Start planning your next great adventure with Oasis! We’re partnering with AFC Vacations to offer two unforgettable group trips in 2026. Join us for a free virtual presentation on October 27 to meet a travel representative, explore trip highlights, and get all your questions answered. Great Trains & Grand Canyon - April 2026 Experience the American West in style on this scenic rail journey, featuring breathtaking views, historic towns, and one of the world’s greatest natural wonders. Classical Italy – Rome, Florence & Venice - November 2026 Discover the timeless beauty of Italy’s most iconic cities — from ancient ruins in Rome to Renaissance treasures in Florence and the romantic canals of Venice.

Steve Roberts has been a journalist for almost 60 years, covering some of the major events of his time, including fourteen presidential election campaigns. As a broadcaster, Roberts appears regularly as a political analyst on the ABC radio network and writes a nationally-syndicated newspaper column. He teaches politics and journalism at George Washington University, and lectures widely on American politics and the role of the news media. Join Steve Roberts for a look at the results of Election 2024.

From the moment movies learned to talk, they learned to sing. Audiences back in 1927 were electrified when they heard Al Jolson belting out the top tunes of the day in The Jazz Singer, and through movie history some of our greatest vocalists have been star attractions in Hollywood musicals. The film industry did its best to showcase these performers with a variety of creative techniques, from elaborate production numbers to imaginative camerawork, all designed to enhance the emotional power of seeing and hearing singers like Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, Lena Horne, and Frank Sinatra come alive on the big screen. This talk will look at the varying ways Hollywood captured its star vocalists through the decades, and provided audiences then and now with an invaluable record of indelible performances.

A good number of movies have been filmed--at least partially--here in Montgomery County. A few are even set here; others that are set elsewhere include scenes of many recognizable local spots. And a surprising number of actors and actresses grew up in this area, with several big-name stars hailing from Silver Spring. The county’s historical organization, Montgomery History, is proud to "premier" this presentation at Oasis!

This presentation will help better prepare you to respond to the emergencies that impact Montgomery County. We'll review numerous potential human-caused and naturally occurring hazards within Montgomery County, discuss ways to limit your exposure to those hazards, and go over the key steps of what you can do to be better prepared for any hazard. The goal of this presentation is to ensure all Montgomery County residents have relevant and accurate information so they can make timely decisions when responding to emergency or unplanned events.

Albert Einstein was not only a revolutionary physicist, he was also an active advocate for democracy and human rights, positions that made him an enemy of Adolf Hitler's regime. We will explore the intellectual roots of Einstein's political ideas and discuss his history of activism.

(See other classes in this series: #145, 185, 223.) The Scientific revolution not only gave us new theories about the ways in which the universe worked, but undermined larger worldviews and even our sense of what it is to be a human. The philosophical questions raised by the Scientific Revolution forced a radical shift in how we thought about everything.

There are many explanations and theories as to who wrote the Hebrew Bible. Some believe it was written by God, some believe Moses wrote it based on God’s words, and still others believe God inspired or instructed human beings to write it. Focusing on the first five books of the Old Testament, we’ll explore some scholarly ideas and fascinating examples from the Bible so that you leave with a deeper understanding of the text.

Murder, Inc. tells the story of the CIA’s assassination operations under John F. Kennedy, up to his own assassination and beyond. James H. Johnston was a lawyer for the Senate Intelligence Committee which, in 1975, investigated and first reported on the Castro assassination plots and their relation to Kennedy’s murder. Johnston examines how the CIA steered the Warren Commission and subsequent investigations away from connecting its own assassination operations to Kennedy’s murder, and the effect this strategy had on the Warren Commission’s conclusions that assassin Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone.

During the heyday of klezmer, in the Jewish immigrant community on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, there were two clarinetists who dominated -- Naftule Brandwein and Dave Tarras. Like all great musicians, their musical personalities were reflective of who they were as individuals, and as participants will learn, these were both extraordinary men. Recordings of these two legends, along with live performances from Seth, will make this class as lively as a Jewish wedding!

Where does American history begin? Not in 1492, but millennia before then when humans first settled this great continent. Who were these so-called "Native Americans?" How did they get here and what sorts of lives did they have? Why were the Europeans searching for a new world in 1492? What were Columbus and his patrons, Ferdinand and Isabella, hoping to find across the Atlantic? And what sort of colonies and empires did the Spanish, then the French, and then the English build when their ships finally hit land?

Eat Smart, Age Strong is an engaging session open to all who want to learn about healthy eating (which is especially helpful for older adults). Isabella Nelson, clinical dietitian at Suburban Hospital, will help you discover how to build a balanced plate, interpret the nutrition facts panel, identify ways to improve your diet, and more.

 (BUNDLE & SAVE $9 when you also sign up for related classes #127 and 206.) What is an estate plan, who needs one, and what documents do you need? Learn more about Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney and how to plan for both incapacity and death to ensure that your assets pass to your chosen beneficiaries in the most efficient way possible. (See related classes #127 and 206)

Alleyways in Washington, DC have always been a fundamental part of the city's life and economy. Deliberately hidden from public view by the capital's early planners, DC's alleys were created to provide access to stables, carriage houses, and other utility buildings. But as the city grew and property values rose, the nature of some alleys and their buildings changed, resulting in a parallel world of residential, manufacturing, and artistic spaces. Kim Prothro Williams reveals this world in a fascinating and richly illustrated history. A book signing will follow Kim's talk.