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Digging Israel
Oakland University students
experience many firsts this summer.
Erin Ben-Moche | Special to the Jewish News
I
f we are lucky, we have the opportu-
nity to travel the world, broaden our
horizons and learn a little about our-
selves on the way. Oakland University’s
Archaeology of Israel program grants
those experiences to its students.
Each summer, OU students go on an
archaeological excavation from June
through July. The program includes field
training with students from Hebrew
University in Jerusalem, excavations,
cultural tours and immersion in Israeli
culture.
This year, Dr. Michael Pytlik, program
director of Judaic studies, took students
to a digging site in the ancient city of
Lachish.
Pytlik has taken students on archaeo-
logic digs for the past eight years and says
it is the best study abroad program OU
offers because students pay less than a
third of the cost to go and also experience
new cultures.
“Students have a fantastic experience
in Israel,” Pytlik said. “The hardships they
overcome allow the students to grow.”
This year’s trip was particularly memo-
rable for the nine students and two faculty
members because it was a year of firsts.
Dr. Jon Carroll, assistant professor of
anthropology, was thrilled to say OU was
the first university in Michigan to explore
the uses of a drone for archaeological
fieldwork.
“We were so fortunate to have the fund-
ing from the College of Arts and Sciences,”
» h e re’s
to
Best Lawyers has recog-
nized Henry Baskin of
the Birmingham-based
Baskin Law Firm P.C. as
one of the Best Lawyers
in America for 2017,
recognized for his work
in family law. In the legal
Baskin
industry for more than
50 years, Baskin special-
izes in matrimonial, litigation and personal
service contracts. The past chair of the
Oakland Uni versity Board of Trustees, he
established the Baskin Family Foundation
to support scholarships for children of
single-parent households attending the
university.
Carroll said. “By gathering
the 3D images, it creates
the most precise spatial
Oakland University students, with Dr. Jon Carroll, worked with a drone to capture Israeli archaeological
model of the site in all of
sites from above.
history.”
This is a step forward,
thing and could talk about politics in a
Western Wall.
he says, because the drone
way that we could never do here.”
“Everything stopped on Friday night,”
helps answer such questions as “Why
A trip like this made the students think
Schaaf said. “I was touched seeing all the
were these types of people going to these
and work hard, but allowed them to grow.
women together singing and dancing and
specific places?” and “Why was this place
“I learned a lot about my personality,
praying. In America, you only see men
important to Judah and the Canaanites?”
things I liked and didn’t like,” Schaaf said.
running churches; in Israel, the women
These questions can now be answered
“I discovered I want to go into cultural
were active and independent in their
faster and with more detail.
anthropology and not so much archaeol-
prayers.”
FIRSTTIME EXPERIENCES
ogy.”
Schaaf also loved the diversity in Old
Both Carroll and Pytlik were excited to
Gipson, on the other hand, wants to
Jerusalem.
bring the drone to Israel, but not as excit-
continue doing archaeology for the sole
“Jewish, Muslim and Christian quarters
ed as they were to have students experi-
all coexisted and respected each other,” she purpose of putting together pieces of a
ence Israel for the first time.
historic puzzle.
said.
The U.S. and Jerusalem are very differ-
Pytlik and Carroll believe archaeological
The peacefulness shocked Schaaf
ent, and the students were ready to take it
digs mold the culture and history of the
because she initially thought Israel was
in and explore.
world and love when they can teach that
violent, “and to see it be so peaceful was
“Our days started at four in the morning pleasant.”
to students.
and ended around one in the afternoon,”
“It’s not just about the things you find;
Gipson said, “The media makes it seem
said archaeology student Ron Gipson. “I
we are not treasure hunting,” Carroll said.
a lot more dangerous than it really is. We
didn’t think it would take a toll on my
“It’s about the people and what you learn
both felt so safe.”
body the way it did, but I think I could get
from them.”
Pytlik feels it is important for students
used to doing this once a year.”
Oakland University’s Israel archaeo-
of all religions and ethnicities to go on
The three-and-a-half weeks were long,
trips like these to experience different cul- logical dig program is not just offered to
but on the weekends the students were
students. If you are interested, visit www.
tures and people. Gipson and Schaaf not
able to see significant digging sites and
oakland.edu/socan/programs/arc, contact
only made friends with Israeli students
museums around Israel.
Michael Pytlik at pytlik@oakland.edu or
and volunteers from around the area but
Anthropology student Laurel Schaaf
Jon Carroll at jwcarroll@oakland.edu.
also learned from them.
grew up going to a Christian school and
“They are so passionate about every-
Erin Ben-Moche is a junior studying journalism at
knew little about Israel, but says she will
thing,” Gipson said. “They know three or
Oakland University and lives in Rochester Hills.
never forget her experience visiting the
four languages, were interested in every-
*
Maddin, Hauser, Roth & Heller
P.C. announced that several of
its attorneys have been named
to the 2017 edition of The Best
Lawyers in America. The list
includes Stuart M. Bordman,
Mark R. Hauser, Harvey R.
Heller, John E. Jacobs, Robert
Michael
D. Kaplow, Charles M. Lax,
Maddin
Michael W. Maddin, Richard
J. Maddin, Richard F. Roth,
Steven D. Sallen, Ronald A.
Sollish and Steven M. Wolock.
Of them, Heller, Jacobs,
Kaplow, Richard Maddin, Roth
and Wolock were recognized in
multiple practice areas.
Sallen
Richard
Maddin
Roth
Sollish
Wolock
Bordman
Hauser
Heller
Jacobs
Kaplow
Lax
continued on page 24
22 September 1 • 2016