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The Short Story: Here and There
Where: Online (Zoom) When: February 2–May 4 (except February 16 and April 6), 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) When: February 2–May 11 (except March 9), 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 May 18, at the same time and with the same link as shown for the class.
Green District Heating and the Electric Slide: Brooklyn College’s Path to Net Zero
Where: In person When: March 9, 12:30–1:45 p.m.
Brooklyn College is charting an ambitious course towards zero emissions through long-term planning and decarbonization strategies. This class explores the history of the college’s energy use and how geothermal, solar, dewatering, and electrification scenarios will be combined to reduce emissions and enhance resilience. Join to learn about the college’s planning efforts to meet the statewide emissions mandate by 2050.
Contemporary Book Group
Where :The February and March books will be discussed online (Zoom). The others will be in person. When: 10:30–11:45 a.m.
Mystery Book Group
Where: The February book will be discussed online (Zoom). The others will be in person.
When: 10:30–11:45 a.m.
Classic Book Group
Where: In person When: February 24, March 31, April 28, May 26, June 23, 10:30–11:45 a.m.
We will discuss Moby Dick, the 1851 epic novel by Herman Melville. The book is centered on the sailor Ishmael’s narrative of the maniacal quest of Ahab, captain of the whaling ship Pequod, for vengeance against Moby Dick, the giant white sperm whale that bit off his leg on the ship’s previous voyage. Its reputation as a Great American Novel was established only in the 20th century, after the 1919 centennial of its author’s birth. William Faulkner said he wished he had written the book himself, and D. H. Lawrence called it “one of the strangest and most wonderful books in the world” and “the greatest book of the sea ever written.” Its opening sentence, “Call me Ishmael”, is among world literature’s most famous.
Personal Finance: Focus On Investments
Where: In person When: February 3, 10, 17 and 24, 12:45 – 2 p.m.
This course will begin with a discussion of some basic concepts associated with the investment process (active vs. passive investing, growth versus income investing, the importance of diversification, etc.). We will then look at the highlights of the three common asset classes: fixed income, real estate and stocks. The course finishes with a review of the different funds that are available to the individual investor: mutual, exchange traded funds, index funds, closed ended funds and real estate investment funds (REITs).
Alcohol And Health: Things We Know and Things We Don’t Know
Where: In person When: March 3, 12:45 – 2 p.m.
We will begin with background information on ethanol (i.e. alcohol) metabolism and some of its known deleterious physiological effects. We will go on to discuss health issues related to type and amount of alcoholic beverage consumption.
Towards A History of Aging and Retirement
Where: In person When: March 10, 12:45–2 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. The first of these two presentations, which we heard back in October, focused on old age The talk this semester will focus on the history of retirement.
Frederick Douglass, Slavery, and Abolition In New York, 1827-1863
Where: In person When: March 17, 12:45–2 p.m.
When Frederick Douglass landed in the free state of New York in 1838, he found himself in mortal danger of being kidnapped and sold back into slavery. Pro-slavery forces enacted the Fugitive Slave Law in 1850 and the US Supreme Court sanctioned slavery in the Dred Scott decision of 1857. Abolitionists worked in opposition to these forces. We will learn about the efforts of the most consequential anti-slavery leaders in New York including David Ruggles, Sojourner Truth, William Lloyd Garrison, Lewis Tappan, Rev. Henry Ward Beecher and especially the prophetic Frederick Douglass.
Awe: An Exploration
Where: In person When: April 14 and 21, 12:45–2 p.m.
The feeling of awe has become a topic for study by philosophers, psychologists, neurologists and other scholars. We will explore whether the word awe refers to a feeling that all human beings experience in the same way, or to a feeling that varies by individual and/or culture. What situations elicit it? How has its meaning changed over time? How does it relate to wonder and the idea of the sublime?
The Three Acting “B’s”
Where: In person When: April 28, 12:45–2 p.m.
The presentation features three great American actors (the three Bs) Edwin Booth, John Barrymore, and Marlon Brando. It focuses on their influence and impact on American theater. The first two Bs were hailed for their performances as Hamlet and their realistic portrayals inspired contemporary actors. Although Brando’s only Shakespeare performance was as Antony in the film version of Julius Caesar, he brought new levels of realism to both theater and film and had enormous influence on a new crop of actors. Clips of Barrymore and Brando will be shown.
Street Corner Dreams: A Novel
Where: In person When: May 5, 12:45–2 p.m.
Florence Reiss Kraut will discuss her novel, Street Corner Dreams. When financial disaster and the Jewish and Italian Mafia threaten an immigrant family’s very existence in the turbulent years between the two World Wars, the family makes disastrous choices that change them forever. The class will discuss the historic period, the challenges faced by immigrant families and the ways Prohibition, the Great Depression, anti-semitism, poverty and the gangs impacted the immigrants.
Reading The New York Times Science Section
Where: Online (Zoom) When: February 4–May 20 (except April 1 and April 8), 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) When: February 4–May 20 (except April 1 and 8), 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 When: February 18, 25, March 11, 25, April 15, 29, May 13, 27, 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 yarn 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 When: February 4–May 13 (except April 1 and April 8), 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, too. Dances will be in a circle or a line, so you don’t need a partner.
Manhattan, The Dutch Colony That Shaped America
Where: Online (Zoom) When: February 5, 12 and 19, 12:45–2 p.m.
The Dutch ruled the island of Manhattan for just 40 years, yet it sent New York and ultimately the entire United States on a trajectory that characterizes our city & nation through current times. The class will explore the Dutch contribution to the fabric of New York and the repercussions for the United States. The class will be based on the book “The Island at the Center of the World” by Russell Shorto.
The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Public Integrity Bureau
Where: In person When: February 26, 12:45–2 p.m.
The Public Integrity Bureau of the Brooklyn DA’s Office handles all allegations of corruption involving NYC-based civil servants and elected officials. We are privileged to have two members of this group give a presentation on how the bureau protects the city, its assets and its citizens.
Current Events In-Person Discussion
Where: In person When: February 26, March 26, April 30, May 21, 2:15–3:30 p.m.
Because we are inundated with information, much of it inaccurate or misleading, about important current events, this course will discuss several major events from the local, national, and international news each month. We will try to provide the context needed to understand controversies that affect your lives, our country, and the wider world.
A Machine Gun in the Hibiscus: Bermuda and The Untold Story Of Atlantic Ocean Islands in World War II
Where: In person When: March 5, 10:30–11:45 a.m.
The campaign to control Atlantic Ocean island shipping lanes produced one of the most important Allied victories of the Second World War. This class will explore a still largely unknown dimension of this victory: the role of—and impact on—the ring of mostly small islands forming a “ring of fortifications” in the north, central, and south Atlantic. My focus will be on British colony of Bermuda, the wartime fate of which illuminates the interplay between fighting the war, connections between islands, and the local impact of base building.
Parting The Veil: A Short Series On Life After Death
Five major world religions will be considered. The three Abrahamic religions will be discussed , followed by a discussion of Vedic (ancient Hindu) and Buddhist beliefs.
Who Will Make It to Paradise? Some Perspectives on Universal Salvation from the History of Philosophy And Theology
Where: In person When: March 5, 12:45–2 p.m.
This course examines the age-old question of who makes it to heaven and who is doomed to hell (or merely to non-existence). Some philosophers and theologians have suggested that everyone, perhaps everything will be saved in the end. We will examine their reasons for maintaining this provocative stance.
Life after Life after Life: How Core Concepts from the Vedic and Buddhist Traditions Shape Ideas about the Afterlife
Where: Online (Zoom) When: March 12 and 19, 12:45–2 p.m.
Is our physical death really the end? Or is it merely the end of a specific phase of our soul’s journey? In these two lectures, we will explore, first, how the Vedic and Buddhist traditions have traditionally answered these questions, and second, what modern consciousness researchers like those at the University of Virginia’s Division of Perceptual Studies, or researchers who work with survivors of near death experiences (NDEs), or explorers of OBEs (out of body Experiences), have to tell us. Could one of the implications of this research be that all of us are currently participating in something tantamount to a vast cosmic simulation?
Tapping Into Our Own Voices: A Workshop Inspired by Knowing Silence
Where: In person When: March 26, 12:45–2 p.m.
This workshop is based on the collaborative narrative approach taken by the author in her 2024 book, Knowing Silence: How Children Talk About Immigration Status in School. Building on the book’s ethnographic approach to studying immigrant children’s lives, Mangual Figueroa will lead the class in a “life map” activity in which participants will reflect on formative moments in their lives. Workshop participants will learn more about the key findings from Knowing Silence, will consider the significance of immigration in New York City today, and will share their own life stories.
“It Was I Who Did It”: Women in the American Revolution
Where: In person When: April 16, 12:45–2 p.m.
This class will cover the roles of women in the protest before independence was declared. It will also cover the male duties women adopted once husband/father went to war. It will cover women heroes, including spies, saboteurs, couriers and “Molly Pitchers.” Finally, it will look at the impact of the war on gender roles.
England During the American Revolution
Where: In person When: April 23, 12:45–2 p.m.
With the 4th of July coming up and the related celebrations, did you ever wonder what was happening in England during the war years? Did America’s dissent cause any problems? Were others inspired by our actions? What was King George III doing? How did the war impact England’s economy? We’ll discuss all this and more.
The Tradition Of American Political Dissent
Where: In person When: April 30, 12:45–2 p.m.
This session will trace the Revolutionary and Constitutional era foundations of American dissent. The class will explore how the legacy bequeathed by the Founding has shaped U.S. political culture. The session will feature examples from throughout American history and will close with thoughts on the continued relevance of the dissenting tradition today.
Cults, The Occult And Secret Societies
Where: In person When: May 7, 14, 21, 12:45–2 p.m.
Secrets! What secrets do secret societies have? What is the importance of secrets? To whom do we tell them? These are the questions raised by cults, the occult and secret societies.
Celebrating Black Life, Culture, Resilience And Joy Part I: Pre-Colonial Africa
Where: Online (Zoom) When: February 6 to April 24 (except March 6, April 3, April 10) 10:30 a.m.-Noon
As we continue this journey together, upcoming sessions will deepen our understanding of the Black experience—from the complexity and creativity of pre-colonial African civilizations, through the violence and resistance of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, to the arrival and adaptation of enslaved Africans in the Americas, whose resilience laid the foundations for generations to come.
Mah Jongg Club and Class
Pre-registration is required. Please contact the office in advance and provide your name, phone number and whether you want to be in the players group or the learners group.
Where: In person When: February 6–May 15 (except April 3), 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
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.)
Whether you are already a player or you would like to learn, your opportunity has arrived! We welcome all beginner and experienced players. We will have two groups: an experienced group that will play and an introductory group for learners.
For new or inexperienced players: The learners class will begin on February 20. It is not necessary to attend before then.
