Comments (1)Towson U: More Adult Jewish Education
Baltimore Hebrew University incorporates adult education into Osher.
July 01, 2009Rochelle Eisenberg
Staff Reporter
Now that Baltimore Hebrew University has merged officially with Towson University, part of its continuing education program will be incorporated into the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Towson University.
This fall, Osher will introduce two evening Jewish-themed courses — “Nuclear Strategy, Deterrence and Arms Control” and “History of Israel: 1800-Present.”
Osher is a membership organization that features continuing education courses and social activities to adults ages 50 and older.
With this merger, Osher director Jacqueline Gratz said the organization is “hoping to expand our programs, bring in new members and new ideas. We hope this addition will expand our intellectual community.”
The two eight-week courses, which will be taught by former BHU faculty, will be the first Osher courses to be held in the evenings. In the past, Osher educational courses have been offered at Towson during the day; but since BHU has traditionally run its continuing education programs in the evening, they hope to continue to reach their existing audience.
Eventually, Ms. Gratz said she hopes to increase the BHU offerings and also may investigate offering courses in the daytime as well.
Erika Pardes Schon, director of the Baltimore Hebrew Institute at Towson University, said the Osher program is another vehicle for BHU to offer lifelong learning opportunities to interested students.
“It will allow us to reach a broad community and overlaps with our traditional learning community,” she said.
In addition, BHU plans to continue to serve the Jewish community with programming that reflects its needs and interests.
Winning Big Bucks
Three local students were among the 143 winners of the 2009 Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship by the Maryland State Department of Education.
They include Erin Reisfeld of Franklin High School, Jennifer Narod of Owings Mills High School and Nataniel Mandelberg of Pikesville High School.
The three will receive four-year scholarships, worth up to $1,500 per year, to be used at an institution of higher learning.
The students were nominated by their principals from the top 1 percent of their graduating classes. The winners were culled from more than 600 nominees statewide.