Osher Lifelong Learning
Institute at Brandeis (BOLLI)

SGL1-S09

This course will provide the environment needed for members to investigate ideas for and develop study group proposals to ensure that the BOLLI Program will continue to thrive. The purpose is to encourage, give practical input, and assistance to program members who have not given presentations or led courses at BOLLI and do not yet see themselves as a presenter or potential study group leader.  Past and present study group leaders are also welcome. "The best way to learn is to teach.”

 This course is one effort to assist and support BOLLI members to:

1) develop and/or explore their ideas into presentations and/or courses

2) practice talking about their ideas in a supportive environment

 As a retired teacher, I strongly believe that learning is essential to our continued growth and well-being.  Conveying what we know to others is as important as what we ourselves want to learn and can be very exciting!   This course will offer members an opportunity to share the incredible knowledge that exists at BOLLI!

Examples of study group ideas and course proposals given at BOLLI and other lifelong learning institutes.

Members will be supported to do research to identify books/other resources that they might use for the presentations or courses they want to develop.

This will depend on the goals and commitment of each of the course participants who may be motivated to do a considerable amount of work to complete a course proposal form.

Desirable

Received B.S. degree from Boston University and a M.ED from Lesley University.  I am the current Chair of the Curriculum Committee and past Chair of the Resource Committee. Most of my professional work has been in the field of teaching, mentoring, and teacher training. I am presently a Wheelock College Supervisor, Consultant, and Site Placement Officer. I retired from the Newton Public Schools in June 2003 and am actively involved in many community programs.

The SGL is open to contact by phone 617-969-6878 at or email at myrna.cohen@comcast.net

Hum3-S09

THERE IS BEAUTY IN THE CHARACTER CREASES OF OUR FACES AND GRACE IN THE WAY WE DEAL WITH OUR CHALLENGES.

What have we learned through the years? What do we continue to learn? How do we apply those learnings in ways that work for us? How do we give back to society?  We all know that we age, automatically, day by day and that we are apt to live extended life spans.  Extended lifespan invites expanded awareness.  The purpose of this course is to provide participants with the framework to reflect on and to do the internal work that maximizes their potential to experience aging as the fulfillment of life in a supportive environment.  It will include exercises using a wide range of tools such as guided imagery, life review and repair, forgiveness work, writing ethical wills and discussion.  This will bring healing and deeper meaning to our lives in whatever settings we find ourselves, whether professionally, through volunteerism or simply, and importantly, supporting a friend or family member. 

Societal attitudes about aging have improved but we still have a long way to go.  As we age, as BOLLI members, we are on the cutting edge of modeling the elder of today and the future.  We are the wisdom keepers, teachers and role models as we fulfill our potential. 

This workshop is based on the teachings of Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi founder of the non-denominational Spiritual Eldering Institute.

This course is appropriate for all students.  The course will build from week to week so it is important to try to attend every week.  Presentations are not expected but active class participation is encouraged.

(S) From Age-Ing to Sage-Ing: A Profound New Vision of Growing Older by  Zalman Schachter-Shalomi

Up to one hour.

Not necessary but may be useful from time to time.

The SGL is open to contact by phone at 978-443-5023 before 9PM or email at  EDavid1121@aol.com, her phone number between January 31^st and March 13^th is 941-346-2654.

Mu1-S09

This course will concentrate on a half-dozen pieces of classical music to be performed at Tanglewood, the summer home of the BSO, during the upcoming 2009 season. 

 While music will come from several time periods, this short course doesn’t attempt an historical survey. The goal is to get to know a handful of pieces well, through focused study and rehearing. We’ll try to discover some of the craft and ingenuity in each work, and to understand each as a representative of its genre.  The hope is to inspire people to seek out more classical music and specifically live performances, and to grow their confidence and joy in listening.

There is no requirement that people in the class will go to Tanglewood for performances.  But the goal is that they become familiar with some of this music in the hope that they can then see live performances at this sensational venue if they wish to.

We’ll study music from several genres (symphonies, concertos, chamber music, program music) and will try to focus on what this music says to the lay listener, and specifically how. After all, the composers created it to communicate directly to everyone, not just to specialists or to other musicians.  No previous musical training is required, but such background will certainly enhance the student’s perspective on our study.  What is essential is curiosity and an openness to listen with both the heart and mind. 

Material will build from week to week, so regular weekly attendance is important.

 Tanglewood season programs have just been recently published.  The final list of our specific pieces is still being narrowed and will be communicated to participants before the term begins.  Selections will almost certainly include a string quartet by Haydn, the Beethoven Symphony #1, Mozart Symphony #40, Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto #3, and Debussy's tone poem La Mer.  

Listening to recording of designated piece, more than once.  Possible supplementary reading 2-4 hours per week.

Very Desirable. I will send instructions, summaries, articles and/or book excerpts via email, and computer accessibility will keep things simple and minimize any expenses of duplication or purchase.

Art Finstein holds both his BA and MFA degrees in Music from Brandeis and has done extensive specialty research on the music of Gustav Mahler.  He is a recently retired Massachusetts Music Educator, and has music-directed more than 180 productions in the greater Boston scholastic, community and professional theater circuits.  He has spoken at statewide, regional, and national conferences on Music and Theater Education, and continues to advocate for increased appreciation of and support for the creative arts, especially for music and musical theater.

The SGL is open to contact by phone at or email at 508-875-6965, evenings, or by email at finstein@verizon.net

Sc1-S09

This introductory course will endeavor to teach principles of chemistry: what is an atom, the elements, compounds, mixtures, organization of the elements, the mole is not an animal, what holds atoms together, how fast (or slow) does a reaction go, thermodynamics, how gases behave, what a molecule looks like, is it a solid or liquid or gas, properties of solutions, acids and bases, the special chemistry of carbon, radioactivity, plastics, etc.

Emphasis will be on understanding principles; memorization of reactions will not be required and there will be practically no math.  Relations and application to every day life will be shown.  Knowledge of chemistry is not required.   Members are encouraged to make presentations of up to 15 minutes on famous chemists and their accomplishments. A list of famous chemists will be provided on a CD by the SGL It is not required that chemistry be discussed in great detail; rather that the history of why the accomplishments warranted his/her fame should be explained.

(R) Complete Idiot’s Guide to Chemistry, Ian Guch, ISBN 1-59257-514-5, Pub. Penguin, Second Edition 2006.

1-1.5 hours per week

Required.  The CD I intend to distribute to the class requires a computer.  The CD will facilitate learning as it will be interactive.  Since the interactive program may not work on some computers, alternatives using Microsoft Word or PDF (Adobe Acrobat reader) are also included.

The interactive program contains all of the slides used for the course lectures as well as informative back-up material available by a mouse click.  A “find” feature allows a person to locate any subject within the program.

I have PhD in chemistry, 40 years in chemical research in a number of areas, 10-15 years experience teaching chemistry at undergrad and graduate levels, have presented lectures internationally to groups at many levels of training.

I have broadened my scientific background by reading current journals that cover many branches of science.

The SGL is open to contact by email at martyi@comcast.net

Wr1-S09

The goal of this course is to aid participants to amass a minimum of ten pieces of writing, to write freely, using techniques to trigger memories and ideas, with concrete “how tos.”  Getting started in writing memoirs is often difficult, possibly intimidating.  Students are encouraged to think of writing as “talking with a pencil in your hand or talking at the keyboard.”  Writing a memoir is a way to revisit past life experiences from the perspective of today, a way of reflecting on various periods in our lives.  It is an opportunity to savor the events of our lives, to preserve them.  We will develop a supportive community, by sharing our writing, which will foster our enriching and inspiring one another.  We will spend part of each session writing.  NO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE IS NEEDED.

No Textbook.  The Study Group Leader will provide readings and handouts throughout the course to serve as triggers/stimuli for writing.

1-2 hours

Not necessary.

Marlyn Katz Levenson, an educator and a skilled interviewer and oral historian, has been involved in oral history for more than 20 years, first interviewing family members on audiocassettes and then utilizing the camcorder as it became available.  She feels strongly that we should value our journey, and record it in some manner, being aware that no one else in the world has our memories of ”the way it was,” as seen through our eyes, our reflective lenses.  Each person's life, and lifestory is unique, valid, interesting, and the highlights should be preserved, remembered.  Marlyn has been teaching this course at BOLLI since the Fall 2002 semester.  She also leads workshops on how to get started in memoir writing.

The SGL is open to contact by phone at 617-559-0519.

H&G1-S09

In this course we will examine selected African countries which are currently in the news. We will examine each country’s political structure and enough of its history to provide the background necessary for an understanding of its current problems. In this context we will examine the role of the United Nations and the African Union in attempting to solve the problems, and will examine what the United States has done or failed to do and whether it has acted appropriately. Subject to change on account of current events at the time the course is presented, we will look at Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Guinea-Bissau, South Africa, and Somalia. The course will begin with an overview of the African continent. No prior knowledge is necessary for this course. The course is appropriate for beginners. The course builds from week to week. Volunteers will be expected to make class presentations.

The resource material used in this course comes from a number of sources. Outside reading is required of newspapers, magazines and on-line material for the purpose of the member actively participating in class discussions. Members of the class may be asked to volunteer to make oral reports on specific assigned subjects.

1 hour

Required. A computer will be necessary for a class member to access the internet and be prepared to participate in class discussions.

The SGL is a graduate of Boston University’s College of Business Administration and its Law School. He practiced law in the Boston area for over 35 years; served as a Special Master and Auditor for the Massachusetts Superior Court and as an Examiner for the Massachusetts Land Court. He served 2 terms as President of the Mass. Chapter of the American Trial Lawyers’ Association and is a former member of the Newton School Committee. He is a BOLLI Council member and has been the SGL for 7 prior classes. Although he has no formal education with respect to Africa has independently researched and studied the history of Africa. The most recent course led by him was The Changing Face of Africa.

The SGL is open to contact by phone at 617-969-6878, from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. or by email at robertcohen34@comcast.net

Sc2-S09

This course will be for the general public, no special knowledge is required.  We will read articles from the NY Times, Wall St Journal that are about current medical news.  On occasion the SGL may choose an article from the New England Journal of Medicine.  Several articles will be chosen and the SGL will lead a discussion on the topic.

No textbooks are required.  Access to daily issues of NY Times and/or Wall Street Journal will be necessary.

2 hours

Required.  Some articles will be sent to members by computer.

I am a retired physician and I have been a member of BOLLI since the get go.  I have been a SGL on 5 or 6 previous courses and this has been a very positive experience for me.  I will be working hard to walk that fine line between leading and guiding; between expounding and facilitating.  My goal will be that this will be a member driven class.

The SGL is open to contact by email at elewisg39@verizon.net

H&G2-S09

We will look at the major components of health care policy in the U.S., including service delivery, cost, paying for it, and access to care.  The course will present an overview of the history of US health policy, examining the historic antecedents that led to the policy we have today.  With a better understanding of some aspects of this immensely important and complicated subject, we will examine some of the new proposals the new administration might be considering to improve… or possibly overhaul… this system.  Volunteers for research reports are welcome.

(R) Momma Might Be Better Off Dead, The Failure of Health Care in Urban America, Laurie Kaye Abraham, ISBN 0-226-00139-3, The University of Chicago Press, pbk 1994.

3 hours of reading

Desirable.  I would like to use eBoard for assignments, easier for class members to do research.

After many years of teaching high school English, writing and literature, in Givatayim, Israel, Newton and Lowell (to youth at risk), I have recently greatly enjoyed having the opportunity to teach and learn at BOLLI.  I have a B.A. from Pennsylvania State University, as well as a Master’s of Management degree from the Heller School.  My Master’s degree included an emphasis on Health Policy and Health Care Management and now that I have a lot more time to do the reading I’m interested in, I’ve gotten back to researching what has happened (and not happened) in National Health Policy…and hope to share that interest and research with others.

The SGL is open to contact by phone at 781 863 1238 in the mornings or by email at carolemlevy@yahoo.com

H&G3-S09

This is an introductory course on the Presidency of Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War.  By reading essays written by scholars and students of 19th century America, we will learn how Lincoln managed the war as Commander-in-Chief; Lincoln’s changing views on race as the war progressed; how religion played a role in Lincoln’s view of the war and its aftermath; and how the Lincoln’ Presidency has been preserved in public memory. When appropriate, we will ask whether our 44th President, Barak Hussein Obama, will face similar issues 148 years after Lincoln was tried by war from 1861-1865.

Class members are expected to spend 2 hours reading the text each week and be prepared to respond to questions provided by the Study Group Leader.

(R) Our Lincoln: New Perspectives of Lincoln and his World, Edited by Eric Foner; ISBN 978-0-393-067569; Hardcover, WW Norton 2008.

2 hours

Not Necessary

I have led a dozen adult learning courses at HILR and BOLLI with a special focus on the Civil war, and religion and culture.  I was graduated from Trinity College in Hartford CT.  I have a Masters degree in Liberal studies from the New school in New York and a M.Div. from the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge, MA.

The SGL is open to contact by phone at 781-373-1202, after 7 p.m. and before 10 p.m. or by email at jimsal502@comcast.net

Lit1-S09

 Participants are expected to read the plays and to be prepared to participate in discussions.  Voluntary participation in preparing reports on the playwright and/or the relevance of the issue to current times and to read/act scenes is most welcome.  Videos augment some of the discussions.

 SGL is not a drama expert—rather, a facilitator of shared discovery learning.

Justice, John Galsworthy,

Twelve Angry Men, Reginald Rose, ISBN 978-0-14-310440-7

Winterset, Maxwell Anderson

The Caine Mutiny Court Martial, Herman Wouk, ISBN 978-0-385-51441-5

A Few Good Men, Aaron Sorkin, ISBN 0573 69200 9

2 hours

Required. I send a recap by email after each session. Sometimes participants send comments back which are then forwarded to the other class members.

Comp1-S09

 The course will cover a process known as the “digital workflow”, which begins at the point immediately after a photograph has been acquired (i.e., from a digital camera, photo scanner, or email attachment) and proceeds to the point of sharing edited photographs as photo prints, slide shows, and Web postings.  Each class session will comprise demonstrations and presentations by the SGL accompanied by “hands-on” exercises to be performed by class members. Classroom lessons will be reinforced by weekly assignments to be performed on the member’s home PC.  Completion of these assignments is essential to understanding subsequent class lessons.  All class sessions will be conducted on Windows XP computers with software that is intended to operate on a Windows PC.

 Individual class sessions will cover such topics as: (1) transferring photographic images into your computer; (2) organizing and managing images on your computer; (3) editing images using tools such as Picasa (4) creating a safe and secure backup system; (5) sharing photos with friends and family using email and Web sites; (6) exploring creative ways of displaying photos with specialized slideshow software and Web sites; and, (7) creating quality prints.

This course will be highly interactive; all members will be expected to participate actively.

In addition, there will be a nominal fee to acquire various Web resources for use by class members.

Minimum of three hours, but more is always preferable to properly absorb the class lessons

Required. A home computer with Windows XP or Windows Vista will be essential to reinforce the lessons provided in class and to complete the homework assignments.   It is essential that all class members have experience with, and are comfortable using, email attachments and Internet browsing tools.

Len graduated from NYU and the University of California.  He worked as a management consultant, an IT specialist, and owner of a network integration services business.  He has led a variety of technology, computer and digital photography courses at BOLLI and the BC ILR programs. 

The SGL is open to contact by email at lheier@gmail.com

Rel1-S09

Prophets in the Bible were the go-betweens for the people and God as our ancestors gradually developed their self image.  Prophets authored the message key to western religion.  We'll read stories of seers and oracles, of wonder workers and court advisers who came first and defined prophecy.  Next we'll study teachings of the great innovators, the preaching prophets, who followed.  For all of them, wherever possible, we seek to appreciate their spiritual experience and to grasp their thinking and ideas.  Participants in the first and second courses will have the advantage of acquaintance with the historical/critical approach to the literature.  Others might prepare by reading Friedman's Who Wrote the Bible.

Bible in Hebrew or any translation.  I am partial to King James Version and its knockoff, the Jewish Publication Society 1917 version.

1 hour

Desirable.I shall communicate weekly, using Wiggio.

Bible has been my passionate pursuit since college.  I have had wonderful teachers: Brandeis – Shimon Ravidovich, Nachum Glatzer, Cyrus Gordon; Hebrew Union College – Sheldon Blank, Julius Lewy, William Hallo, Matityahu Tsevat, Ellis Rivkin; Hebrew University – Shmaryahu Talmon, Avraham Malamut, Nechamah Leibowitz; Columbia University Graduate School – Isaac Mendelsohn, Edith Porada.  I chose in 1966 to devote myself to the pulpit and did not complete PhD at Columbia, but teaching has been a treasured part of my life.

Early on I was interested in archaeological/historical studies.  I focused on the origins and early development of the people of Israel.  University classes moved me in the direction of literary criticism and theology.  I teach Bible as world class literature and a treasure of ideas that remain current today.

The SGL is open to contact by phone at 617-599-3341 or email at davidlkline@gmail.com

H&G11-S09

The Spanish Civil War has been referred to as “the good fight”, “the passionate cause” and “the prelude to World War II”.  Was it the fight of democracy against fascism?  The fight of fascism against communism? Was it possible for other European countries to remain neutral?  A great number of books have been written and are still being written to debate these questions.  We will explore them through various perspectives: history, literature, journalism, and film.

 No prior knowledge is required, only an interest in exploring an event that occurred between World War I and World War II.  As we will follow the progression of the war, weekly attendance will be necessary.

(R)    For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway, Scribner, 1995 reprint, ISBN 0684803357

(R)    Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell, Harvest Books, 1969 ISBN 0156421171

A course pack to be distributed in class.

2 – 4 hours

Not Necessary

I taught in the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures at Boston College for 30 years.  I have had two NEH fellowships and have written 14 textbooks on Spanish language, literature and culture.

The SGL is open to contact by phone at 617-232-1727 from 5 – 10 PM or email at kupfersc@bc.edu

H&G4-S09

Russia has experienced a turbulent history over the past 100+ years, and has been very much in the forefront of world news over the past few months. This course will explore the events that led to the Russian Revolution, the Communist era and its leaders, and the characteristics of the Soviet Empire, concentrating on the events leading up to the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 and its aftermath. Why did the breakup happen? What has been the aftermath for the key ex-Soviet republics? How is Russia’s economic, political and economic power being used today? What role is Russia playing vis-a-vis the EU, NATO and the West? Is the Cold War returning? Do we again need to fear the “Bear in the Room”?

The course is appropriate for beginning and intermediate students who are serious about learning of the history and evolution of a critical global player. I discourage registrants who expect to be away more than 2 weeks during the semester.

1-2 hours

The SGL is open to contact by phone at or email at 617-964-6740 at any reasonable hour or by email at ronlevy@comcast.net

Hum1-S09

TV is a technology, industry, art form and institutional force. TV’s early days will be placed into historical context by examining briefly technology, industry pioneers and the development of networks. We’ll explore the affect on people’s lives of the advent of TV and examine the expansion of TV programming over time. We’ll look at various genres, with specific focus on sitcoms and westerns, along with the quiz show scandal.

Early TV was directed at predominantly white audiences. It thus constructed a narrow, conservative and parochial vision of America. Westerns dominated the late Fifties, and were a reflection of our arms race and cold war. The course will explore this phenomenon, which also reinforced white patriarchy with the messages it gave regarding the Civil War.

Was early TV really its “Golden Age”? What were the effects of moving to film and from east to west coast? What role did advertisers play in early TV? What was Disney’s effect? How were politics affected, e.g. Nixon/Kennedy debates? These are just some of the issues to be considered and studied.

Course reports will be encouraged, e.g. members will be asked to select a program and defend its superiority and significance, debate whether Amos `n Andy should have been permitted or tell us how the battle at The Alamo really was fought. Internet access to view YouTube clips necessary.

(R) Television in Black-and-White America: Race and National Identity, Alan Nadel. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 2005 , ISBN 0-7006-1398-6

(R) The Fifities,  David Halberstam, Ballantine Books, June 1994 ed. ISBN: 0-449-90933-6

1-3 hours per week plus whatever time is put into a report, if given

Required, in order to watch assigned clips on YouTube, e.g. McCarthy hearings, introductions to shows such as The Cisco Kid. While not everyone in class will give a report, any research for them will be done via PC.

I graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a B.S. in Econ. and went directly to Harvard Law School. After practicing with a large Boston firm I became Brandeis’ first general counsel, a position I held for 11 years through 1987. My legal career was spent mainly as a general counsel. My passion for TV dates back to childhood; my father worked as a stagehand for NBC. I have never been embarrassed by the vast amount of time I spend watching TV.

The SGL is open to contact by phone at 781- 444-7590, until midnight but never before 9:30 am or by email at djmoskowitz@verizon.net

Mu2-S09

Since the material builds from week to week, it is important to attend each week.  Finally, expect to experience, excitement, sadness, and wonderful enjoyment from this great art form, which will be relaxing and stress free. Handouts will include a synopsis of the operas being presented plus lists of performers for each DVD/video.

No required readings

1 hour

Not Necessary

Opera has been part of my life for over 50 years.  Studying opera has been a passion using librettos and recordings, reviewing documentaries and histories, listening to expert lectures on radio, television, and in classrooms. I have attended many opera in this country and abroad.   I taught elementary school in California and high school in Arkansas. Further, I have presented this program in Quincy Adult School, OLLI at UMass Boston, the Cape Cod Community College, and the Quincy Public Library.

The SGL is open to contact by email at Mustengo@comcast.net

Hum2-S09

 We will look at the history and evolution of wine and how it spread throughout the world.

1. The course will cover the science and technology of growing wine grapes and the processes that go into the making of wine.  This will include, for example, the concept of terroir and the chemistry of fermentation.
2. The course will study wines and wine areas of the world and what makes certain areas ideal for particular grapes.
3. We will also spend time considering the elements of tasting wine.

 Interspersed throughout the course will be stories, articles, essay, etc. by various wine writers that will illustrate, in a more personal way, the subjects we will be studying.  There will be weekly wine tasting assignments for homework, as well as, the reading requirements, and we will taste relevant wines in class.  It is also our intention to have a more comprehensive wine tasting and food pairing at one of our homes at the end of the course.  Class members will have the opportunity to research and report on wine areas and/or wines of particular interest.

 The only funds we will need to collect from the class will be for the final wine tasting and food pairing event. As a group, the class will decide the budget for this event (approximately $20).

 Prior knowledge is not necessary, but would be beneficial.

(R) Oldmand’s Guide to Outsmarting Wine, Mark Oldman, ISBN 0-14-200492-8, Penguin Books, First Edition, 2004

(S) Making Sense of Wine, Matt Kramer, ISBN 0-7624-1579-7, Running Press, Revised and updated Edition, 2003

(S) The Geography of Wine, Brian Sommers, ISBN 978-452-28890-4, Penguin Books, 2008

2 – 3 hours

Required: use of email for communication and use of websites containing wine information.

This course will be run as a seminar/discussion group jointly by nine associate Study Group Leaders who have a keen interest in wine, and most of whom have taken Ed Caldwell’s prior course.  Allan is a retired engineer who has lead the BOLLI energy crisis course. He has an extensive collection of wines, wine books and videos and personally visited many wineries in the US, Italy and Israel.  Peter is a retired physicist who led the BOLLI 20th century music and Five Physicists Who Changed the World View courses. Many of the other associate SGLs have similar resources and experiences and have visited wineries throughout the world.

The SGL is open to contact by phone at 781-861-0461, evenings or email at allankleinman@rcn.com

H&G5-S09

Most of those who choose this class will already have some knowledge of the events and persons to be discussed.  Each week, I will introduce the issues and then call upon two of the students to give a detailed presentation before opening the topic to debate.  I will also show films dealing with a few of the topics.

 Some Sources:

France and the Dreyfus Affair, Michael Burns

Senator Joe McCarthy, Richard Rovere

My Silent War; Autobiography of a Spy, Kim Philby

The Rosenberg File, Raymond Radosh and Joyce Milton

A good talk should require 4-5 hours of preparation.

Desirable

Since I switched from psychiatry to history, I have enjoyed teaching several classes at BOLLI.  I have completed books on the industrialization of Massachusetts and the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition, held in Chicago.  I am now working on a book on the Life and Times of General Sir James Henry Craig (1748-1812).   I have long speculated how individuals shape their allegiances–to family, community, religion, ethnic group, and place of birth and to country of citizenship. This course will allow me and others to explore our multiple loyalties.

Rel2-S09

The course will introduce us to the Bible, the New Testament and the Quran. We will study the origins of the 3 texts and the story behind their compilation. Rather than using the books themselves, we will read excerpts from the different scriptures, and when relevant, commentaries on the passages. Our discussion will focus on how the writings were/are interpreted in the past and in the present, what they tell us about each religion’s understanding of God and God’s relationship with Man, and the way in which human beings should behave. Each week will build on what was studied the week before, so regular attendance is important. Class reports are desirable, as much for the benefit of the one doing the research, as the class, but will be voluntary.

There will be no textbook, but the SGL will provide a comprehensive handout of excerpts from the Bible, the New Testament and the Quran, about $12.

The SGL is a graduate of Hunter College (BA), Simmons College (MLS) and the Episcopal Divinty School in Cambridge (MA). She has taught numerous courses on the 3 major religions of the Middle East at HILR and BOLLI.

The SGL is open to contact by phone at or email at cjshedd@verizon.net