Let's Go Members at Mass. General Hospital Museum on March 28

NEWS

BREAK WEEK FOR MOST CLASSES

Most ten-week classes will have this week off unless they have makeups. Most first-half courses ended last week unless they started late. Any six-week courses will extend through break week. Most second-five-week classes will start the week of April 9. Enjoy the trip to Disney World or just sleeping late.

LAST CHANCE TO SIGN UP FOR SPRING COURSES!

We have many excellent mind-expanding courses beginning the week of April 9. You can engage with our wonderful course leader Sandy Sherizen on the important social consequences of technology, Tuesday mornings on Zoom, or discuss life’s transitions with Elise Phillips and other interested LLAIC members on Wednesday mornings, also on Zoom. Or on Thursday mornings examine “the good, the bad and the ugly” history of the British Empire with history buff Margalit Lai and friends. What about short books/great reading with popular literature teacher Brooks Goddard? And you don’t need to speak French to enjoy the comedies of Moliere with our French course leader Dany Bick or study poetry with humanities professor Fred Kolb, all on Zoom on Thursdays.

If you’d prefer to meet in person, you can join the play reading group on Tuesday afternoons for a fun time at no charge. Or you can examine and clarify your plans for the future with hospice volunteer Peter Goldberg, also in person on Tuesday afternoons. Both classes will follow our reinvigorated LUNCH@LLAIC program at noon where you will enjoy lunch with friends followed by a stimulating and thought-provoking program. LLAIC’s Tuesdays in spring will be a return to glorious pre-pandemic days!

So now is the time to take another look at the course descriptions at llaic.org and pick one or two courses for April and May.

THINK ABOUT LEADING A FALL COURSE

Although spring has barely begun—and some of our spring courses haven’t started yet!--LLAIC is looking for course proposals for Fall, 2024. Teaching a course is a wonderful opportunity to share a topic that interests you with other like-minded people! Courses can range from more traditional topics such as history, math, science, and literature to current events to classes looking at music and AI. The Curriculum Committee can help with developing your idea into a course—generally running from five to ten weeks. 

We are hoping to be able to offer more classes in person at Temple Shalom in Newton. It’s a lovely facility, with plenty of room for our schmooze room—just waiting to be the location for special programs and before or after class lunches. We understand that there are reasons why both course leaders and members might prefer to teach or take classes on Zoom, but nothing can compare to the warmth of in-person class discussions and the opportunity to reconnect with our fellow LLAIC members. The social aspect of LLAIC has always been one of our biggest features, and we’d love to see it back! So if it’s possible, please do consider offering a course in person—but it that doesn’t work for you, Zoom will continue as an alternative. There’s full tech support for all virtual courses, with a dedicated person managing Zoom so the course leader can focus on teaching. There’s also training as needed on A/V equipment for in-person classes and on Zoom for virtual ones. 

While course leaders teach on a volunteer basis, they're rewarded with a free annual membership and may register early, tuition-free, for up to two courses in the semester they are teaching or in the following semester. So think about what you’d like to explore, and send in a course proposal form! And if you know anyone who might be interested in teaching, let them know about us!

SPECIAL EVENTS

Available to members at no additional charge

LUNCH@LLAIC

TUESDAYS, APRIL 9 THRU MAY 28

12:00 NOON

April 9 at 12:00 noon - in person - is Opening Day for LUNCH@LLAIC! You won't see the Red Sox, stand in line for hot dogs, or do The Wave; but you can enjoy the regular lunch offering of $3 pizza or what you bring from home, and indulge in our special celebration cake and a beverage.

Every Tuesday in April and May we will be showing a fascinating one-hour video narrated by a professor from a well-known university. One of our LLAIC members will present the video and facilitate a discussion after the viewing.  

The videos feature a wide range of subjects including science, art, history, politics, history, music, etc. They are provided through our collaboration with Curiosity University.  Our facilitators have each chosen a video that interests them and will appeal to our members. 

Here is the schedule:

• April 9:  "The Top Science Stories of 2023" with Bill Miniscalco
• April 16:  "The Politics and Philosophy of Kurt Vonnegut" with Pat Cole
• April 30: "Mozart's Many Mysteries" with Phil Radoff
• May 5:  "Jackie Kennedy: Her Life, Image and Legacy" with Jane Bermont
• May 14: "Studying French in France" with Larry Krakauer
• May 21:  "The Age of Misinformation" with Karl Kelber 
• May 28:  "Was Alexander Hamilton Jewish? A Scholar Investigates" with Sue Goldberg

We hope to see you at this new LLAIC program! If you have questions, please contact Phyllis Cohen or Alice Freedman.

PLEASE JOIN LLAIC LOVES ART

AND THE PHOENIX ART MUSEUM

ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, AT 1:30

AS WE HEAR ABOUT

"ARTE VOLUMINOSO": THE ART OF VOLUME" - FERNANDO BOTERO

Fernando Botero’s unique style is instantly recognizable! His subjects exist in a universe populated by exaggerated beings seemingly larger than life, at once solid and voluptuous. It echoes Pre-Columbian, Classical Spanish, and Spanish Colonial Art. An assault on what is held to be timeless canons of beauty and ideal proportions. Botero: “My painting has two main sources. On one hand they are my views on aesthetics and on the other the Latin American world where I grew up. I also think sensuality plays a great role."

Isabel Ballerna , our docent, is a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina. She holds a BA in Art. Isabel is an artist and interior designer. Her artworks have been featured in art galleries and published in numerous publications including Artists of the Rockies and the Golden West and Southeast Art magazines. Isabel is also an avid horse rider and competitor in dressage. Isabel has been a docent at Phoenix Art Museum since 2014.

Click here before noon on Tuesday, April 9, to request a Zoom invitation. You'll receive it that day.

WOLF HOLLOW, IPSWICH, MA

SUNDAY, APRIL 14 @ 12:30-1:30

114 ESSEX ROAD, IPSWICH

BRUNCH AT 10:00 A.M. AT

FOX CREEK TAVERN

141 HIGH STREET, IPSWICH

LIMIT OF 15 PARTICIPANTS

Please join us for a trip to Wolf Hollow, a non-profit wolf sanctuary and educational facility, founded in 1988. Its mission is the preservation of wolves in the wild through education and exposure. We will join the Education and Enrichment Presentation at 12:30, and will be seated on benches in an outdoor, covered, observation area facing a fenced-in enclosure where our presenter inside will be interacting with some of the wolves. Our guide will discuss pack dynamics, behavior, impact on biodiversity, history, and obstacles to their survival. We will also get to witness the pack participating in an enrichment activity. There will be time for additional questions and observation.

We will have brunch at 10:00 a.m. and then proceed to Wolf Hollow which is about a seven-minute drive. We will order from the menu and receive separate checks.

Both the Wolf Preserve and the restaurant are ADA accessible. There is plenty of parking at both locations. The presentation will be cancelled if there is rain. There is a great gift shop with proceeds going to Wolf Hollow.

To register send a copy of this form with a check for $17.50 for seniors or $21.00 for adults to Ileen Conn at the address listed on the form. It must be received no later than April 7, 2024. About a week prior to this trip you will receive an email with contact information, enabling you to form carpools if you wish.

We look forward to sharing this unique Let’s Go experience on April 14.

For more information please contact Ileen Conn, 978-985-5421, [email protected].

GROUP MEETINGS

Available to members at no additional charge

SPANISH CONVERSATION GROUP

¡Bienvenidos a La Tertulia!

MONDAY, APRIL 1 @ 1:00

Our format consists of reading and discussing articles from various Spanish language media sources of general high interest. There is no homework although everyone is invited to submit articles they might find for our agendas.

The hosts for the group are Miriam Grodberg and Larry Krakauer. Contact Miriam at [email protected] with any questions.

CURRENT EVENTS

FRIDAY, APRIL 5 @ 10:00-11:15

LED BY JERRY JACOBS 

From Jerry: It's been awhile since we met, and we will resume in early April. To make up for lost time, I will find an even more controversial topic than usual for us to talk about!

In the meantime two participants will have visited the Middle East and we are eager to hear their thoughts, Do Israelis have a different perspective on the war than Jews and others outside of Israel.

Finally, in the Holy Season for Christians and Jews, perhaps members of the clergy who participate in our group can offer their perspective on the new Trump Bible, now on sale.

Stay tuned!

Click here before noon on Thursday, April 4, to request a Zoom invitation. You'll get it that day. Newcomers are welcome.

MOVIE MAVENS

SEARCHING FOR SUGARMAN

FRIDAY, APRIL 19 @ 2 P.M.

Have you heard of Sixto Rodriguez? Was he another Dylan? A victim of the top 40 fixation? Why was he ignored here but a legend in South Africa? Did he help change Apartheid? Was he too sophisticated? Were the bizarre rumors true?

These are some of the questions raised by the documentary Searching for Sugarman.You will watch the recounting of two investigators as they try to find out what happened. Was he still alive or were the accounts of his death true? 

This exciting and powerful film highlights the power of music to transcend borders and cultures, revealing the complex interplay between fact and truth in storytelling.

The movie won Oscar and BAFTA awards for best documentary as well as 42 other awards. It is available to stream on Apple, Amazon, YouTube, and Vudu.

Click here before noon on Thursday, April 18, to request a Zoom invitation. You'll receive it that day.

THERE ARE NO GENIUSES ON WALL STREET

MONDAY, APRIL 29 @ 10:30-12:00

Are you an experienced investor, or are you new to "the market" and want to know more? We are an easygoing discussion group that deals with all market-related topics. Bring your opinions, insights, and questions. Or just listen. We are now meeting as a joint venture between LLAIC and Tufts OLLI. The next meeting after this one will be on May 20.

Click here today to request an Zoom invitation. If you have any questions about the group, contact Richard Lewis: [email protected] or 617-448-4439.