To the Editor,

As we are celebrating the 30th anniversary of 55PLUS, we were speculating how was it possible that three retired, bored men in Princeton could form an organization that has become the primary non-university meeting venue in Princeton. In 1985 Bernie Gerb and Murray Reich, then both recently retired but who have now passed on, and Harold Loew, were sitting around the community pool discussing what to do with themselves. In order to meet some new people and become involved in the community, they decided to hold a series of lectures on matters of common interest. They hoped that they would meet some new men, and that the attendees would also get to know one another.

They arranged to hold the lectures in the Princeton Jewish Center Library, and agreed that although it was at the Jewish Center, the talks would be nonsectarian, both in the subject matter and for the attendees. They initially talked about their own work and careers, but soon realized that Princeton was a gold mine of interesting and very well qualified speakers from the University as well as from local research labs, as well as other schools like Rutgers, Westminster Choir College, and other centers of intellectual and artistic excellence.

After some local publicity the talks became so popular that the Jewish Center agreed to let the speakers use the large auditorium. The founders had originally intended it to be just a men’s group and at an early meeting actually had a man at the door who stopped a former mayor of Princeton from attending! They quickly realized that discriminating against women was a bad idea, so that everyone is now welcome regardless of sex.

The meetings, which now average from about 150 to 200 people in each session, cover a wide range of subjects in politics, science, technology, economics, medicine, and the arts. Two presidents of Princeton University including the current one, have spoken along with at least three Nobel Prize winners, national columnists, professors from Princeton, Rutgers, NYU and other universities, a CIA spy, a local member with humorous skits, and during the early years of the internet, a young woman who with her computer, showed the group how to get on line. All speakers come at their own expense and are not paid.

If you do not know about 55PLUS and want to know what the organization is currently doing, go to: www.princetonol.com/groups/55plus.

The meetings are held in the Princeton Jewish Center from 10 a.m. to noon on the first and third Thursdays of every month except during the summer. There is no charge to attend, but a $3 contribution is requested to cover the costs of the coffee and cookies, gifts for the speakers, other expenses; also requested is a substantial semi-annual contribution to the Jewish Center, which charges no rent.

We want to thank all the speakers in the Princeton area and elsewhere for the past 30 years who have delivered such timely, interesting, and informational talks, making 55PLUS the success that it is.

Bob Levine

55PLUS and all the other 55PLUS helpers