“Israeli Culture and Society: 1880-Present” Eli Sperling, Emory University, Spring/Fall 2019 Upon its inception, Zionism needed more than political and financial solutions to actualize a Jewish home in Palestine. It was necessary for the architects…
“Zionism: Ideology and Practice in the Making of a Jewish State” Scott Abramson, UCLA, Winter 2020 This course tells the biography of Zionism. Uniting social, intellectual, cultural and political history, it exhibits its subject in…
Dance along as waves of Jewish immigration mix with indigenous traditions to create a unique culture reflecting a world of Jewish and non-Jewish influences across Israel’s diverse society.
Pressman Academy in Los Angeles, part of CIE’s Day School Initiative, has graciously shared its Megillat HaAtzmaut and accompanying, grade-specific lesson plans for exploring Israel’s Declaration of Independence at Yom Ha’Atzmaut. Reading of Megillat HaAtzmaut:…
This video, prepared as Israel approached its 73rd birthday in 2021, incorporates multiple perspectives on the previous year. Have members of your class, in small groups or collectively, create a similar video addressing the highs…
CIE asked friends and experts in the field of Israel Studies to discuss the challenges and successes of the State of Israel in this past year, and to reflect on the coming year. Below, we…
Elections, Parliament, Political Culture, Prime Ministers, Parties and the Voting Public Israel has a parliamentary system of government with some unusual features in the elections and the creation of multiparty ruling coalitions, as explained by…
Integrating Israeli culture into your Hebrew learning and practice is not something we need to abandon in this time of social distancing. Here are several resources and suggestions for learners to keep Hebrew language skills sharp while exploring a variety of aspects of Israeli society.
Games and activities are great tools for learning about Israel which can be fun for the whole family. The games we present here touch on a number of different topic areas: Geography, Tanakh, history, politics,…
As schools and organizations are being forced to rethink their Israel travel programs, CIE is here to help with this set of resources that will bring Israel to your learners.
“Israeli Political Institutions: Formation and Dilemmas” Dr. Reda Mansour, Emory University, Spring 2018 This course explores the Israeli political system, its institutional characteristics and components, and its main political dilemmas. The course aims to provide…
“Israel: Religion, Society, Culture, and Identity” Dr. Reda Mansour, Emory University, Fall 2017 This course explores the issues of religion, society, culture and identity in Israel. Israel is an emergent society composed of Jewish immigrants…
In November 2012, the Bank of Israel announced that a new series of banknotes was in the final stages of design. The first new banknote since 1999, the NIS (New Israeli Shekel) 50 was put…
“History of Modern Israel” Kenneth W. Stein, Introductory Level (Seminar or General), Emory University, Spring 2016 This undergraduate lecture course focuses on the history, politics, society, economics and culture of modern Israel. It traces the…
“The Struggle for Israeli Identity” Nahum Karlinsky, Graduate Seminar, Ben-Gurion University, Spring 2016 We start by outlining the construction of Israel’s collective identity during the state’s formative years. We then discuss the shattering of that…
Curriculum (one-year license)
The following items are lesson plans on specific areas related to Israel, all of which were shared by participants in CIE’s educator workshops from 2012 to 2014. “Hatikvah” — Background/History of “Hatikvah” The creation of…
For educators or program planners, this section provides engaging programs for enhancing Israel learning for different age groups and audience sizes. They can be adapted for use at home or as part of a family…
E-book
Volunteerism and social action are core values in the Jewish culture and helped shape the development of the State of Israel. This learner’s guide contains background information from unique primary source texts, photographs from Israel’s history, biographical sketches of Israelis who put values into practice.
E-book
Covering the foundations of Judaism and the history of the Jewish people, the unit starts with the ‘covenants’ and ends in 1897. It traces the Jewish connection to the land of Israel, in the land and in exile. It explains how and why Jews retained their traditions in the face of enormous challenges. It concludes with the birth of Zionism as one answer to Jewish insecurity.
E-book
Join special guest curriculum contributor Dr. Yaron Ayalon and the CIE Curriculum team as they take you and your students on a riveting adventure through the lives of the Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews of Southern Europe and the Middle East. Explore the differences between Sephardi and Ashkenazi cultures, and discover the great wealth of knowledge and spirituality of the Sephardi Jews. Utilizing maps, photographs, primary documents, an extensive timeline and even a recipe for a traditional Sephardi dish, this book is the perfect introduction to Sephardi Jewry for the individual learner or in a classroom setting.
Background/History of HatikvaThe creation of the State of Israel must be understood in the context of Jewish history Building the State Before the State: Keren Hayseed Posters, 1942Participation in community requires certain obligations and duties….
“Jews and Judaism in Modern Times” Michael Berger, Undergraduate Lecture Course, Emory University, Fall 2013 The aim of this course in terms of content is to enable students to understand how Judaism in the modern…
