Annual Symposium on Positive Aging

Please join us for our Annual Symposium on Positive Aging, a signature event of the JCC's Wechsler Center for Modern Aging, featuring Lifetime Award-winning Journalist Lesley Stahl in conversation with Author Abigail Pogrebin. The day will include a movement segment, lunch, along with informative and stimulating afternoon breakout sessions. In-person and virtual options are available.

The Annual Symposium on Positive Aging aims to inspire older adults to live their lives to the fullest and pursue the years ahead with purpose, meaning, and fulfillment.

$40 Virtual, $75 In-Person, $180 Supporter Price.

Lesley Stahl

Ms. Stahl has worked at CBS News since 1972, when she covered the Watergate scandal during the Nixon Administration. She was the CBS White House Correspondent during the Carter, Reagan and much of the George HW Bush years. From 1972-91 she also moderated Face the Nation on Sunday mornings. She has been at 60 Minutes since 1991. While there she has authored two books: "Reporting Live" and "Becoming Grandma." She and her late husband, the author and screenwriter Aaron Latham, have a daughter and two granddaughters.

Abigail Pogrebin

Abigail Pogrebin has been the host of the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan's conversation series What Everyone's Talking About since 2009. She is the author of three books, Stars of David: Prominent Jews Talk About Being Jewish, One and the Same, and My Jewish Year: 18 Holidays, One Wondering Jew, which was a finalist for a National Jewish Book Award. A former producer for legendary broadcast journalists including Fred Friendly and Mike Wallace, she has also written for The Atlantic, New York, The Forward, and Tablet. In addition to her role at the JCC, she moderates conversations for The Streicker Center and Central Synagogue, where she has served as congregational president.

Breakout Sessions

Attendees will select one session from the list below. Upon registration for the Symposium, a follow-up link to select the session will be sent.

The Other Significant Others: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center
Rhaina Cohen, award-winning producer and editor for NPR.
In-Person + Virtual. Friendship has untapped potential. Bestselling author Rhaina Cohen came to believe this when she interviewed pairs of friends who have built their lives around each other, acting as each other’s housemates, caregivers, co-parents, and more. She argues that we need to recognize the significance of friendship at a time when many are feeling the effects of the loneliness epidemic and are spending large stretches of their lives single, widowed, or divorced. In this talk, Rhaina will explore what we can learn about commitment and love from people who put deep friendship at the center of their lives.

Family Relationships: Challenges that Emerge in Everyday Life - Marriage, In-Laws, Grandchildren, Illness + Death
Rabbi Jeremy Kalmanofsky, Congregation Anche Chesed
In-Person. Rabbi Kalmofsky will facilitate this session focused on family relationships. Our population of older adults often struggles with and is confronted with challenges that emerge in everyday life: marriage, in-laws, grandchildren, illness, and loss. These areas are often brought to the attention of a spiritual leader for comfort and resolution. Rabbi Kalmonfsky’s presentation will encourage the participants to share personal experiences and benefit from hearing about the common threads from a Jewish lens.

Navigate the Complexities of Aging with Confidence and Grace
Dr. Rosanne Leipzig, MD, PhD is an internationally recognized expert in geriatric medicine, a Professor of Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and a practicing clinician.
In-Person + Virtual. Dr. Leipzig will guide the participants in navigating life’s later stages. Drawing on over 35 years of experience in geriatric medicine, she will offer practical advice, medical insights, and personal stories. She will address vital topics, including:

• How to break the cycle of frailty and maintain strength
• Adapting to your new normal and managing the changes that come with aging.
• Advance directives: planning ahead for your healthcare wishes.
• Resist Ageism: strategies for combating stereotypes and promoting dignity for all.
• Q&A will follow.

AI's Evolving Impact on Consumer Scams: How to Spot One and What to Do About it
Claire Rosenzweig, CAE, President & CEO, Better Business Bureau of Metropolitan New York
In-Person + Virtual. Artificial Intelligence is nothing new, but it is evolving at lightning speed. Generative AI technology is becoming more sophisticated and more accessible to a new generation of cyber-savvy scammers, making it possible to generate virtually authentic images, voices, materials, and videos. The use – and misuse - of this technology is rapidly increasing; while consumers and businesses can certainly benefit from such technology, there are alarming pitfalls when abused. BBB has tips and best practices to enhance detection and use AI responsibly. We will also cover some of the riskiest scams like phishing, impersonation, and others in which AI can be used. AI-generated scams are fast on the rise; learn how to better protect yourself. This will be an interactive session with ample opportunity for questions and comments.

Finding and Embracing Joy as Older Adults
Jane Seskin, LCSW, Author and Psychotherapist
In-Person. As we age, it may sometimes feel challenging to find joy in our lives. From her unique perch as both psychotherapist and poet, Jane Seskin addresses this issue poignantly and cheerfully in her latest poetry collection, "Older Wiser Shorter: The Truth and Humor of Life After 65." Utilizing selected poems in the collection, Jane will talk about how she has learned to embrace joy later in life, providing a jumping-off point for group discussion. She will also lead participants in a brief writing exercise that encourages them to search for these joyous moments in their lives, leading to further discussion. If you are looking to capture – or re-capture – the feeling of delight and pleasure in your daily life, please join us for this session!

Thank you to our generous sponsor, Recovery Physical Therapy.