Winter & Spring 2014 @ OASIS Abq

Great Courses @ OASIS:  You know about OASIS, right?  Abq Jew has featured OASIS Albuquerque on several occasions, and lists OASIS Abq courses of Jewish interest on his Learn/FiftyPlus page.

OASIS (as stated on the organization's website) is

 ... a unique educational program for adults age 50-plus who want to learn, grow and explore new ideas. We promote successful aging through lifelong learning, health programs and volunteer engagement. OASIS Albuquerque has just announced their Winter-Spring 2014 line-up of classes.

Registration will open on Wednesday January 8

As usual, Executive Director Michael Nutkiewicz has made sure there are plenty of courses of Jewish interest.  This session's courses and instructors include:

How the Jews Kept their Secrets in Spain
Thu 30 Jan 2014 @ 10:30 am - #32
Instructor: Norma Libman
What It Is: In 1492 Spain gave all non-Christians (Jews, Moslems, gypsies, anyone who could be defined as a heretic) a choice: leave, convert, or die. Many Jews converted but retained their Jewish practice in secret, risking apprehension for heresy. We will look at how the Jews lived their secret lives in Spain, attempting to bridge two worlds, and later brought those same secrets to New Mexico and other parts of the New World.

US Intervention in WWI: Why & How Did It Occur?
Wed 05 Feb & 12 Feb 2014 @ 10:30 am - #34
Instructor: Noel Pugach 
What It Is: The entry of the US in World War I marked a major departure in American foreign policy. It also signaled, according to one historian, the end of the "Age of Innocence," bringing the US into the vortex of world politics. Why did the the United States declare war in April 1917? Germany's use of the submarine is often considered critical. But economics, propaganda, and President Wilson's desire to reshape the world must also be considered.

The Apocrypha
Thu 06 Feb & 06 Mar 2014 @ 10:30 am - #67
Instructor: Frank Yates
What It Is: In these two sessions, we will examine the Apocrypha, important Jewish writings from the 200-year period before Christianity. The first session examines I and II Maccabees -- two of the most important sources for the Maccabean revolt and the fight against the Greeks -- and related books. The second session focuses on I and II Esdras -- important apocalyptic works -- and related books. Participants are encouraged to bring a Bible with the Apocrypha.

Friday Recital: A Crypto-Jewish Musical Journey Through the Tree of Life
Fri 07 Feb 2014 @ 1:00 pm - #63 
Instructor: Consuelo Luz
What It Is: Consuelo Luz sings Sephardic and original songs in a mystical marriage of Jewish and Latin soul rooted in the Converso and Crypto-Jewish experience. Integrating the Crypto-Jewish experience with an exploration of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, Luz weaves music with personal stories of her own journey from a Cuban-Chilean Catholic upbringing to settling in New Mexico where she embarked on a quest for her Jewish roots.

The Imagination of William Carlos Williams
Thu 20 Feb 2014 @ 10:30 am - #46
Instructor: Norma Libman
What It Is: When he was a high school student, William Carlos Williams decided to become a doctor and a writer. And that is exactly what he did, creating innovative poetry about the lives of ordinary people, calling for inspiration on the insights gained from his ongoing medical practice. Join Norma Libman as she explores the life and works of this "Renaissance Man" of the 20th century.

Yiddish: The Language of Literature & Revolution
Tue 18 Mar 2014 @ 1:00 pm - #49
Instructor: Michael Nutkiewicz
What It Is: Yiddish - a hybrid of mainly German and Hebrew - was the main language of Central and Eastern European Jews from the middle ages until the Holocaust. In the 20th century Yiddish writers produced a rich literature of novels, poetry, theater, and film. Labor and revolutionary movements reached the Jewish working classes through Yiddish. We will explore Yiddish history, literature and music, including famous (Sholem Aleichem and I.B. Singer) and less known but fascinating personalities.

American Songwriters: Burt Bacharach
Thu 27 Mar 2014 @ 1:00 pm - #58
Instructor: Jane Ellen
What It Is: Our series on American songwriters continues with the legendary Burt Bacharach (1928- ). A popular composer whose most familiar works date from the 1950s-1980s, and perhaps best known as half of the duo Bacharach and David, his earliest hits were for established performers such as Marty Robbins and Perry Como. Hitting his stride in the 60s, his most famous songs were associated with Dionne Warwick, who would eventually record over three dozen of his works.

Happy New Year!