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Community Corner

Korea: A Recession-Friendly Cultural Immersion

Scarsdale's senior citizens have the opportunity to experience Italian and Korean culture, right in their own backyards.

Scarsdale's senior citizens have the opportunity to participate in a recession-friendly cultural immersion without having to actually leave Scarsdale or the country.

At the Betty Taubert House on Wayside Lane, the Scarsdale Senior Adult Program activities are always happening, and some even bring the many wonderful cultures of the world here to Scarsdale.

Next up? Tomorrow, Scarsdale Library teams up with the Senior Center to present two short documentary films illustrating Korean art, from the Chosun Dynasty to modern times, and an informational film about what is going on today in the region. The feature – which is free of charge – starts at 1:15 p.m.

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A traditional Korean lunch will be served following the presentation, and includes rice with mixed vegetables or bibimbap, braised short-rib stew calleed galbijjim, Korean pancakes,  mixed vegetables with sweet vermicelli noodles or japchae, and prawn with pine nut dressing (daeha jajjeup muchim). To enjoy the lunch, pre-registration is recommended (722-1160).

January jump-started the year by offering an Italian Culture course, which was designed to focus on a particular and different aspect of traditional Italian society each week. The first class, on January 21, focused on Italian art.

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The class discussed and critiqued art from notable painters and sculptors from the Italian Renaissance like Giotto, Masaccio, Leonardo da Vinci, Donatello, Botticelli, and Michelangelo.

Another class listened and discussed Italian operas such as Il barbiere di Siviglia, La traviata and Madama Butterfly, and opera composers like Rossini, Verdi and Puccini.  Attendees watched and discussed Italian films in one class, read Italian literature in another, and critiqued Italian architecture as well. Periodically, the course taught basic conversational Italian phrases.

Kathleen Hurwitz, Senior Citizen Coordinator thinks cultural courses are a truly unique experience among the many classes and clubs offered by the Scarsdale Senior Adult Program.

"It is important to have something of interest that matches the interest of Scarsdale. These senior citizens are highly educated and want to enjoy something with brain activity."

Hurwitz praised the Scarsdale Senior Adult Program for providing valuable and unconventional classes and clubs for Scarsdale's senior citizens.

"Their programs are different than other senior citizen programs with the knitting and jewelry making."

With the help of the Mainstream program at Westchester Community College, Hurwitz was able to bring the Italian culture course to Scarsdale. Mainstream provides educational programming and career change assistance for mature adults over 50 years old. Hurwitz has been using Mainstream for several years.

"The program [Mainstream] had a variety of culture classes to choose from. I chose Italian to start with," said Hurwitz. She would like to expand and continue offering culture courses after the Italian Culture course ends.

In addition to the cultural programming, the Scarsdale Senior Adult Program also offers Yoga, Tai Chi, Terrific Tuesdays (trips, lectures, and get togethers on Tuesday mornings), and Lunch Club International.

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