Spring 2023 @ OASIS Abq

Great Courses of Jewish Interest

Abq Jew is pleased to inform you that
OASIS Albuquerque has just announced
their Spring 2023 line-up of classes!
Registration opens on
Wednesday January 4
but you can Wish List your selections now.

OASIS Albuquerque Executive Director Kathleen Raskob and her staff continue (as always) to bring you new and interesting class offerings, and continue to make sure there are plenty of courses of Jewish interest.

This fall, OASIS Albuquerque plans to offer many
classes LIVE and many classes via Zoom.

This session's courses and instructors include,
but are by no means limited to:

The Grapes of Roth
Three Literary Giants (Joseph, Henry, and Philip) 

Tuesday January 24 @ 12:30 - #159Z

Instructor: Jack Shlachter

What It Is: Three remarkable writers, Joseph Roth, Henry Roth, and Philip Roth, share a common last name and were colorful characters whose award-winning works are classics. Joseph (1894-1939) was a successful journalist and novelist; Henry (1906-1995) lived in Albuquerque for the last years of his life; Philip (1933-2018) is arguably the best known of the three. Learn some biographical details about them and listen to selected passages from their works.

Witness to Pogroms:
Ukraine 1917-1921
Thursday February 16 @ 10:00 - #146, 147Z

Instructor: Michael Nutkiewicz

What It Is: The Russian Civil War (1917-1921) was fought among Russians, Ukrainians, Poles, and Germans, and transformed Eastern Europe. Horrific pogroms against Jews were perpetrated by all sides. Michael Nutkiewicz’s uncle, Eli Gumener, was a Jewish aid worker in Ukraine during the war. Gumener’s memoir, originally published in 1921, and newly translated by Nutkiewicz, recounts the dislocations and violence, and the complications of bringing relief to the victims. The geo-political consequences of this war can be seen in today’s conflicts.

The Los Lunas Mystery Stone

Thursday March 9 @ 12:30 - #218

Instructor: John Taylor

What It Is: About halfway up a small, unpretentious hill, about 16 miles west of Los Lunas, is an “artifact” that is known as the Los Lunas Mystery Stone. It is a 60-ton boulder inscribed with the Ten Commandments in Paleo-Hebraic, a language used primarily by Samaritans during and after the Babylonian captivity. Taylor discusses the Mystery Stone and its archeological context and offers some possibilities for its origin.

Memoir Writing
How to Tell Your Story

Tuesday April 4 @ 12:30 - #187

Instructor: Norma Libman

What It Is: Everyone has a story to tell, and now is the time to tell yours. Learn how to retrieve memories you thought were forgotten, how to get them written down, and how to organize them into your own life story. You will have a start to your memoir when the workshop is complete. Bring paper and a pen for writing exercises. Limited enrollment.

The CCC in New Mexico
Wednesday April 5 @ 10:00 - #221

Instructor: Richard Melzer

What It Is: The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was the New Deal’s most popular and successful program in the Great Depression era. Millions of young men benefited from good work, wages, a healthy environment, training, and a chance to help their families back home. This class focuses on the CCC in New Mexico, especially the impact of the program on the young men and their futures.

Changing Nature of Religious Liberty
Monday April 17 @ 12:30 - #115, 116Z

Instructor: Andrew Schultz

What It Is: The Supreme Court has steered a careful path between the First Amendment’s religion clauses: the “free-exercise” clause, which requires a degree of friendliness towards religion, and the “establishment” clause, which cautions against too much friendliness. Recently the Court has signaled that it is willing to find a new balance between these clauses. This talk surveys the Court’s past religious liberty cases and examines the Court’s recent decisions that may change America’s law of religious liberty.

Beloved OASIS Albuquerque instructor (and award-winning composer and recording artist, and now Floridian) Jane Ellen also continues (as always) to bring you new and interesting class offerings via Zoom@OASIS or Zoom@Home, and continues to make sure there are plenty of courses of musical and Jewish interest.

Jane's courses this session include,
but are by no means limited to:

Hopelessly Devoted
to Olivia Newton-John

Thursday January 26 @ 12:30 - #165Z

What It Is: Singer, actor, and activist Olivia Newton-John (1948-2022) enjoyed a career spanning nearly six decades. Born in England, Olivia’s family immigrated to Australia when she was only five. As a vocalist Newton-John sold over 100 million albums, but many remember her from her film roles including Grease (1978) and Xanadu (1980). The singer fought breast cancer three times, becoming an advocate for breast cancer research. She was also an activist for animal rights and environmental causes.