00 #301 - JEWS AND HOLLYWOOD Michael Feldstein will lead us on a fascinating journey in which we will explore the early days of Hollywood, and learn how and why immigrant Jews such as Louis B. Mayer and the Warner Brothers became successful in the motion picture industry. We will also analyze four of the earliest movies with Jewish themes, and how they reflected the struggle about Jewish identity in America at that time. WEDNESDAY 10-12 - February 26 Tuition $10.00 #302 - CARAVAGGIO-PAINTER, CRIMINAL, OUTLAW, PIONEER, MASTER Caravaggio painted masterpieces with gritty, groundbreaking detail and innovative use of light and shadow. No other painter in the history of art up until that time used models and subjects from the everyday world in such a unique manner, infusing them with powerful and dramatic effects to bring both the sacred and the profane to life. An in-depth discussion of some of his exceptional paintings and altarpieces allows us to see how Caravaggio makes the spiritual and the secular relatable and inspirational to viewers from the late sixteenth century to today. Dr. Page Knox is an adjunct professor at Columbia University and educator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. WEDNESDAY 10-12 - March 4 Tuition $10.00 #303 - ANTI-SEMITISM: TRACING THE MULTIPLE ROOTS OF AN ANCIENT CURSE FROM PRE-CHRISTIAN TIMES TO THE MIDDLE AGES From biblical times to the Middle Ages, Jews have regularly faced anti-Semitism. Its ancient roots are often misunderstood or cloaked in legends. With Andrée Brooks we will explore the historical background, explain how it differs from many of the misrepresentations that we accept as fact, understand why it is so durable, and how the rationale changes over the centuries to fit into contemporary concerns and fears. WEDNESDAY 10-12 - March 11 Tuition $10.00 #304 - ANTI-SEMITISM: TRACING THE MULTIPLE ROOTS OF AN ANCIENT CURSE THE LATER YEARS: FROM SUPERSTITION TO COMMERCIAL COMPETITION From the Middle Ages to the present times, Jews have regularly faced anti-Semitism. Andrée Brooks will further explore the roots of Anti-Semitism, explain how it differs from many of the misrepresentations that we accept as fact, understand why it is so durable, and how the rationale changes into contemporary concerns and fears. _______________________________________________________________________________ To Register or for Catalog updates go to: https://www.lirstamford.org/ 8 Online Registration will be open until midnight before each class. Walk-ins will be charged $15.00

WEDNESDAY 1-3 - March 11 Tuition $10.00 #305 - WOMEN IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION; PUTTING THE “HER” IN HEROICS Eric Chandler, who has been actively involved in American Revolutionary living history since 1974, will introduce you to some of the women who risked their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to lift the yoke of British control of the 13 colonies. Women are missing from the history books, their stories of soldiers and spies left untold. There are many tales of courage to be revealed in this talk about these largely unsung heroines of the American Revolution. WEDNESDAY 10-12 - March 18 Tuition $10.00 #306 - AN IMPORTANT TOPIC ENCORE This is a REPEAT of Dr. Kevin Buterbaugh’s prior presentation on Tuesday, March 17. IF YOU REGISTERED FOR COURSE #206, DO NOT REGISTER FOR THIS ONE. WEDNESDAY 10-12 - March 25 Tuition $10.00 #307 - UNDERSTANDING INDONESIA: THE WORLD’S FOURTH LARGEST COUNTRY Wayne Forrest, President of the American Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and one of America’s foremost experts on Indonesia, will help us understand the world’s fourth largest country. Indonesia is home to much of the world’s rain forests, most active volcanoes and creatures such as the orangutan and the Komodo dragon. It has the largest population of Muslims in the world. He will introduce us to Indonesian culture and demonstrate a gamelan, an Indonesian instrument. WEDNESDAY 1-3 - April 22 Tuition $10.00 #308 - 18TH CENTURY FRENCH ART—EROTIC AND SENSUAL AND ITS COMPLETE OPPOSITE What do YOU know about Watteau, Boucher, Fragonard, Chardin, Greuze and Rococo art? Helane Rheingold, docent and arts enrichment facilitator, will discuss French painting during the reigns of Louis XIV, XV, and XVI until the French Revolution in 1789 that provided the French aristocracy with opportunities to satisfy their appetite for titillating art in a socially acceptable way; and morality lessons for the French middle class. _______________________________________________________________________________ To Register or for Catalog updates go to: https://www.lirstamford.org/ 9 Online Registration will be open until midnight before each class. Walk-ins will be charged $15.00

WEDNESDAY 10-12 - April 29 Tuition $10.00 #309 -PARTINGOFTHEWAYSAbouttwothousandyearsago,JudaismandChristianitybeganseparatingandpursuingthepathtobecometwodifferentreligions.ThisPartingtookplaceamidstspecificpolitical,social,andspiritualenvironments.We'llexaminethehistoricalcircumstancesthatunderliethePartingtogainadeeperunderstandingoftherelationshipbetweenthesetworeligions.RobertAbramsisaJewishstudieseducatorintheGreaterFairfieldCountyarea. WEDNESDAY 1-3 - May 13 Tuition $10.00 #310 -CURTAILING THE ABUSE OF POWER Power corrupts and often power abuses. Rev. Blaine Edele, Pastor at Union Memorial Church, will consider precedents from the Hebrew Scriptures, Greek philosophy, British history and American law on restraining governmental abuse of power. THURSDAY 10-12 - February 20 Tuition $10.00 #401 - RELIGION: DOES IT HAVE A FUTURE? Eminent religion book publisher, Michael Leach, will present a surprising take on the changing shape of religion and spirituality in the 21st century. Studies show that the fastest growing religion in the U.S. is ex-Catholic, that the proportion of Jews that say that they have no religion continues to increase and that 35% of millennials self-identify as “nones.” Leach will reveal the human dimension behind the phenomenon and describe the evolution of faith that is happening now. The picture is not discouraging but one that will encourage us to dig deeper into the ideas that last. THURSDAY 1-3 - March 12 Tuition $10.00 #402 –LIFE AND LITERATURE Mark Schenker has been at Yale College since 1990 and is currently an associate dean of the College and dean of academic affairs. His presentation will be an introduction to reading literature aimed at a person reading for pleasure rather than for professional reasons or obligations. His talk "locates experience at the center of reading" and includes references as varying as Shakespeare, T.S. Eliot, Saul Bellow, Ulysses, Keats, Auden, Mark Twain and Magritte. _______________________________________________________________________________ To Register or for Catalog updates go to: https://www.lirstamford.org/ 10 Online Registration will be open until midnight before each class. Walk-ins will be charged $15.00

THURSDAY 10-12 – March 26 Tuition $10.00 #403 - ANATOLIAN TURKEY (GREEK RELIGIOUS CULTURE/PERSIAN CONFLICT/EARLY CHRISTIANITY + OTTOMAN EMPIRE) Robert Henrey has researched religious and cultural traditions around the world. In this presentation he will share his interest in different religious traditions encountered in Turkey. The Hittites, Greek culture, the spread of early Christianity and conflict with Islam will be discussed. The personal experiences gained and pictures taken on his journeys to Turkey will be included. THURSDAY 10-12 – April 23 See page 14 for price and description #404 - BRONX ZOO part 2 – FIELD TRIP THURSDAY 10-12 – May 7 See page 14 for price and description #405 - PEPSICO GARDENS - FIELD TRIP FRIDAY 10–12 - February 21 Tuition $10.00 #501 - AMERICAN RENAISSANCE - A LOOK AT CARRÈRE AND HASTINGS, ARCHITECTS OF THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY The architectural firm of Carrère and Hastings designed some of the grandest buildings at the turn of the century: the New York Public Library, the Frick museum, the House and Senate office buildings in Washington D.C. and more. But did you know the firm also left a footprint in Greenwich? Learn more about these two men who did so much to define the dominant American style at the start of the 20th century. Dr. Heather Ewing is an architectural historian and author of books about the Smithsonian. FRIDAY 10-12 – February 28 Tuition $10.00 #502 - THE GOLDEN AGE OF ITALIAN OPERA Opera from its inception was primarily an Italian style of music, though composers would appropriate the genre all over Europe. It was the Italian composers who prospered most and set the standard that would be widely imitated. Perhaps no century constitutes a more flourishing ”golden age” than the 19th century. Dr. Gil Harel, musicologist and music theorist, will discuss how in the works of Donizetti and Bellini, a new style known as Bel Canto would be codified. Later in the century, nobody stood taller than Verdi, with works such as Rigoletto and Il Trovatore, which are still staples in opera houses the world over. _______________________________________________________________________________ To Register or for Catalog updates go to: https://www.lirstamford.org/ 11 Online Registration will be open until midnight before each class. Walk-ins will be charged $15.00

FRIDAY 10-12 – March 6 Tuition $10.00 #503 - SEEING IN PATTERNS We all don’t see things the same way. We don’t see the same things. Visual thinking varies. Making and seeing art depend upon how our own vision works. David Dunlop, artist and faculty member at Silvermine, will discuss: What do we look for? What do we expect to see? How do we find meaning? How do we make meaning from the patterns of our experience? FRIDAY 10-12 – March 13 Tuition $10.00 #504 - THE FIDGETY READER’S GUIDE TO GETTING READY TO READ ULYSSES Jesse Meyers has been teaching and lecturing on James Joyce in the United States and abroad since 2003. Examining Joyce’s Ulysses, he will explain the book’s plot, key writing techniques, historical references, poetic citations and jokes. This presentation, based on Joyce’s private outline is designed for anyone who has resisted reading this magnificent work; the perfect brain-soothing, painless prep. FRIDAY 10-12 – March 20 Tuition $10.00 #505 - THE RISE OF THE VIRTUOSO Frantz Liszt- Nicolò Paganini-Sergei Rachmaninoff-such names are intertwined with performance genius. During this program, musicologist and music theorist, Dr. Gil Harel will discuss the intricacies of what constitutes a “virtuoso”, and what separates composers from true performers. In looking at this repertoire, we will listen to some of the most difficult music ever written. Playing such works requires a special type of musician-one whose impact on audiences is (with the aid of social media) arguably more profound than ever. FRIDAY 10-12 – March 27 Tuition $10.00 #506 - WHAT'S JEWISH ABOUT JEWISH MUSIC? Is it the text? The subject matter? The composer? Is there an element, which makes a piece uniquely Jewish? We'll explore these questions and more; class to include live sung excerpts of music and recordings. Cantor Jill Abramson, the spiritual leader of Congregation Shir Ami (Greenwich/Stamford) will look at composers across the centuries in different styles.

_______________________________________________________________________________ To Register or for Catalog updates go to: https://www.lirstamford.org/ 12 Online Registration will be open until midnight before each class. Walk-ins will be charged $15.00

FRIDAY 10-12 – April 3 Tuition $10.00 #507 – ELECTION 2020 AND THE STATE OF AMERICAN POLITICS Dr. Susan Herbst, president emeritus of UConn, will discuss the current state of national politics, bringing a variety of tools and theories from political science and sociology. Depending on the nature of political activity in April, she will focus on particularly important aspects of the presidential election in progress as well as the state of the presidency. ThereisnoquestionthatwearelivinginoneofthemostuniquelydivisiveandfraughtmomentsinAmericanpolitics,andbehaviorofourelectedofficialshasbeenidiosyncratic FRIDAY 10-12 – May 8 Tuition $10.00 #508 – SANDY HOOK Attorney Joshua Koskoff is a senior partner with the law firm of Koskoff, Koskoff and Bieder and is currently representing the families of the Sandy Hook shooting. He has received numerous awards for his work. Attorney Koskoff will speak on his experiences representing the Sandy Hook families and the case against the Remington Arms Company.

For all Field Trips (see next page)

YOU MUST CLICK THE WAIVER BOX WHEN YOU REGISTER ONLINE FOR A FIELD TRIP.

Field Trip participants will be contacted prior to the trip for carpool driver volunteers.

Acknowledgement and Assumption of Risks & Release Agreement In consideration of the services of Learning in Retirement, Inc. (“LIR”), a charitable, non-sectarian, not-for-profit corporation, I acknowledge and agree as follows: LIR activities may include walking over uneven terrain and transportation or travel to and from activities. The leaders of these activities are volunteers or instructors. They are not paid professional guides or leaders. In all activities, all participants share in the responsibility for their own safety. Participant assumes and accepts full responsibility for the risks of these activities, and for any injury or other loss suffered by participant.

_______________________________________________________________________________ To Register or for Catalog updates go to: https://www.lirstamford.org/ 13 Online Registration will be open until midnight before each class. Walk-ins will be charged $15.00

FIELD TRIP

THURSDAY, APRIL 23 - 9:30-12:30** TUITION $35.00 #404 – BRONX ZOO TOUR WITH DOCENT PART 2 The best way to visit the historic park is with someone who knows it well. Docent Joanne Zammit and fellow docents will accompany you in small groups to enhance your experience.

The admission fee is for the Total Experience Ticket and tour which will include a visit to some of the following exhibits NOT visited last Fall: Tiger Mountain, the Children's Zoo and petting area, the Bug Carousel, birds of prey, Jungle World, mono rail ride through Asia. The zoo is 265 acres with several thousand animals. Docent decisions as to which exhibits to visit will depend on interest, time, weather, and availability of animals. Docents will include the history of the zoo as well as information about the Wildlife Conservation Society’s work around the world to save endangered animals. The admission fee does not include the $17.00 parking fee, paid when entering the Park’s lot. We recommend that passengers divide the fee equally. Participants should bring lunch or purchase it at the park. Picnic areas and tables for boxed lunches are provided throughout the park. Please abide by the posted rules in exhibits where food and drink are prohibited. Please be aware that group tickets will be purchased in advance by the group leader/instructor and are non-refundable.

MODERATE -This is a slightly more active excursion involving an increased amount of physical activity such as substantial walking over uneven terrain, climbing stairs, walking up hills or extended periods of standing. Comfortable, sturdy shoes are recommended. We will carpool from the ACME parking lot on High Ridge Road. Meet time at 9:30 a.m. **The Tour will end at 12:30 p.m. at which time each carpool has free time to visit other exhibits or return to Stamford. Minimum 10 participants - maximum enrollment is limited to 25 participants. Field Trip participants will be contacted prior to the trip for carpool driver volunteers. YOU MUST CLICK THE WAIVER BOX WHEN YOU REGISTER FOR A FIELD TRIP. This trip will take place Rain or Shine. Admission non-refundable.

THURSDAY, May 7 - 10:00–12:00 $10.00 #405 – THE DONALD M. KENDALL SCULPTURE GARDENS AT PEPSICO

The Donald M Kendall Sculpture Gardens is a collection of 45 outdoor sculptures at the PepsiCo world headquarters in Purchase, NY. The collection focuses on 20th century art and includes works by Auguste Rodin, Alexander Calder, Henri Laurens, among others, in a park-like landscaping. Retired art teacher and LIR Board Member Barbara Gotch will lead the tour that will last approximately 2 hours. The GARDENS are located at PepsiCo, 700 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase, NY.

STRENUOUS-Thisisaveryactivefieldtripinvolvingphysicalexertionoveranextendedperiodoftime.Terrainmaybeunevenorsteep.Participantsshouldbeingoodphysicalconditionandbeabletowalkandstandfortheentiretour.Comfortable,sturdyshoesarerecommended. We will carpool from the ACME parking lot on High Ridge Road. Meeting time at 9:30 a.m. Maximum enrollment is 25.

Field Trip participants will be contacted prior to the trip for carpool driver volunteers.

YOU MUST CLICK THE WAIVER BOX WHEN YOU REGISTER FOR A FIELD TRIP.

This trip will take place Rain or Shine. No refunds. _______________________________________________________________________________ To Register or for Catalog updates go to: https://www.lirstamford.org/ 14 Online Registration will be open until midnight before each class. Walk-ins will be charged $15.00

LEARNING IN RETIREMENT

350 ROXBURY ROAD. STAMFORD, CT 06902 203.595.0398 / https://www.lirstamford.org/

Name_______________________________________________________________ REGISTRATION WORK SHEET – (Do not mail this form) Code Title Fee Tuition #101 Boeing B737 MAX Crisis - Jet Vertz $10.00 #102 Andy’s Gang of Followers - Dr. Beth Gersh-Nešić $10.00 #103 Post-Pop:”Pictures Generation” - Dr. Beth Gersh-Nešić $10.00 #104 American Vistas: From The Hudson River To Uncharted Territories - Robin Hoffman $10.00 #105 The World Of Digital Media- Alice Knapp $10.00 #106 Changing Perceptions of Tosca – Dr. Daniel Egan $10.00 #107 Japan: Possible Futures - Dr. Alexis Dudden $10.00 #108 Little Sister – A Memoir - Patricia Chadwick $10.00 #109 Experience Shakespeare In A New Way - Michael Langlois $10.00 #110 "Oh, there's nothing halfway": Meredith Willson's The Music Man– Dr. Daniel Egan $10.00 #201 Soul, Stax, And Civil Rights - Dr. Brian Torff $10.00 #202 The Ten Commandments - Dr. Joel Baden $10.00 #203 The Oscars, Changes Over the Years - Joe Meyers $10.00 #204 Gatsby in Connecticut: The Untold Story - Robert S. Williams $10.00 #205 Convergence of Christians, Muslims, Jews in Medieval Spain - Robert Henery $10.00 #206 An Important Topic - Dr. Kevin Buterbaugh $10.00 #207 The Beatles: In My Life - Dr. Brian Torff $10.00 #208 The History And Evolution Of Money - Dr. Mark LeClair $10.00 #209 Alchemy of Italy/Leading Ladies Of The Renaissance - Carla Gambescia $10.00 #210 From The Page To Stage – Steve Karp $10.00 #211 The Struggle to Provide Affordable Housing In Fairfield County-Richard Freedman $10.00 #212 Our Glorious Language - Dr. Georgiana White $10.00 #213 The Tower of Babel – Dr. Joel Baden $10.00 #301 Jews in Hollywood - Michael Feldstein $10.00 #302 Caravaggio-Painter, Criminal, Outlaw, Pioneer, Master - Dr. Page Knox $10.00 #303 Anti-Semitism: Tracing Multiple Roots of an Ancient Curse From Pre-Christian Times To The Middle Ages - Andrée Brooks $10.00 #304 Anti-Semitism: Tracing Multiple Roots of an Ancient Curse The Later Years: From Superstition To Competition –A. Brooks $10.00 #305 Women in the American Revolution; Putting the “Her” in Heroics - Eric Chandler $10.00 #306 An Important Topic ENCORE - Dr. Kevin Buterbaugh $10.00 #307 Understanding Indonesia: The World’s Fourth Largest Country - Wayne Forrest $10.00 #308 18th C. French Art –Erotic & Sensual and its Complete Opposite - Helane Rheingold $10.00 #309 Parting of the Ways - Robert Abrams $10.00 #310 Curtailing the abuse of Power - Rev. Blaine Edele $10.00 #401 Religion: Does It Have A Future? - Michael Leach $10.00 #402 Life & Literature - Mark Schenker $10.00 #403 Anatolian Turkey (Greek Religious Culture/Persian Conflict/Early Christianity + Ottoman Empire) - Robert Henrey $10.00 #404 FIELD TRIP: Bronx Zoo Part 2 – Joanne Zammit $35.00 #405 FIELD TRIP: PepsiCo Gardens – Barbara Gotch $10.00 #501 American Renaissance: A Look at Carrère & Hastings, Architects of The New York Public Library - Dr. Heather Ewing $10.00 #502 The Golden Age Of Italian Opera - Dr. Gil Harel $10.00 #503 Seeing in Patterns - David Dunlop $10.00 #504 The Fidgety Reader’s Guide to Getting Ready to Read Ulysses - Jesse Meyers $10.00 #505 The Rise Of The Virtuoso - Dr. Gil Harel $10.00 #506 What's Jewish about Jewish Music? - Cantor Jill Abramson $10.00 #507 Election 2020 and the State of American Politics-Dr. Susan Herbst $10.00 #508 Sandy Hook – Attorney Joshua Koskoff $10.00

To Register or for Catalog updates go to: https://www.lirstamford.org/

TOTAL COST

ONLINE REGISTRATION HELP If you have difficulty registering online, attend one of these Help sessions in our classroom at TBE. For more information, go to the top of page 3. THURSDAY, January 30 – 10-12 TUESDAY, February 4 - 10-12 THURSDAY, February 13 - 10-12

Online Registration will be open until midnight before each class. Walk-ins will be charged $15.00 15

LEARNING IN RETIREMENT

350 ROXBURY ROAD. STAMFORD, CT 06902 203.595.0398 / https://www.lirstamford.org/

Name_______________________________________________________________ REGISTRATION WORK SHEET – (Do not mail this form) Code Title Fee Tuition #101 Boeing B737 MAX Crisis - Jet Vertz $10.00 #102 Andy’s Gang of Followers - Dr. Beth Gersh-Nešić $10.00 #103 Post-Pop:”Pictures Generation” - Dr. Beth Gersh-Nešić $10.00 #104 American Vistas: From The Hudson River To Uncharted Territories - Robin Hoffman $10.00 #105 The World Of Digital Media- Alice Knapp $10.00 #106 Changing Perceptions of Tosca – Dr. Daniel Egan $10.00 #107 Japan: Possible Futures - Dr. Alexis Dudden $10.00 #108 Little Sister – A Memoir - Patricia Chadwick $10.00 #109 Experience Shakespeare In A New Way - Michael Langlois $10.00 #110 "Oh, there's nothing halfway": Meredith Willson's The Music Man– Dr. Daniel Egan $10.00 #201 Soul, Stax, And Civil Rights - Dr. Brian Torff $10.00 #202 The Ten Commandments - Dr. Joel Baden $10.00 #203 The Oscars, Changes Over the Years - Joe Meyers $10.00 #204 Gatsby in Connecticut: The Untold Story - Robert S. Williams $10.00 #205 Convergence of Christians, Muslims, Jews in Medieval Spain - Robert Henery $10.00 #206 An Important Topic - Dr. Kevin Buterbaugh $10.00 #207 The Beatles: In My Life - Dr. Brian Torff $10.00 #208 The History And Evolution Of Money - Dr. Mark LeClair $10.00 #209 Alchemy of Italy/Leading Ladies Of The Renaissance - Carla Gambescia $10.00 #210 From The Page To Stage – Steve Karp $10.00 #211 The Struggle to Provide Affordable Housing In Fairfield County-Richard Freedman $10.00 #212 Our Glorious Language - Dr. Georgiana White $10.00 #213 The Tower of Babel – Dr. Joel Baden $10.00 #301 Jews in Hollywood - Michael Feldstein $10.00 #302 Caravaggio-Painter, Criminal, Outlaw, Pioneer, Master - Dr. Page Knox $10.00 #303 Anti-Semitism: Tracing Multiple Roots of an Ancient Curse From Pre-Christian Times To The Middle Ages - Andrée Brooks $10.00 #304 Anti-Semitism: Tracing Multiple Roots of an Ancient Curse The Later Years: From Superstition To Competition –A. Brooks $10.00 #305 Women in the American Revolution; Putting the “Her” in Heroics - Eric Chandler $10.00 #306 An Important Topic ENCORE - Dr. Kevin Buterbaugh $10.00 #307 Understanding Indonesia: The World’s Fourth Largest Country - Wayne Forrest $10.00 #308 18th C. French Art –Erotic & Sensual and its Complete Opposite - Helane Rheingold $10.00 #309 Parting of the Ways - Robert Abrams $10.00 #310 Curtailing the abuse of Power - Rev. Blaine Edele $10.00 #401 Religion: Does It Have A Future? - Michael Leach $10.00 #402 Life & Literature - Mark Schenker $10.00 #403 Anatolian Turkey (Greek Religious Culture/Persian Conflict/Early Christianity + Ottoman Empire) - Robert Henrey $10.00 #404 FIELD TRIP: Bronx Zoo Part 2 - Joanne Zammit $35.00 #405 FIELD TRIP: PepsiCo Gardens - Barbara Gotch $10.00 #501 American Renaissance: A Look at Carrère & Hastings, Architects of The New York Public Library - Dr. Heather Ewing $10.00 #502 The Golden Age Of Italian Opera - Dr. Gil Harel $10.00 #503 Seeing in Patterns - David Dunlop $10.00 #504 The Fidgety Reader’s Guide to Getting Ready to Read Ulysses - Jesse Meyers $10.00 #505 The Rise Of The Virtuoso - Dr. Gil Harel $10.00 #506 What's Jewish about Jewish Music? - Cantor Jill Abramson $10.00 #507 Election 2020 and the State of American Politics-Dr. Susan Herbst $10.00 #508 Sandy Hook – Attorney Joshua Koskoff $10.00

To Register or for Catalog updates go to: https://www.lirstamford.org/

TOTAL COST

ONLINE REGISTRATION HELP If you have difficulty registering online, attend one of these Help sessions in our classroom at TBE. For more information, go to the top of page 3. THURSDAY, January 30 – 10-12 TUESDAY, February 4 - 10-12 THURSDAY, February 13 - 10-12

Online Registration will be open until midnight before each class. Walk-ins will be charged $15.00