The Sherrill

Judaic Studies

FAMILY

WI i! j

New director hopes to expand
Oakland U.'s growing program.

Dave Groves

Special to the Jewish News

tudent interest in the Judaic
Studies program at Oakland
University has grown steadily
in recent years, and its new director
is looking to boost that growth by
expanding the breadth of topics the
program explores and reaching out to
community groups with vested inter-
ests in Jewish history and culture.
Michael J. Pytlik, a professor teach-
ing in both the departments of reli-
gion and anthropology at Oakland,
officially took the reins of the Judaic
Studies program Aug. 13. With a
bachelor's degree in history and a
master's degree in Jewish studies
and Jewish education, he is currently
working on a doctorate in Jewish
studies. He has traveled to Israel
nearly 20 times, where he has worked
on several archaeological sites and
explored hundreds of ancient sites.
Pytlik of Royal Oak is an active
member of Shir Tikvah in Troy. He
said he looks forward to helping
expand knowledge of the Jewish tra-
dition among people of all faiths and
heritages.
"Certainly the Oakland program
is and has been of interest to Jewish
students, but we know that we have
to keep an eye on the larger com-
munity as well," he said. Emphasizing
the point, he noted that there is a
relatively small population of Jewish
students at the university.
Judaic Studies faculty strives to
make courses focusing on history,
culture and language relevant to all
students. Pytlik explained that these
efforts often result in students learn-
ing to more effectively understand
and analyze historic texts they read as
well as look at modern problems and
issues from perspectives other than
their own.
"The contributions of Judaism and
the Jewish people to civilization have
been immense, and many people are
unaware of this," Pytlik explained.
"Our goal is not to convince stu-
dents of anything, but to expose them
to the world of ideas. There is a deep
need in today's world to address the
whys of things, and religious thinking
and theological thinking can help stu-
dents begin to do that. Judaism and
Jewish thinking, in particular, have
much to add to many of today's chal-
lenges and even modern vocations."

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Michael Pytlik

Much of the Judaic Studies program
currently centers on the Introduction
to Judaism course, but there is much
more. Oakland offers courses in
Jewish history, sacred texts, basic
theology, biblical studies and Jewish
philosophy.
Immensely popular is an annual
study abroad program that has stu-
dents participate in an archeological
dig in Khirbet Qeiyafa, Israel, where
a 10th-century BCE fortress attrib-
uted to the time of King David has
been dug by students from Oakland
and Hebrew University, Jerusalem.
Interest also is growing in Hebrew
language courses, which now include
a second-year option, as well as a new
course that focuses on the Holocaust.
Faculty in the program have
included prominent local rabbis and
professors. They have worked to allow
both Jewish and non-Jewish students
to pursue a minor that will comple-
ment almost any academic major or
vocational program.
Pytlik said he hopes to expand col-
laboration with Oakland's Islamic
Studies and Christianity Studies
programs as well as to establish part-
nerships with Jewish day schools and
high schools throughout the region.
Over the long term, he hopes to see
the establishment of a still more
focused program.
"We know we don't have a Center
for Judaic Studies at this point, but I
don't see any reason why we shouldn't
look in that direction," Pytlik said.
In addition to a minor in Judaic
Studies, Oakland offers an explorato-
ry option in Jewish Studies comprised
of three courses, and an optional
major in religious studies. To learn
more, visit oakland.edu/judaicstudies
or contact Pytlik at pytlik@oakland.
edu. ❑

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