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The Short Story: Here and There Where: Online Zoom Classes When: Sept. 8–Dec. 1 (except 9/22, 10/13), 10:30–11:45 a.m.
The art form of the short story offers a unique opportunity to explore how fiction can reflect or imitate life. Participants choose stories that stimulate discussion and thought.
Actor’s Workshop Where: Online Zoom Classes When: Sept. 8–Nov. 24 (except 9/22, 10/13, 10/20), 12:30–2:30 p.m.
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. This class has an end-of-term performance.
The Actor’s Performance will be held on December 1 at the same time and with the same link as shown for the class.
Contemporary Book Reading Group Where: In-person Classes When: Sept. 9, Oct. 7, Nov. 4, Dec. 2, 10:30–11:45 a.m.
We will discuss:
Classic Book Reading Group
Where: In-person Classes When: Sept. 30, Oct. 28, Nov. 25, Dec. 16, 10:30–Noon
Mystery Book Reading Group Where: In-person Classes When: Sept. 16, Oct. 14, Nov. 18, Dec. 9, 10:30–11:45 a.m.
Learning to Look at Paintings
Where: In-person Classes When: Sept. 9, 16, 30, Oct. 7, 14, 21, 12:45–2 p.m.
When we look at paintings, it is up to us to discover meaning. But to do that we must first know how to look at art and what qualities of a painting we should study.
To that end we will look at a hundred or so paintings from the Renaissance through contemporary times and talk about composition, color, light, line, shape, form, mood, emotion, balance, weight, rhythm, and motion and how these things teach us meaning.
Intermediate Tai Chi Where: In-person Classes When: Sept. 16, 30, Oct. 14, 28, Nov. 18, December 2, 12:30–1:45 p.m.
Intermediate Tai Chi will focus on refining the basic form covered in the Tai Chi class of Spring 2025. We will work on ease of movement and continue to focus on stability and lower body strength and flexibility. Exercises will include “push hands” for balance.
This section is open to those who have completed the Spring 2025 Tai Chi class or have had other prior tai chi experience.
Towards a History of Aging and Retirement
Where: In-person Classes When: Oct. 14 and Oct. 21, 2:15–3:30 p.m.
The class will examine recent approaches to the historical study of aging and the aged, ranging from historical demography and family history to social, cultural, and political history. One session will focus on old age, the second will focus on the history of retirement.
The History of Chinatown, NYC
Where: In-person Class When: Nov. 4, 12:45–2 p.m.
In Part I (in the summer) of this two-part series, we explored how Chinese people arrived in America during the Chinese Exclusion Era using the paper son method. Now we pick up with Part II, from the arrival of paper sons to the development of NYC’s Chinatown, a fascinating history!
Reading The New York Times Science Times Where: Online Zoom Classes When: Sept. 10–Dec. 10 (except 9/24, 10/1), 10:30–11:30 a.m.
Great things are happening in the world of science today. Read and bring the Tuesday New York Times Science Section to class for our informative discussions about the latest breakthroughs.
Current Events Discussion Group
Where: Online Zoom Sessions When: Sept. 10–Dec. 10 (except 9/24, 10/1), 12:30–2 p.m.
This group features discussions of local, national, and international news. Come tell us what you think.
Crocheting and Knitting Group
Where: In-person Classes When: Sept. 17, Oct. 8, 22, Nov. 5, 19, and Dec. 3, 10:30 a.m.–Noon
Join us for a crocheting and knitting group for beginning and experienced levels. Those who are working on projects can bring them if they like. If you have any extra yarns and hooks or needles that you’d like to donate to the group, please bring that too. Novices with no experience who want to learn either or both skills are welcome. We hope to have a fun time together, learning and sharing skills.
International Folk Dancing Where: In-person Classes When: Oct. 8–Dec. 3, 2–4 p.m.
Folk dancing is not only great exercise and lots of fun, it also involves the memory and increases cognitive agility. We will hear lots of wonderful music, learn interesting rhythms and master unusual dance patterns. Join us on our trip around the world to Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Ukraine, Croatia, Israel, and even a stop in South Africa and the USA. Dances will be in a circle or a line, so you don’t need a partner.
Brooklyn History Where: In-person Classes When: Sept. 11, 18, 25, Oct. 9, 10:30–11:45 a.m.
We will cover some highlights of our borough’s past and conclude with a walking tour of Sheepshead Bay. We’ll cover these topics, beginning three classroom sessions and concluding with a walking tour.
Anthropology of Crime and Punishment Where: In-person Classes When: Sept. 11, 18, 25, 12:45–2 p.m.
The violation of rules for behavior is known in all societies, but not all are considered crimes. Do all societies have crime? If so, how do they deal with it?
Means of Ascent by Robert Caro Where: Online Zoom Classes When: Oct. 9. 23, Nov. 6, 20 10:30 a.m.–Noon
In the second volume of his Johnson biography, “Means of Ascent” Robert Caro details Johnson’s life from the aftermath of his first bid for the Senate in 1941 to his election to it in 1948. Much of the book deals with Johnson’s bitterly contested Democratic primary against Coke R. Stevenson in that year and the Box 13 scandal. Caro makes us witness to a momentous turning point in American politics: the tragic last stand of the old politics versus the new–the politics of issue versus the politics of image, mass manipulation, money, and electronic dazzle.
Medicare 101: Knowledge Is Power Where: In-person Class When: Oct. 9, 12:45–2 p.m.
Know your rights! We will learn from a representative from the Medicare Rights Center about the difference between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and how to access vital services. This presentation will offer guidance on obtaining needed coverage of Medicare health services, enrolling in cost saving progra.m.s, and accessing mental health care.
Retired NYC workers–bring your questions about current City retiree health insurance benefits and the Medicare Advantage plan NYC has tried to put in its place.
Freedom of the Press in the Movies
Where: In-person Classes When: Oct. 9 to Nov. 13, 2:15–3:30 p.m.
This course will discuss five films: All the President’s Men, The Post, Citizen Kane, Network, and The Social Network in that order. We will examine how each delivers a message, not only through plot and dialogue but also visually, through subtext and sound such as the musical score. At the first class, we will discuss both how to watch these films and the major legal issues related to freedom of the press. The first film will be discussed at the second class. Students will need to watch each film, which is available inexpensively, during the period between classes on streaming or other platforms.
The Harlem Renaissance Where: Online Zoom Classes When: Oct. 16, 23, 12:30–1:45 p.m.
Beginning at the end of the 1920’s, the Harlem Renaissance was that brief period of Black creativity that gave artist the freedom to write, paint, sing, dance, and experience unencumbered joy. New York City was the perfect place as it saw the confluence of Black migration, historically black colleges and university (HBCU) graduates, and young people just a generation or two out of slavery. The class will explore these topics and others as we navigate ourselves through those few short years that have never been quite duplicated.
Being Poor in Four Ancient Cultures Where: In-person Classes When: Oct. 30–Nov. 20, 12:45–2 p.m.
We often view the events of history from the perspective of the rich and powerful. Instead of looking at kings and queens, this class will explore what life was like for the poor in four ancient cultures: Egypt, Rome, Greece, and Europe in the Middle Ages.
How to Look at Stage Design Where: In-person Class When: Dec. 4, 12:45–2 p.m.
Theatre design (sets, costumes, lights) is surprisingly invisible except when it emphasizes spectacle. Yet design can have a powerful and profound effect on how an audience responds to a production and to the success of a piece of theater or opera. Professor Aronson will examine how to “read” theatre design.
American Mah Jongg
Where: In-person Classes When: Sept. 12–Dec. 5
Mah Jongg is a game of skill, strategy and luck that was developed in China (though American Mah Jongg is very different from the Asian versions.)
If you are already a player or you would like to learn, your opportunity has arrived. The sessions are led by a talented and experienced teacher. In addition to teaching basic play, she can help players improve strategies and defensive moves. She will teach both an introductory class and a supervised play and strategy class.
To be brought to the first beginner’s class: Required Textbook: “A Beginner’s Guide to American Mah Jongg” by Elaine Sandberg and The Official 2025 Mah Jongg Card purchased from the National Mah Jongg League in NYC (do not buy card from Amazon).
PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR THIS CLASS. Email or call the office and provide your name and phone number in advance.
On the English Language Where: Online Zoom Class When: Nov. 21, 2:30–3:30 p.m.
President Donald Trump has ordered that henceforth English is to be the official language of the United States. We have never had an official language before. In this talk we will look at some aspects of our new “official language”–palindromes, spelling conventions, gender, structure, plurals, idioms.
