Explore recent Supreme Court rulings and key events shaping the U.S. Constitution today. This lecture examines how these decisions impact governance and everyday life.

Presenter: Jules Mermelstein is a retired UDT Commissioner, criminal defense attorney, teacher of history, gov't and constitutional law, and ACLU volunteer attorney. He is currently serving as a Vice-Chair of the Montgomery Bar Association's Government Relations Committee and as a member of the PA Bar Association's Law Related Education Committee. 

Join us for a dynamic panel discussion exploring current issues in law and justice, featuring experts with diverse perspectives on today’s most pressing legal debates. Engage in thought-provoking conversations about policy, rights, governmental power, and the evolving legal landscape in our society.

Presenters: 

Russ Bellavance, a graduate of Tufts University and Yale Law School, practiced law for 32 years in Philadelphia before transitioning to teaching social studies at Great Valley School District. In retirement, he has taught history, politics, and the Constitution at DelVal University’s Center for Learning in Retirement.

Jim Gross, as a sole practicing lawyer, was in and out of the various courts in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties for 38 years. He assisted individuals and families facing incarceration, deportation, foreclosure, bankruptcy, divorce and numerous other legal challenges.  

Barry Shinberg, a graduate of Penn State, Brooklyn Law School, and NYU, has been practicing law since 1967 with a focus on taxation. He has also been a lecturer, an adjunct instructor, and a part-time public defender.

Watch a movie then join the facilitated discussion after.

7/10 - French Connection (R, 1971, 1hr 44min)

7/17 - The Post (PG-13, 2017, 1hr 56min)

7/24 - Kramer vs. Kramer (PG, 1979, 1hr 45min)

7/31 - Strangers on a Train (PG, 1951, 1hr 41min)

8/7 - Singin' in the Rain (G, 1952, 1hr 43min)

Facilitators:

Lloyd Kern (facilitator for July movies) has taught courses on movies at Temple OLLI for several years

Janine Moyer Buesgen (facilitator for August movie) is a theatre artist and educator who has taught students of all ages.  She serves as a board member of Everybody’s Theater Company, and President of the Upper Dublin Library Board of Directors. Janine is also the founder and content creator of CreativeDrama.com, an online resource for teacher-directors. 

Central High School of Philadelphia was founded in 1836 as “the crowning glory” of Philadelphia Pennsylvania’s public school system, “the worthy apex to a noble pyramid”, and the first “high” school in the state. Enjoy the glorious history of the second oldest continuously operating public high school in the United States. The school opened on October 26, 1838, What followed is truly history!

Presenter: Jeff Thomas is a proud, active  member of the 233rd graduating class of Central High School. He has stayed in touch with Dear Old High for over 50 years. Jeff now serves as Central's Associate Archivist. 

The Central High robotics team is celebrating a world championship. Come learn and see what its all about! In 2024, Central High School's "RoboLancers" won the "FIRST Robotics Competition" in Houston, TX. Six hundred teams from around the world qualified for the four-day event. After qualification rounds, Central's team was picked as part of an alliance with teams from Israel, Missouri and Arizona. The RoboLancers' strong defense helped the alliance win. Go RoboLancers!

Presenters:

Jeff Thomas is a proud, active member of the 233rd graduating class of Central High School. He has stayed in touch with Dear Old High for over 50 years. Jeff now serves as Central's Associate Archivist. 

The Central High robotics team, the "RoboLancers" is celebrating a world championship! Come see what, and who makes this championship team so good!

PART TWO RESCHEDULED TO WED JULY 16th @ 1:45pm

While many memories are personal, a vast swath of recollection comes not from individual encounters but from group experience. This latter category can be considered social memory rather than personal memory. Along the way, we will engage with thinkers such as the sociologist Maurice Halbwachs, Egyptologist Jan Assmann, and historian Alison Landsberg. This two-part program will provide an introductory exploration of social memory, how it is discussed and why it is useful to understand. 

Presenter:Joel Horst Nofziger is the executive director of the Mennonite Heritage Center (Harleysville, Pa.) and a postgraduate researcher with the Centre for Anabaptist Studies (Bristol, UK). 

In 2023 I visited the sites of Ancient Mexico: Teotihuacán, Uxmal, Palenque and Chichén Itzá, to name a few. I saw magnificent pyramids, palaces, ball courts and numerous beautiful artifacts. Astounding! Yet these civilizations, technologically advanced and militarily powerful as they were, suddenly vanished. How and why, and what lessons do they have for us today? It will be an amazing journey. 

Presenter: Ranjan Mukherjee Ph.D., has worked in the US pharmaceutical industry. After retiring he is living his dream as a writer, traveler, photographer and speaker. He gives educational and entertaining talks on his travels and experiences in different countries; Nepal, China, India, Canada and Mexico. 

PLEASE NOTE:

THIS LECTURE HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FROM WED 7/23 TO THURS 7/24.

One of the most important things that makes theater exciting is the quality and character of the bad guys and femme fatales who bring a sense of evil and disorder to foil the best of plots and heroes. This program introduces the best of the worst characters that we love to hate from grand operas such as Don Giovanni, Otello, The Tales of Hoffmann, Macbeth and others. Features live performance and narrative.

Presenter: Steve Pollack lectures on culture, history, music and art in area schools, libraries, and community & continuing education groups.