To simplify registration, if  you would like to  participate in all classes without the concert, resiter here.

This is going to be quite an exciting year!

This year's series is full of great learning opportunities. If you would like to participate in all of our classes, register here for all classes.

October 17 and 24

Women have played significant roles in major world religions throughout history, often encountering empowerment and restrictions. By exploring historical female figures, the impact of women in Jewish, Muslim, Christian and Hindu faiths will be highlighted. Learn about their leadership, their roles in the family and the worship communities as well as their contribution to gender equality. We will see how the experiences of women can vary within each faith based on cultural, historical, artistic and regional contexts.

Rabbi Tali Zelcowicz completed her undergraduate work in Sociology (Dean’s List) at the University of British

Columbia. Thereafter, she received her rabbinical ordination and an MA in Jewish Education at Hebrew Union College in Los Angeles (where she later taught graduate students); and received her doctorate at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development (as a Wexner Graduate Fellow).

Rabbi Yoni Nadiv has over a decade of experience working with Jewish camps, synagogues, day schools and

universities. As an educator, he teaches classes for all ages, serves as scholar-in-residence and speaks at retreats. He studied

at Columbia University, the Jewish Theological Seminary and then at Yale University where he researched digital humanities

applications to the Babylonian Talmud.  He is the senior director of Leadership Development at Jewish Columbus.

Nicol Ghazi, executive director of Muslim Family Services of Ohio (since 2013), serves on the board of the Human

Services Chamber of Franklin County. She is an advocate on issues impacting women and families, both within our community and on behalf of our community in the public sector. She also served 2 terms on the Columbus Women’s Commission.  

Susan Warrener Smith, an ordained Presbyterian minister, is a retired associate pastor (Indianola Presbyterian Church). She studied History of Art (B.A., M.A.) and Theological & Religious Studies (Ph.D.) at Boston, Michigan and Drew universities, respectively. Her interests include the intersection of faith and art, medieval spirituality and Cistercian aesthetics. She uses art as the inspiration for reflecting on the scriptures in her sermons.

Preeti Manchanda, a practicing Hindu, is a Meditation & Wellness Coach and certified Marma Practitioner with a back- ground in business analysis and a passion for Indian spiritual traditions. Living in Japan for 7 years deepened her understanding of mindfulness and cultural harmony. Her work blends ancient wisdom with modern insight, creating reflective spaces to explore the evolving role of women in Hindu religion. She highlights the spiritual and societal contributions of women across time.

“The Ohio Country: Memory, Removal, and Revitalization”  A Seminar for O.W.L.S.

Learn more about Ohio’s indigenous history and its resurgence.  Led by moderator Chris Welter, guest speakers will confront pre-statehood sovereignty and the narratives erasing the Miami, Shawnee and Wyandotte peoples. They will analyze myths versus facts and historical interpretations. Review historic maps with Chief Glenna Wallace. Learn about Three Sisters farming and other revitalized Shawnee cultural practices from Talon Silverhorn. Explore the 1700s as Dr. StephenWarren and Dr. Cam Shriver review the Fort Ancient culture and the European-Indigenous interactions. Hear oral history by Shawnee poet, Laura Da, that explains the impact of the Indian Removal Act. Examine the tribal dilemmas and removal routes with Dr. John Bowes.  Learn what important issues face indigenous people today and join others in a closing reflection circle.

There is an extensive syllabus for this class available for this class upon registration.

Chris Welter bio:

Chris Welter is the Managing Editor of the Eichelberger Center for Community Voices at WYSO. His work has been featured in USA Today, the GroundTruth Project, Yellow Springs News, Dayton Daily News, and on ESPN, CNN, MSNBC, PBS NewsHour, NPR, and This American Life. He co-produced the award-winning podcast The Ohio Country with Neenah Ellis. A lifelong Ohioan, Welter was born and raised in Columbus and now lives in Yellow Springs with his partner, two dogs, and four cats.

Examine the U.S. trade and tariff policies with both a historical overview and an analysis of these policies on Ohio and the nation.  Learn about the U.S. trends in the reduction of tariffs since World War II; the history of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade; and what happened in China as it joined the World Trade Organization and the subsequent employment shock experienced by the U.S. Discussions will include the recent changes to protectionist policies by the Trump Administration. Hear from the head of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce on the effects of U.S. trade policy on Ohio's businesses of all sizes. Equally important to Ohio, find out how sensitive Ohio's agricultural sector is to international trade policy.  

Professor Stephen Hills (Emeritus Faculty, OSU Fisher College of Business) has taught import and export courses and has completed comparative studies of labor markets. He also co-authored and authored several books and studies on topics such as emerging markets in international business; employment and social sciences; and education and regional economic development in Shanghai. His past affiliations include: former president, International Division, Industrial Relations Research Association; and the Peace Corps (past volunteer to Venezuela; coordinator, Fisher College Peace Corps MBA program). He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin.

Steve Stivers, CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce since 2021. He holds a degree in economics and international

relations and an MBA, both from The Ohio State University. He served as a senator in Ohio's General Assembly and represented Ohio in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 - 2021. Prior to his career in politics, he had significant business experience in Ohio. He was born and raised in Ripley, Ohio.

Dr. Ian Sheldon holds the Andersons Chair in Agricultural Marketing, Trade and Policy at The Ohio State University, being a member of the OSU faculty since 1990. He is an international scholar, having served as lecturer in economics at the University of Exeter and having earned his PhD in Economics from the University of Salford in the U.K. He has published widely in the fields of economics and agricultural economics with a focus on trade and policy issues.