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| Nora Barron, donor, and Joseph Ackerman, Co-Chair for Partnership 2000 Steering Committee, celebrated the launch of the OU study abroad program at a breakfast hosted by OU |
In 2007, the College of Arts and Sciences began a Judaic Studies program to provide Oakland University students with the opportunity to study various aspects of Judaism. Over the past two years, the program has successfully established itself within the university and has offered both OU students and students from other universities in southeast Michigan the rare opportunity to travel to Israel to study.
From the beginning, the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit has provided the program with support through a variety of avenues. Most recently, the Federation worked with OU to construct a month-long study abroad program to take place in Central Galilee in Israel as part of the Federation’s Partnership 2000 program.
Partnership 2000 was established 15 years ago between the Federation and the Central Galilee region in Israel. “We believe Central Galilee is our home in Israel,” said Lori Davidson Mertz, Partnership 2000 coordinator for the Federation. “We partnered with OU
because of its commitment to Judaic studies.”
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| OU students and Professors Mike Pytlik and Richard Stamps, take a break from their digging to pose for a picture with the Institute of Archeology of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem excavation team |
In June, the steering committee for Partnership 2000 met in Michigan for its bi-annual meeting. OU had the privilege to host the Israeli delegates of the committee for breakfast, and took this opportunity to present the Judaic Studies program and highlight OU’s commitment to providing students with a distinctive and unique program. “The college strives to prepare our students to be the leaders of tomorrow by helping them understand global and cultural differences,” said College of Arts and Sciences Dean, Ronald Sudol. “This breakfast helped to strengthen our involvement and demonstrate our continued commitment to the Judaic Studies program, the Federation and Partnership 2000.”
The hard work of OU and the Federation, along with a generous contribution from the Nora and Guy Barron Millennium Fund, paid off as sixteen students from OU and other universities embarked on the month-long trip to Israel in July. During their time there, students studied at the Max Stern Academic College of Emek Yezreel and were given the opportunity to participate in a two-week camp to teach Israeli children English as a second language.
The college was also able to provide students with a second study abroad trip to participate in a historical archeological dig in Israel. “I heard the [Sociology and Anthropology] department was discussing a study abroad trip for anthropology and religious studies students and I volunteered myself immediately,” said Mike Pytlik, OU professor. In June, Pytlik and OU professor Dr. Richard Stamps took nine students from Pytlik’s course "Archeology and Ancient History of Israel" to Israel to explore and experience what they had studied in the classroom. “I was able to take the students to the places and sites we had discussed in class and expose them to the Israeli culture,” Pytlik explained. “They all fell in love with Jerusalem and were moved by the experience.”
The two-week trip began with a week of touring in Jerusalem where the students explored the City of David, the Dead Sea and the ancient cities, as well as a few other destinations. Danielle Ager, OU Anthropology student explained, “It was a wonderful way to learn more about what we studied in the classroom. It is a lot more powerful to see things firsthand instead of memorizing it from a book.”
The last week of the trip, students participated in an archeological dig at the excavation site Khirbet Qeiyafa atop a hill in Elah Valley, 20 miles southwest of Jerusalem. This site is of particular historical interest because of its location, dating and structural design in connection to Hebrew Scripture. This excavation site structure is believed to have two gates, also known in Hebrew as Sha’arayim. Sha’arayim is mentioned three times in the bible, indicating a connection between the site and King David and the battle of David and Goliath.
The students joined the Institute of Archeology of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem excavation team to continue the beginning stages of excavating the second gate to the city. “It was exciting to work on a dig in Israel. The techniques and forms of excavation are different from those in Michigan. It was really enlightening and I am grateful to the donors who gave us this opportunity,” Ager said.
“I never thought this would happen,” added Austin Eighmet, an OU senior and Anthropology student. “I’m impressed and happy that OU was able to provide this opportunity. It was absolutely amazing and gave me an understanding of the world I would have never achieved otherwise.”
Pyltik is looking forward to teaching a second section of the Archeology and Ancient History of Israel course in the upcoming winter semester. He is in talks with Hebrew University of Jerusalem and OU administration to solidify bringing a second group of students back to Khirbet Qeiyafa to continue the work students began this summer. “The excavation team was so welcoming and informative. I hope to take a second group of students back next summer so they can have the same great experience as this year’s students,” Pyltik said.
