In order to spend his summer in Israel, Eric Hubbard, a junior archeology major from Defiance, Ohio, received an APEX (Advising Planning and Experiential Learning) Fellowship from the College of Wooster to work with the Jaffa Cultural Heritage Project, in Jaffa, Israel.
The project seeks to research and preserve the cultural heritage of its community, through an archeological excavation, and provide a deeper understanding of the city’s historical significance to the region. Eric joined the project because it offered him the opportunity to learn a variety of field methodologies within an urban environment. “I was interested in understanding how archeology impacts the community in which it is conducted by working with a local group of both Muslim and Jewish students,” said Eric.
Due to the ongoing Israel/Gaza conflict, he evacuated Jaffa and joined another excavation in Tel Megiddo (the biblical site of Armageddon) – currently the longest running excavation in Israel. Aside from helping Hubbard finance his summer, “APEX has been very supportive and flexible through out,” said Hubbard, recognizing the precedent that APEX placed on the safety of students working and studying in areas of potential conflict.
By Kanika Issar ’15