Berkshire OLLI upcoming events

Summer One 2026 OLLI Term (Monday, June 08, 2026)

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 04:00:00 GMT

OLLI at Berkshire Community College

Summer One 2026 Term

June 8 - July 14, 2026

Online registration is closed. Please call 413-236-2190 to register.

Our Summer One term runs June 8 - July 14, 2026, and includes a mix of in-person, online, and hybrid (online and in-person) courses. All classes take place in Eastern Time.

Summer One 2026 course descriptions can be found here.

Hiking classes are using a separate registration form. Register for hiking classes here.

Course cost:
$60 for one courses
$110 for 2 courses
$150 for 3 or more courses

To sign up for courses, you need to be an OLLI at BCC member. (Not a member yet? Join here.) Not sure which classes you want to take? Sign up for one or more Flexpasses, which allow you to attend six individual class sessions of your choice within a semester, as long as the class is not full. Click here to learn more about Flexpasses.

Note that our online courses are recorded, unless otherwise noted. If you cannot attend live, or if you miss a session or two, you can access that course's Padlet for the recording link and watch it at your convenience.

Questions? Contact us at olli@berkshirecc.edu or 413.236.2190. We look forward to hearing from you!

OLLI at BCC Sponsors include: Berkshire Health Systems

OLLI and the Clock Tower Artist Event (Sunday, June 14, 2026)

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 20:00:00 GMT

Please note that this event has been postponed to November. More information coming soon!

CLOCK TOWER CURIOUS?

Come to the Clock Tower and join OLLI and the Clock Tower Artists for a guided tour of Clock Tower Artist Studios by Monika Pizzichemi, director of Wit Gallery. There will be open studios, wine tasting, and hors d'oeuvres.

4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Tours at 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Sign up for a time when you register.

Clock Tower Artists, 75 South Church St, Pittsfield, MA 01201

Join us for an evening inside the working studios of Clock Tower Artists - Pittsfield's creative hub housed in the historic Clock Tower building. This is not a gallery opening or a typical art show. It's a chance to step inside the actual spaces where local artists paint, sculpt, build, and create and hear from the people doing the work.

The evening features guided studio tours led by Monika Pizzichemi, director of Wit Gallery, wine tasting by Nejaime’s, and hors d'oeuvres by Berkshire Culinary Group. Whether you're a longtime arts supporter or just curious about what goes on behind those studio doors, this evening is designed for you.

Tours will be led by the Wit Gallery, one of Berkshire’s most respected contemporary art galleries. The Wit Gallery has deep relationships with many of the Clock Tower artists and will guide guests through selected studios, providing context and conversation about the work on display.

Two tour slots are available at 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Sign up for your preferred time at checkout. Space in each tour group is limited.

Thank you to Nejaime's Wine Cellars and the Wit Gallery for your support and sponsorship for this event!

Jacob's Pillow in Lee: Exhibit Tour (Monday, June 15, 2026)

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 16:30:00 GMT

OLLI Special Events Committee presents:

Jacob's Pillow in Lee, Mass

Explore the relationship between Jacob's Pillow and the neighboring town of Lee from the early 1930s to today.

Monday, June 15 at 12:30 p.m.

In-person only, Scolforo Gallery, Lee Library
100 Main Street, Lee, MA

Private tour with Researcher and Curator Joshua D. Bloom
Limited to 20, if wait list, tour will repeat at 1:15 p.m.

Free and open to the public.

Optional lunch outing in Lee with participants.
If you're interested in joining us for lunch (on your own) following the tour, check the box when registering to reserve a place.

Event Chair: Pat White
Special Events Chair: Arline Breskin

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone. If the event is full, please join the waiting list.

107 Days at Sea: The Journey That Changed Everything (Thursday, June 18, 2026)

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 20:00:00 GMT

107 Days at Sea: The Journey That Changed Everything

Thursday, June 18 at 4:00 p.m.
In-person at Berkshire Community College and online via Zoom
Free and open to the public.

At 63, Jill Chalsty boarded a ship alone, grieving her husband’s death and battling cancer. What began as a voyage around the world became far more than a trip. In this lecture, Jill shares the story behind her memoir Packets of Hope, inviting participants to travel alongside her through the ports she visited, the people she met, and the reflections that transformed personal adversity into strength and global impact. Jill demonstrates how one person’s courage can create ripples that span continents. Participants are encouraged to read her memoir, available free at www.packetsofhope.com, before the presentation.

Jill Chalsty, founder of Overcoming Obstacles, has empowered over 180 million young people worldwide through life skills education. Her journey of loss and cancer inspired Packets of Hope, illuminating the power of love and service.

OLLI at BCC is sponsored in part by Berkshire Health Systems

OLLI New Member Chat Summer 2026 (Monday, June 22, 2026)

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 20:00:00 GMT

New OLLI at BCC members are invited to
our

New Member Chat

Monday, June 22
Online at 4:00 p.m. Eastern

Register to RSVP and receive the Zoom link.

The OLLI Member Services Committee welcomes all of our OLLI members to a Member Chat!

-Meet new OLLI at BCC members

-Learn about our Shared Interest Groups (SIGS), Distinguished Speakers Series and Travel Programs

-Ask questions about our OLLI’s Website

-Explore volunteer opportunities

Please register to receive the Zoom link.

We look forward to seeing you!

Gordon Josephson	Ellen Croibier	Colleen Rossi
President, OLLI at BCC Board of Directors	Member Services Committee Co-Chair	Member Services Committee Co-Chair

OLLI at BCC and BNRC Joint Hike - Mt. Hunger at Konkapot Ridge and Steadman Pond, Monterey (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 13:30:00 GMT

OLLI at BCC and Berkshire Natural Resources Council (BNRC) Joint Hike

Wednesday, June 24 at 9:30 a.m. Mt. Hunger at Konkapot Ridge and Steadman Pond, Monterey

This BNRC reserve honors John Konkapot, one of the two Mohican sachems who negotiated the treaty that founded Indian Town/Stockbridge in 1735. The trail is part of the Berkshire Wildlife Linkage which provides undeveloped corridors for wildlife to move from the Hudson River highlands to the Green Mountains in Vermont. The hike will begin on the ridge, also called Monterey cobble, ending in a young succession forest with views of the Tyringham valley and cobble. After the ridge trail, the hike will continue at Steadman Pond, a favorite place for bass fishing and a dip in the summer.

Learn more about the two reserves including directions at:

1. https://www.bnrc.org/reserves/mt-hunger-at-konkapot-ridge

2. https://www.bnrc.org/reserves/steadman-pond-at-hudson-howard

OLLI at BCC and the BNRC are offering joint hikes this spring. These hikes are free for OLLI at BCC and BNRC members. You must register in advance and space is limited.

All hikes are on Wednesdays and begin at 9:30 a.m. We strongly recommend using hiking poles. If you don’t have them, we can provide poles for the hike. Good hiking shoes are essential. If we need to cancel the hike due to rain, we will notify participants by email by 7:00 a.m. the day of the hike.

Registration will open on Monday, June 8 at 9 a.m.

Shakespeare & Co. Production of "Fireflies" (Thursday, June 25, 2026)

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 18:00:00 GMT

OLLI Special Events Committee Presents

Thursday, June 25 at 2:00 p.m.

Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre

Shakespeare & Company, Lenox

By Matthew Barber
Directed by Daniela Varon

Retired schoolteacher Eleanor Bannister lives alone in tiny Groverdell, Texas, settled into her routines and secure in her standing as the town’s most respected woman. When a hole in her roof brings Abel Brown—a charming, smooth-talking drifter—onto her doorstep, he offers to repair the house and quietly begins to upend her carefully ordered life. As an unexpected late-life romance flickers to life, gossip spreads and doubts surface. Can Abel be trusted, or is he not quite who he seems? Either way, the whole town is watching.

Talk Back Following the Play with OLLI's Barbara Greenbaum, Theater Lover

OLLI Member $52

Non-OLLI Member Guest $60

Highlights of Tanglewood 2026 with Jeremy Yudkin (Saturday, June 27, 2026)

Sat, 27 Jun 2026 14:00:00 GMT

The OLLI Distinguished Speakers Series presents

Prof. Jeremy Yudkin

Highlights of Tanglewood 2026

Saturday, June 27, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. ET

In-person at the Lenox Town Hall, Lenox, MA

Jeremy Yudkin will discuss the highlights of the upcoming Tanglewood season, including the most important symphonies, concertos, chamber music, and solo recitals to look out for this summer.

Dr. Jeremy Yudkin is Professor of Music at Boston University. He has served as Visiting Professor of Music at Oxford University and Harvard, and he is the author of ten books on music. This year marks the forty-second consecutive year of his much-loved Pre-Concert Tanglewood Talks, sponsored by the Lenox Library Association and given every Friday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. and Sunday mornings at 11 a.m. at the Lenox Town Hall Auditorium.

This in-person lecture will not be recorded.

_________

Ticket information:

Admission is $10 for OLLI at BCC members, and $15 for the general public.

Admission is free for students, staff and faculty from Berkshire Community College, MCLA, and Williams; youth 17 and under, and those holding WIC, EBT/SNAP, or ConnectorCare cards.

2026 OLLI Volunteer Appreciation Party (Monday, June 29, 2026)

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 21:00:00 GMT

You are invited to our

OLLI at Berkshire Community College Volunteer Appreciation Party

Join us as we celebrate and thank our extraordinary volunteers from this academic year!

Monday, June 29
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Shakespeare and Company, Lenox, MA

Enjoy heavy hors d'oeuvres, drinks, a brief presentation, and great company!

Complimentary for OLLI at BCC volunteers for the 2025 - 2026 academic year and a guest.

This Moment in Grief: The Poetry in Being Present for What Is (Thursday, July 02, 2026)

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 18:00:00 GMT

This Moment in Grief: The Poetry in Being Present for What Is

Thursday, July 2, 9, and 16
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
at Berkshire Community College
In-person only

Grief changes like life does. As we open ourselves to grow through grief we open to what is hidden in it - so often, love. We'll draw on poetry, writing and sharing to give voice to our grief at this moment in life, discovering new ways to reflect on our experience of loss. As we bring ourselves present we support each other in being present too.

Charlotte Nuessle, BSc, is a certified grief educator with David Kessler. She has co-led grief groups for 2 years. For the past 11 years she facilitated groups in exploring death and dying, as well as groups focused on strengthening resilience and personal development. She retired from a 25-year career in adaptive yoga and developing self-awareness for seniors and elders. Reading and writing poetry has given her a perspective on grief that opened creativity and possibility in the midst of loss.

Cost: $35 for OLLI at BCC members
$45 for non-members

Sign up today!

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

Osher Online Summer 2026 (Monday, July 06, 2026)

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Osher Online is a program from the Osher National Resource Center (NRC) at Northwestern University. These classes are delivered by the Osher NRC via Zoom, with participants from all over the country. All times listed are Eastern time.

OLLI at BCC is excited to be a part of this program. Space is limited! Register early.

Osher Online classes are $60 each, and available to OLLI at BCC members only.

Each class has a limit of 13 students from each participating OLLI.

Registration closes June 22.

Osher Online classes are not recorded.

After you register for Osher Online classes, you will receive a welcome email from the Osher NRC. This email will include an Osher Online username and password as well as a link to the Osher Online Website, through which you will access your classes.

You will also have access to a pre-class orientation, where you'll get helpful information for accessing your class. There you'll find the class Zoom link, syllabus, discussion board and Customer Care contact information.

Available Courses:

The Digital Shift: How Computing Remade Media

Instructor: Rafael Davis Portela
Mondays at 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Six Sessions - 7/20, 7/27, 8/3, 8/10, 8/17, 8/24

Broadway Musicals: A Fascinating History

Instructor: Eamanuel Abramovits

Tuesdays at 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.

Six Sessions - 7/21, 7/28, 8/4, 8/11, 8/18, 8/25

Horticulture

Instructor: Chris Baker
Tuesdays at 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Six Sessions - 7/7, 7/14, 7/21, 7/28, 8/4, 8/11,

Women Architects and Designers

Instructor: Eleanor Schrader
Wednesdays at 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
Six Sessions - 7/15, 7/22, 7/29, 8/5, 8/12, 8/19

Hindu Traditions: Ritual, Knowledge, Devotion

Instructor: Eileen Goddard
Wednesdays at 3:00 - 4:30 p.m.
Six Sessions - 7/15, 7/22, 7/29, 8/5, 8/12, 8/19

Revolutionary Echoes in Washington DC

Instructor: Kasey Sease
Thursdays at 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
Six Sessions - 7/9, 7/16, 7/23, 7/30, 8/6, 8/13

Deaf Culture and History

Instructor: Matthew Cooper
Thursdays at 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.
Six Sessions - 7/9, 7/16, 7/23, 7/30, 8/6, 8/13

Class details and videos from instructors can be found here.

Curator's Talk and Tour at the Clark Art Institute (Wednesday, July 08, 2026)

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 14:30:00 GMT

OLLI Special Events Committee presents:

Curator's Talk and Exhibition Tour at

the Clark Art Institute

Wednesday July 8
10:30 a.m.

In-person only

Join OLLI for a special behind-the-scenes talk and tour of An Exquisite Eye: Introducing the Aso O. Tavitian Collection.

Celebrate the transformative gift The Clark received in October 2024 from the foundation of the late collector, philanthropist, and connoisseur Aso O. Tavitian with an introductory look at this exceptional collection. The exhibition highlights a selection of works from what is arguably the most significant private collection of European art assembled in North America in the twenty-first century.

Featuring works by many of the most acclaimed artists of the early modern era—Jan van Eyck, Andrea della Robbia, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Peter Paul Rubens, Jean-Antoine Watteau, and Jacques-Louis David, among others—this exhibition marks the first public presentation of selections from the Aso O. Tavitian Collection. The full collection will go on view in summer 2028 when the Clark opens the new Aso O. Tavitian Wing adjacent to the current permanent collection galleries.

The event features a 1-hour talk by curator Lara Yeager-Crasselt, Aso O. Tavitian Curator of Early Modern European Painting & Sculpture on the development of the exhibition and a 1-hour docent tour. Join us for lunch (on your own) in the cafe after the tour.

Open to OLLI members and their guests.

Cost: $20 for Clark Art Insitute members or card-to-culture holders
$35 for non-Clark Art Institute members

Questions about ticket price category? Call the OLLI office.

Event is limited--Sign up today!

If you're interested in joining us for lunch (on your own) in the Clark cafe following the tour, check the box when registering to reserve a place.

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card. If the event is full, please join the waiting list.

Creativity and Artistic Expression Workshop (Wednesday, July 08, 2026)

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Creativity and Artistic Expression Summer 2026

Wednesday, July 8
1:00 - 3:30 p.m.
at Berkshire Community College

In-person only.

This workshop will focus on working with and decoupaging colorful, ceramic tile coasters, or glass plates, which can be used in a variety of ways for entertaining and “welcoming summer”.

Try something new or continue on the next step if you’ve attended workshops with Marsha in the past.

Marsha Edell is a licensed clinical social worker, and a long time crafts person. A firm believer in the positive energy which connecting to one’s creativity brings, she is looking forward to helping people enjoy the process and the results.

Cost: $25 for OLLI at BCC members,
$35 for non-members

Price includes materials cost.

Sign up today!

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

This Moment in Grief: The Poetry in Being Present for What Is (Thursday, July 09, 2026)

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 18:00:00 GMT

This Moment in Grief: The Poetry in Being Present for What Is

Thursday, July 2, 9, and 16
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
at Berkshire Community College
In-person only

Cost: $35 for OLLI at BCC members
$45 for non-members

Sign up today!

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

Summer Two 2026 OLLI Term (Monday, July 13, 2026)

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 04:00:00 GMT

OLLI at Berkshire Community College

Summer Two 2026 Term

Beginning July 13, 2026

Online registration opens on June 4 at 9 a.m.

Our Summer Two term runs July 13 - August 21, 2026, and includes a mix of in-person, online, and hybrid (online and in-person) courses. All classes take place in Eastern Time.

Summer Two 2026 course descriptions can be found here.

Hiking classes are using a separate registration form. Register for hiking classes here.

Course cost:
$60 for one courses
$110 for 2 courses
$150 for 3 or more courses

Questions? Contact us at olli@berkshirecc.edu or 413.236.2190. We look forward to hearing from you!

OLLI at BCC Sponsors include: Berkshire Health Systems

Hiking Classes - Summer Two 2026 (Tuesday, July 14, 2026)

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Summer Two Hiking in July - August!

Hiking is a very popular OLLI at BCC offering.

To enable more people to be able to participate, registration for hiking classes is done separately, through this event page.

All OLLI at BCC members can sign up for one hiking class.
Each class costs $60 and is a separate charge from Summer Two 2026 course registrations.

Hiking Course Listings:

For full descriptions, click here.

Hiking Mount Greylock
Instructors: Katherine Kidd, Michael and Sara Hohn
Tuesdays
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Six Sessions - 7/14, 7/21, 7/28, 8/4, 8/11, 8/18
Limit: 15

Walking While Observing Nature
Instructor: Bess Dillman
Thursdays
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Five Sessions - 7/16, 7/23, 7/30, 8/6, 8/13
Limit: 15

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

This Moment in Grief: The Poetry in Being Present for What Is (Thursday, July 16, 2026)

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 18:00:00 GMT

This Moment in Grief: The Poetry in Being Present for What Is

Thursday, July 2, 9, and 16
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
at Berkshire Community College
In-person only

Cost: $35 for OLLI at BCC members
$45 for non-members

Sign up today!

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

Member Meet-up at Tanglewood (Sunday, July 19, 2026)

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 16:00:00 GMT

OLLI at BCC Meet-up at Tanglewood
(Ticket to Tanglewood not provided)

Sunday, July 19 from 12:00 - start of concert.

Gather with your OLLI friends and meet new friends on the lawn at Tanglewood. Guests are welcome!

Look for the OLLI banner and balloons. You can find us by going straight from the Main Gate past the Shed so that when you are standing and looking at the Shed, we will be to the right.

Bring your own ticket, chair, snacks and drinks.
(You can order Tanglewood Tickets through the BSO or purchase on site at the box office)

This is a great opportunity to bring a friend to introduce them to other OLLI at BCC folks. Also, don't forget that this is Berkshire Day, so if you have a Berkshire County address you can pick up a free ticket at the box office.

Can't wait to see you there!

Sponsored by your friends on the OLLI Member Services Committee

Bogus Astronomy Mini-course (Tuesday, July 21, 2026)

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Bogus Astronomy
with Kenneth Bechis

Two sessions:
July 21 and 28 from 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
at Berkshire Community College

In-person only.

Is it true that "In space no one can hear you scream"? Do Hollywood movies accurately portray spaceship battles, laser cannons, and explosions? Are space aliens invading Earth really ill-advised? How well do Earthbound media and the general population understand astronomical concepts -- e.g., why is it hotter in the summer than in the winter? Does it matter that our Sun travels yearly through 14 constellations, not just the 12 familiar Zodiacal ones? Why does astronomy, unlike other sciences, have conspiracy theories -- e.g., did Stanley Kubrick help NASA fake the Moon landings? Or, did the Martians construct a giant Face on their planet along with canals? Why are tens of millions of Americans today convinced the Earth is flat? Let's explore these a more in Bogus Astronomy!

Kenneth P. Bechis retired from Northrop Grumman as Chief Scientist in the Space Operations/ Environmental Solutions Division, and as a Distinguished Technical Fellow in the Intelligence Systems Sector. He holds a bachelor's in astronomy from Harvard College, a master of science in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a doctorate in astrophysics from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and is a former NASA Payload Specialist Astronaut.

Cost: $30 for OLLI at BCC members,
$40 for non-members

Sign up today!

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

Bogus Astronomy Mini-course (Tuesday, July 28, 2026)

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Bogus Astronomy
with Kenneth Bechis

Two sessions:
July 21 and 28 from 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
at Berkshire Community College

In-person only.

Cost: $30 for OLLI at BCC members,
$40 for non-members

Sign up today!

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

A Chester Duet 2026 with OLLI at BCC (Wednesday, July 29, 2026)

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 15:30:00 GMT

The OLLI at BCC Special Events Committee presents:

A Chester Duet

Wednesday, July 29, 2026 at 11:30 a.m.

A Delicious Lunch plus a Great Afternoon of Theater

This program is in-person at Chester Railway Museum and Chester Theatre Company in Chester, MA

11:30 a.m. Chester Railway Museum

A national historic landmark where OLLI chefs create lunch and Dave Pierce, Director, tells station history and tales.

2:00 p.m. Chester Theatre Company
Amchitka
By Mark St. Germain
Directed by Julianne Boyd

In a monitoring station at Amchitka, a volcanic island 170 miles off the coast of Alaska used for underground nuclear testing in the 1960s, three scientists find themselves cut off from the outside world as an event seems to be underway. But what? A new philosophical thriller by Mark St. Germain, author of Magdalene and Freud’s Last Session.

Cost: $78 for OLLI at BCC members
$84 for guests/non-members
$20 Lunch only with your own Chester Theatre subscription

Wheelchair accessible seating is available, be sure to note that when you register. Seating will be in order received.

Event Leader: Judy Keshner, Special Events Chair: Arline Breskin

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

Creativity and Artistic Expression Workshop (Wednesday, July 29, 2026)

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Creativity and Artistic Expression Summer 2026

Wednesday, July 29
1:00 - 3:30 p.m.
at Berkshire Community College

In-person only.

This workshop will focus on working with and decoupaging colorful, ceramic tile coasters, or glass plates, which can be used in a variety of ways for entertaining and “welcoming summer”.

Try something new or continue on the next step if you’ve attended workshops with Marsha in the past.

Cost: $25 for OLLI at BCC members,
$35 for non-members

Price includes materials cost.

Sign up today!

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

Jacob's Pillow with OLLI at BCC (Friday, August 14, 2026)

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 15:45:00 GMT

The OLLI at BCC Special Events Committee presents an afternoon at

Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival

Martha Graham Dance Company

MORE TICKETS AVAILABLE!

Friday, August 14, 2026

Norton Owen, Preservation Director,
will talk at Blake’s Barn at 11:45 a.m.

Bring a Bag Lunch – OLLI chefs provide desserts and drinks

Martha Graham Dance Company

Schedule:

11:45 a.m. Talk with Norton Owen, Historian and Founding Director of Preservation, at Blake’s Barn

12:30 p.m. Lunch (bring a bag lunch with you, our OLLI chefs will provide dessert and drinks)

1:00 p.m. Dessert

2:00 p.m. Performance

Martha Graham Dance Company celebrates their 100^th anniversary! Founded in 1926 by the legendary contemporary dancer Martha Graham, it is the oldest American dance company. It has been called "one of the great dance companies of the world” by The New York Times and “one of the seven wonders of the artistic universe” by The Washington Post. Many of the great 20th and 21st-century modern dancers and choreographers began their careers with this prestigious company, including Merce Cunningham, Pearl Lang, and Paul Taylor.

Tickets are limited and seating will be in order received.

Wheelchair accessible seating is available, be sure to note that when you register.

Ticket Prices:

OLLI at BCC Members: $103
Guests: $113
Dessert only with your own Jacob's Pillow Subscription: $9

No refunds unless space is filled from a waiting list!
This program is in-person at Jacob's Pillow
358 George Carter Rd., Becket, MA

Thank you to OLLI at BCC's Special Events Committee for organizing this and so many other great OLLI events!

Strengthening Hope During Times of Conflict: The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies Work Between Israelis and Palestinians (Tuesday, August 18, 2026)

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 20:00:00 GMT

OLLI at BCC Distinguished Speakers Series
Sponsored by Kimball Farms Life Care

Strengthening Hope During Times of Conflict: The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies Work Between Israelis and Palestinians

Tuesday, August 18 at 4 p.m. ET
Hybrid - In-person and Online via Zoom

$10 for OLLI Members
$15 for non-OLLI members
Admission is free for students, staff and faculty from Berkshire Community College, MCLA, and Williams; youth 17 and under, and those holding WIC, EBT/SNAP, or ConnectorCare cards.

Thirty years ago the doors of the Arava Institute opend on Kibbutz Ketura. Since then it has brought together Israelis (Jews & Arabs), Palestinians, Jordanians, Moroccans and other college age students from around the world to study and live together. These past years have been a stress test for the work of the Institute, but it has remained true to its mission. In addition to its academic program, the Institute is the home of a number of Transboundary research centers as well as the Center for Applied Environmental Diplomacy which is active in Gaza. Rabbi Michael Cohen, who has been involved with the Institute since its doors opened dividing his time between Vermont and Ketura, will share firsthand experiences, lessons, and insights from the past three decades.

Rabbi Michael Margaretten Cohen is a faculty member of the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies. He is also the Director of Community Relations, for the Friends of Arava Institute. He teaches courses on conflict resolution, the Bible, and the environment. Rabbi Cohen has been a Policy Advisor to the Office of the Special Envoy for Middle East Peace, U.S. Department of State and a Speechwriter Adviser to the Office of the White House Speechwriters. He has served on the Advisory Board of the Middle East Peace Partnership (MEPPA) of USAID established by Congress. Cohen, the rabbi emeritus of the Israel Congregation in Manchester Center, Vermont is the author of numerous articles that have appeared in the Middle East and the United States. He has been a regular Torah commentary in the Jerusalem Post as well as being an ongoing columnist in the Jerusalem Post. He is the author of "Einstein's Rabbi: A Tale of Science and the Soul." He also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Burr & Burton Academy, the Mount Equinox Preservation Trust, KaTO Architecture, and the Jerusalem Peacebuilders. He is a recipient of the Eliav Sartawi Award for Middle East Journalism from the Search for Common Ground.

OLLI at BCC is also sponsored by Berkshire Health Systems

It's Not What You Think: An American Woman in Saudi Arabia (Thursday, September 10, 2026)

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 23:00:00 GMT

The OLLI Distinguished Speakers Series presents:

It's Not What You Think: An American Woman in Saudi Arabia

September, 10 at 7:00 p.m. ET

Online via Zoom

The Battle of Bennington at the Bennington Museum (Thursday, September 17, 2026)

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 14:00:00 GMT

The Battle of Bennington at the Bennington Museum - Member Meet up!

Thursday, September 17, 2026
Gather at 9:45 a.m.
Tour begins at 10:00 a.m.

Stay for lunch after the tour

(option to buy a boxed lunch when you register)

In-person only at the Bennington Museum

75 Main Street

Bennington, MA 05201

Meet OLLI at BCC members at the Bennington Museum private tour of "The Battle of Bennington" with curator Jamie Franklin.

The Battle of Bennington, fought on August 16, 1777, has come to be known as a turning point in the American Revolution and an event that defines our town to many in the popular imagination. This reinstallation of objects and archival materials from the Museum’s permanent collection, the first in 25 years, centered around the museum’s beloved WPA-era mural by Leroy Williams, will tell the complex stories of the diverse participants and lives that were touched by the battle. From Joseph and Sarah Rudd’s first-hand accounts of their experience of the battle, including taking Loyalist neighbors as prisoners and fleeing to Williamstown on horseback with four children, to a portrait of Lieutenant Jonathan Holton, depicting the scars received from being shot in the face by a musket ball, this exhibition will bring visitors up close and personal with the people who lived through this historic event.

Participants will meet at the Bennington Museum.

You will have the option to pre-purchase a boxed lunch ($17.50) to enjoy with OLLI friends in a private room in the museum following the tour.

Cost: $25 for OLLI at BCC members and their guests

Optional boxed lunch: $17.50 per person

Space is limited, register today!

Register online or call 413.236.2190 (M-F 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.) to register by phone with a credit card.

This event is part of OLLI's Rev250 Project celebrating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.

Image: Prisoners Taken at Bennington Battle, August 16, 1777, 1938 Leroy Williams (1878-1965), Oil on canvas, 72 x 144 in., Bennington Museum Collection, Courtesy of the Works Progress Administration (WPA), Vermont Federal Art Project (FAP), A2048