Learning program expands in Birmingham area

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Lifelong learners will soon have an opportunity to take classes on a variety of subjects at the Birmingham Levite Jewish Community Center. The local affiliate of the Osher Lifetime Learning Institute (OLLI), originally based in Vestavia Hills, has expanded to several new locations throughout the area.

OLLI is designed for people who want to be lifelong learners. The national program’s affiliates offer a variety of courses based on what interests its membership, from local history to travel. 

Vestavia’s affiliate began in 2013 through the University of Alabama system and quickly grew to more than 200 members who were interested in programs with increasing depth. 

“It took off like wildfire,” Co-chair of Curriculum and Recruitment Committee Diane Wheeler said. “It’s something you can experience and enjoy to expand your worldview.”

Classes at the LJCC will begin this summer with topics such as theatre in 19th-century Birmingham, Southern literature and home weatherization. The group will also take a field trip to Rickwood Caverns in Warrior.  

Participants can attend as many classes as they would like for an annual fee of $25. OLLI also offers bonus classes, which are free and open to the public, to allow participants to try classes before paying a fee. 

Each OLLI group is managed by its all-volunteer membership, who seeks out what others want to learn and create courses around that. 

“You don’t have to become an expert and take it up for life,” Wheeler said. “It’s just fun to know.”

Call the Levite Jewish Community Center at 879-0411 for more information.

Upcoming OLLI classes Levite Jewish Community Center

Railroad Lanterns, Cholera and a Sinking Ship: Theater in 19th Century Birmingham

  • June 12
  • 10:30 a.m.-noon
  • This session will feature the history, construction and condition of Alabama’s theaters, including the Alabama and the Lyric. 

Home Weatherization

  • July 17
  • 10:30 a.m.-noon.
  • A discussion from an energy efficiency expert on home energy consumption, older homes, newer homes, what homeowners can do to increase comfort and efficiency, and what participants can do to make a difference.

Southern Literary Trail

  • Aug. 14
  • 10:30 a.m.-noon
  • The Southern Literary Trail is America’s only tri-state literary trail connecting mythic places that influenced great novelists and playwrights of the 20th century. The program will be taught by William Gantt.