Adult Ed - OSHER
Congregation Shalom’s New Adult Education Partnership with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UWM.
Here at Congregation Shalom, our programming is based in one of three pillars: House of Worship, House of Gathering, and House of Study. As we continue to strive to enhance each of our pillars, we are happy to share this news of a new endeavor within the House of Study pillar.
Congregation Shalom is proud to announce the launch of our new partnership with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) of UWM. This partnership will allow us to offer a number of new, high-quality adult educational experiences for our members at Congregation Shalom, while also opening a wide catalogue of classes available at OLLI's regular home at the UWM Hefter Center downtown.
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UWM provides classes, special interest groups, Go Explore field trips, and educational travel adventures for adults interested in learning new things in a dynamic, welcoming community of peers. Each semester, OLLI offers over 75 classes, 50+ Go Explore field trips, and much more! While most of their classes meet at the UWM Hefter Center (3271 N Lake Drive), Congregation Shalom will be hosting a number of sessions here at the synagogue beginning in January. For more information about OLLI’s offerings, and to see a full catalogue of their classes, click HERE.
For a taste of what OLLI has to offer, they are offering a special class at Congregation Shalom on Wednesday, November 12th at 10:00am titled “Come From Away: A 9/11 Story” presented by one of their most popular presenters, Greg Jenks. In addition, OLLI has a block of seats at a performance of the Tony Award winning show “Come From Away” at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater for a show on December 5th. See below for registration details.
Registration and Membership details
OLLI is a member based organization, so you will need to become a member to attend any of their programs. Membership is just $15 for the fall 2025 Semester, and starting in January you can register for the full year for just $45. Most classes have an additional fee for attending; however, members of Congregation Shalom that are also members of OLLI will receive a special link to attend classes at Congregation Shalom for free.
To become a member of OLLI
- Click HERE
- On the next page, click ‘Sign Up’ on the left hand side
- Create a login with your email and password.
To register for the “Come From Away: A 9/11 Story” class
- Click HERE and fill out the form
Description: When U.S. airspace suddenly closed on September 11, 2001, 38 planes carrying thousands of passengers were diverted to the small town of Gander, Newfoundland. What followed was an extraordinary display of compassion, generosity, and resilience as residents opened their homes, schools, and community spaces to strangers from around the world. This class explores the remarkable efforts of the people of Gander—how they fed, housed, and comforted stranded travelers—as well as fascinating details from the aviation world, including the “line in the Atlantic” that determined whether flights continued to Europe or returned to North America. We’ll also share personal stories of pilots, passengers, and even rescue dogs who were on those diverted flights. Join us to learn about this uplifting piece of 9/11 history, which continues to inspire hope and humanity.
