Our winter semester continues with more great classes on current events/issues, culture and the arts, historical perspectives, and better living. All our sessions are interactive, with the opportunity for students to comment and ask questions.  Winter classes are all on online on Zoom.

Here are this week’s classes. All times are EDT.

WEEK 3 PROGRAM
NEW CLASSES

TUESDAY, JAN 21

We Refuse to Be Enemies in This Difficult Time, with Sabeeha Rehman and Walter Ruby
10:30-11:45am
 Sabeeha, an American Muslim, and Walter, an American Jew, make the case for why it is important for Muslims and Jews to not allow the Israel/Gaza war to divide them at home in the US. They will share their sentiments and perspectives on the war, what each faith community expects of the other, and will outline concrete steps that can be taken to restore relationships that fractured in the aftermath of October 7. They are co-authors of the book We Refuse to Be Enemies. How Muslims and Jews Can Make Peace, One Friendship at a Time, and co-host the podcast We Refuse to Be Enemies.

WEDNESDAY, JAN 22

Leonard Bernstein: Conquering Every Medium He Touched, with Marty Schneit
10:30-11:45am
Leonard Bernstein came to national prominence virtually overnight through a last-minute conducting debut with the New York Philharmonic, when he substituted for Bruno Walter on November 14, 1943. He was only 25 years old. Considered to be one of the most important conductors of his time, he was the first American-born conductor to receive international acclaim. Bernstein conquered every medium he touched: conducting, composing contemporary classical music and Broadway musicals, and providing educational concerts for young people. Marty will discuss and show video clips that highlight Bernstein’s career, including Young People’s Concerts, Mahler’s Resurrection, Fancy Free, On the Waterfront, West Side Story, and The Berlin Celebration Concert. Marty is an amateur historian who has lectured at the NY Public Library, the JCC, the 92nd Street Y and a number of other institutions in NY.

Know Before You Go: Restaurant Noise and What You Can Do About It, with Howard Davis, Barbara Haynes-Davis, Fredrick Orkin 
1:00-2:15pm

Loud noise in restaurants is annoying and it keeps some people away who would like to dine out. In this course, our speakers explain that excessive noise not only creates a challenge for meaningful conversations, but it can cause hearing damage. They will offer tools to identify noisy environments and strategies to encourage restaurants to lower their noise levels. You can make your voice heard – without raising it – by signing a petition they created that asks the NYC Council to amend the city’s Noise Control Law.  The amendment will compel restaurants to hire an NYC-approved audio expert to take a decibel reading in each restaurant, and then have the results publicly posted so diners will know the noise level before they go. The course is for anyone passionate about health, community advocacy or simply enjoying a peaceful meal. Howard Davis is a retired medical malpractice attorney; Barbara Haynes-Davis is a former NBC-TV News producer; Dr.  Fredrick Orkin is a retired academic physician whose scholarly work related to patient safety and public health issues.

Writing a Children’s Book: Do’s, Don’ts, and What It Really Takes, with Eva Treistman
2:45-4:00pm
Eva, author of I Cannot Find My Belly Button, takes us through her personal journey to being published. She’ll provide insight into some of the secrets of the publishing industry – how having a good idea is the first step, and believing in oneself is the main ingredient in achieving the dream. Also, she’ll explain some common pitfalls and mistakes, how authors can avoid them or not be affected by them.

CONTINUING CLASSES

TUESDAY, JAN 21

Poetry for Pleasure in the Winter, with Barry Wallenstein
1:00-2:15pm
These lectures with discussion will involve close readings of poems – classic, modern, and contemporary. Our aim is to listen to the sound poems make. What makes a successful language performance? We will discuss these works’ emotional truth, unity of expression, and attention-holding, pleasure-providing use of language.

Link to poetry book for the semester is HERE

In our third class, Jan 21, we'll discuss the poems on these pages: 

• Sonnet I-V, by Edna St. Vincent Millay, p. 22

• Friend by Gabby Wenzel, p. 6

• Old Friends by Rita Satz, p. 50

• American Solitude & Crossing the Square by Grace Schulman (guest poet), pp. 59-61

• The Fish by Marianne Moore, p. 62

• Love After Love by Derek Walcott, p. 71

• House of Cards by Charles Simic, p. 33

• Long Island Sound by Emma Lazarus, p. 63

• The Most Beautiful Word by Alicia Rebecca Myers, pp. 64-65

What Do You Think? Discussion, with Bill Goldman
2:45-4:00pm
This course is a group discussion of current events, focusing on significant economic, social, and political issues in the news. A few key articles from major newspapers and journals will be sent to students in advance to read so we can come to talk about our views on the subjects. The articles for this week are an overview of the huge unsteady, unpredictable changes facing the world today; a reminder that secularists must remember that religion is on the rise; and a note on the new NY Police Department ban on high speed chases for low-level offenses.

The attached articles for discussion: CLICK HERE

THURSDAY, Jan 23

Equal Protection Clause and the Supreme Court, with Leora Harpaz  
10:30-11:45am
This semester Leora will focus on the way the Supreme Court has interpreted the equal protection guarantee in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. She will explore the varying ways the Court treats discrimination based on race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, wealth, residency, and other characteristics used by the government to impose differences in treatment. Its decisions over the years have had major impacts on American society. From time to time, Leora will talk about current developments at the Supreme Court when other important issues are before the Court. She welcomes your suggestions for other subjects you’d like to hear about. Please email Judy (judy@langerqual.com) if you would like to make suggestions for topics you would like covered in upcoming classes.

Politics 2025, with Larry Geneen
1:00-2:15pm
Donald J. Trump returns to the White House, with promises about his 2nd term, starting with Day 1: massive deportations, new tariffs on foreign goods, changes in civil service, and more. His recess appointments as heads of departments go into effect, many of them controversial, perhaps none more so than Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as head of Health and Human Services, an opponent of covid vaccines. Elon Musk is a key player, called a co-president by some, in charge of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Abortion continues as a major issue. Republicans have a slight advantage in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, so support for the Trump agenda is expected but there may be some battles between MAGAites and conservatives on these and cultural issues. What is happening on the Democratic side as the party deals with its loss, deals with Trump and looks ahead to new leadership? Larry discusses these developments as well as on the local level with New York State’s Gov. Kathy Hochul and NYC’s Mayor Eric Adams. If you have topics you would like Larry to discuss, please write to judy@langerqual.com.

Culture and the Arts: Comedic Songs from Broadway, with Karen Valen
2:45-4:00pm
Do you want to spend some time with Broadway songs that bring a smile or maybe even a laugh? There are many videos available, enough to fill three sessions, performed by the folks who performed them on Broadway or on film. Most of the songs come from shows that are defined as musical comedies, so naturally, we get the comic numbers in Session 3 of Karen’s course: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Avenue Q, Something Rotten. And we also have “Master of the House,” from Les Miserables, which is definitely not a musical comedy, used as a comic respite from tragic story telling. The songs are mostly up tempo with clever lyrics. So, join in, tap your foot, sing along, and have a smile, maybe even a guffaw. 

AND THERE’S MORE...
Frank Hickey led a session on humanitarian support in Ukraine, in conversation with his sister Magee.If you would like to donate to organizations that providing assistance, he recommends Razom.org and Sviatok.org, which do good work in NYC, and Trimani in Odessa.
 
Kristen Brochmann did a session on his photo journey to Italy last week. He has written two books on cities there, which are available for sale from him. Please write to kbroch7@gmail.com if you would like one or both and indicate if you would like signed bookplates. The cost is $45.00 including shipping; payment can be via PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, or check.
 

Abby Jiang’s session, Memoir of a Journey from Shanghai to the US, told of her life in two very different cultures and how she had to adjust. Her book, The Bumpy Road, is available onAmazon.

For Registrationclick here

For Full Course Descriptions click here

For Course Calendar click here

Looking forward to seeing you! 

Best,
Judy

Judy Langer, CL&L Executive Director
Any questions?
Email us at:  info@clandl.org or call 212-644-3320

                         
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