By Gabriella Gomperts, Features Editor
How long have you worked at YU?
20 years. I started in January of 2003.
What do you like most about working at YU?
I like my colleagues, I really, really like the students, and I like the hashkafa (Ideology). Especially now, post October 7th, it’s a place where I can be myself and have my reality confirmed by the world around me. I enjoy the Jewish environment, and it’s easy to incorporate that background as a biblical archaeologist or when I’m teaching Jewish history. The people, the values, the vibe, certainly not the cafeteria, though. I think we all agree there.
What made you passionate about archaeology?
I was always interested in history. I naturally gravitated towards it. I like stories, and I consider history a grand story. I became more interested in ancient history through some travels. When I was in high school, I went to Israel and Greece and visited ancient sites. I realized in both places that while most of the other participants enjoyed them, I seemed to really enjoy them. And I still do! Whenever I travel, I always go to the ancient sites and look at antiquities, and I love museums. I like the physical aspect of excavations, being outdoors, and the sense of discovery. You never know what you will find. Doing research in archaeology is easy – all you have to do is dig up something that no one has dug up before.
Is there anything interesting that you’re currently working on?
I went on a Scholars’ trip to Israel over intercession and had a chance to meet with the archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority to understand the work that they’re doing now in the kibbutzim and near the music festival. They’re applying archaeological techniques to try to identify people who up to that point were considered missing. I am working on a piece about that because destruction is the bread and butter of archaeology but up until now it has always been the distant past for me, not just a few months ago. It’s really reshaped how I think about even the Babylonian destruction in Jerusalem or the Roman destruction of the Second Temple. I have a greater sense of the immediacy and the horror. It’s one thing to read Eicha, it’s another thing to go to Kfar Aza and see Eicha.
Do you have any advice for students interested in a career in archaeology or if they’re majoring in sociology?
I think a sociology major can sometimes be the butt of jokes, but I think here at Stern College, our approach to sociology is much more traditional as opposed to the more activist approach to sociology that exists on many other campuses. I think sociology is an excellent background because no matter what job you have, you’re going to be dealing with people and everyone is part of many social groups. Being able to understand that dynamic makes you more effective in your dealings with other people. Archaeology is very close to my heart, and for students who are interested in archaeology I would encourage them to get as much experience as possible. There’s no substitute for field experience and for working hands on with a material culture.
If you could bring any guest lecturer, alive or deceased, who would it be and what would they speak about?
In archaeology, the one person I’d want to bring in is Howard Carter, who discovered King Tut’s tomb. To hear about that experience and have him describe that moment of discovery would be fascinating.
What is one thing you want students to know?
I want students to open themselves up to the many opportunities Yeshiva University offers, such as overseas research and travel. These are immersive and transformative experiences that will enrich you for the rest of your life. On campus, there are lectures, shiurim, clubs, teams, and so forth that offer new experiences. You are at the time of life when you don’t have much responsibility, so take advantage of as many of these opportunities that you possibly can.
What book would you recommend everyone should read?
I’m teaching the Sociology of Food right now, and I do think The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan is a wonderful book.