Three Breathtaking Roman Ruins to Visit in Europe

As an associate professor of Rabbinic Literature and Jewish History of Late Antiquity in the Department of Near Eastern Studies at the University of Michigan, Yaron Eliav is the author of God's Mountain: The Temple Mount in Time, Space, and Memory. With an interest in Graeco-Roman history as well as the field of Jewish studies, Dr. Yaron Eliav has traveled extensively through Europe, where many breathtaking feats of Roman engineering and architecture are still standing.

1. Pont Du Gard - This Roman aqueduct was built sometime around 500 AD. Located in what is presently southern France, the Pont Du Gard aqueduct was constructed to carry water to the ancient city of Nemausus, now known as Nîmes. The bridge was built of limestone and stands 50 meters high, stretching over France’s Gardon river.

2. The Pantheon - Residing in Rome, Italy, the Pantheon originated as a temple and now stands as one of the best-preserved Roman historical buildings despite having been built around 25 BC. The building boasted the largest dome in the world until the Duomo of Florence beat it out in 1436. The dome is still the biggest unreinforced dome in the world, with a height and diameter of 43.3-meters.

3. Roman Baths - The Roman Baths in the aptly named Bath, England were first constructed in 60 to 70 AD as a temple. Over the next 300 years, the existing bath was built up around the temple and England’s sole mineral hot spring. While the baths themselves are no longer suitable for use, they speak to the staying power of Roman engineering. The water still flows through the original lead pipes put in by the Romans.

Kelsey Museum Brings Ancient World to University Campus

Dr. Yaron Eliav is an award-winning Judaic studies author and associate professor in the Department of Near Eastern Studies at the University of Michigan. Dr. Yaron Eliav leads Jewish studies students through hands-on exploration of ancient cultures in partnership with the Kelsey Museum.

The Kelsey Museum has a collection of more than 100,000 ancient artifacts from cultures of the Mediterranean and the Near East. Roman sculptures, Greek pottery, and an Egyptian mummy coffin are among the objects on permanent display at the museum. Curators set up exhibits to give context to the artifacts, to show how they were integrated into everyday life, and to demonstrate how different cultures were influenced by one another.

A new exhibit opening at the Kelsey Museum in the fall of 2016 is called Less Than Perfect. It will include failed and flawed objects that still teach researchers a lot about the tools and techniques ancient artists and craftsmen used. Other objects are believed to be deliberately imperfect or asymmetrical. Objects that were pieced back together will also be on display.

The Kelsey Museum is on the Central Campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Students have the opportunity to take guided museum tours that are specific to their coursework, such as Judaic studies, Germanic languages, history of art, architecture, or even business.

Students Get Chance to Hold History in Their Hands

Dr. Yaron Eliav is an associate professor in the Department of Near Eastern Studies at the University of Michigan. An award-winning Judaic studies author, Dr. Yaron Eliav researches ancient Judaism in the Roman Mediterranean.

University of Michigan students interested in Jewish studies can enroll in The Land of Israel/Palestine through the Ages, a course Dr. Eliav created. The goal of the course is to find new ways to get students interested in studying the ancient world of the Mediterranean. The course involves hands-on experience with archaeological artifacts at the Kelsey Museum. Students get to examine objects left behind by ancient people to learn about their culture. Students also review video clips, maps, art and books from the region.

The course is still evolving and in fall 2015 included a pilot portion with Moscow State University that allowed students in Russia to discuss the issues with students at the University of Michigan. The program may also eventually include a study trip to the Middle East.                            

TLTC Grant for Project on Changing the Way We Teach the Ancient World

An experienced researcher and award-winning author, Yaron Eliav, PhD, serves as an associate professor of Rabbinic Literature and Jewish History of Late Antiquity in the Department of Near Eastern Studies at the University of Michigan (U-M). Dr. Yaron Eliav balances his research in the field of Judaic Studies with a project he helped to launched through a grant from the Third Century Initiative (TCI).

The project is part of the Transforming Learning for a Third Century (TLTC) program, which enables U-M faculty to create innovate initiatives focused on elevating student learning. In 2015, U-M granted almost $6.4 million through TCI to six learning enrichment projects including the project Dr. Eliav is working on, called Changing the Way We Teach the Ancient World.

With a $759,000 grant, the project strives to scale teaching mechanisms previously created to enhance student learning in the field of ancient studies. The project is scaling a variety of tools, such as an interactive image database, teleconferencing, and video clips. On top of these tools, the project is advancing the Kelsey Museum Experience, a method that involves app-based and hands-on engagement with artifacts.

Whitewater Rafting in Michigan

With a MA and a PhD in Jewish Studies from Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Yaron Eliav is an associate professor of Rabbinic Literature and Jewish History of Late Antiquity in the department of Near Eastern studies at the University of Michigan. Outside of his academic work in Judaic Studies, Yaron Eliav enjoys whitewater rafting.

Michigan offers several options for adventurers seekers whitewater rafting opportunities. Listed below are three companies that offer group and solo rafting trips:

1. Northwoods Adventures: Located in Iron Mountain, Michigan, Northwood takes rafters through beautiful scenery and difficult rapids, and prides itself on its great hospitality.

2. Gallup River Rafting: This Ann Arbor-based company recently added manmade rapids to its course, offering participants a taste of whitewater rafting without overwhelming them

3. Bear River Whitewater Park: Located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Bear River runs through the city of Petosky. The water here is different each season, offering rafters a unique excursion on every visit. This local Northern Michigan community removed all dams and other debris from the river, allowing it to flow in its original course.

Third Century Initiative Grant Aims to Innovate Learning

Yaron Eliav is a professor of near eastern and Jewish studies at the University of Michigan. Yaron Eliav was awarded the Transforming Learning for Third Century Initiative Grant. Through it, he is partnering with the Kelsey Museum to innovate the way students learn about the ancient Judaic world though hands-on engagement with artifacts and other forms of exploration.

As the University of Michigan prepares to celebrate its 2017 bicentennial, the Third Century Initiative is intended to create more opportunities for innovative learning programs. The Initiative is especially focused on global challenges, and aims to engage with technology to address issues like mental health or how the judicial system interacts with the public all over the world.

The Initiative also intends to intensify student learning, through projects in and out of the classroom including work in museums, art galleries, libraries, laboratories, and other spaces. These include projects on 3D printing, arts in public spaces, and the creation of a campus farm to increase awareness of sustainable food systems. The University awarded nearly $6.4 million to six faculty projects in 2015.

Professor Yaron Eliav Leads TLTC-Funded Project

 

Professor Yaron Eliav from the Department of Near Eastern Studies at the University of Michigan primarily concentrates on Jewish studies, ancient Judaism, rabbinic literature, and archeology. Professor Yaron Eliav, who earned his PhD at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, is currently leading a project that was awarded a Transforming Learning for Third Century (TLTC) grant.

The TLTC initiative funds faculty projects that demonstrate capacity to transform learning for students. The project that Professor Eliav heads is titled Changing the Way We Teach the Ancient World. The project team is made up of faculty and researchers from three different units of the University of Michigan: the Department of Near Eastern Studies, the Kelsey Museum of Archeology, and the Language Resource Center.

Through the integration of a hands-on-experience at the Kelsey Museum, the project intends to improve the learning environment of undergraduate students who are studying the ancient world. Specifically, the project is designed to take students away from a passive role in learning and engage them in physical interaction with archeological artifacts. The project will also be integrate new educational tools with existing, seldom used IT resources to enable active investigative participation of students.