Teaching Resources

The only mentions of a sukkah in the Cairo Genizah refer to communal sukkot in synagogue courtyards. A fact that caused quite a bit of trouble.

Who is responsible for maintaining harmonious relations within the community?

“Blessed are You…who has made me a woman, not a man.” Who knew that this text is actually found in a siddur from 500 years ago?!

October 7 memorial wall, created by the NLI, displays the faces and names of the murdered civilians and fallen IDF soldiers on and since October 7. Both digital and printable version of this wall are now available to download and use at your schools and community centers.

How much did you notice about the village?

Compare resources which depict the same event but in a distinct way, and reflect on the meaning of the differences.

Discover different maps of Jerusalem created in different times of history.

Record a meaningful oral history of a family member and get a personal glimpse into historical events, as well as our own history and identity.

Teachers Talk About NLI Primary Sources - Netanel Burstin - Map of Erez Israel & Syria

In this video, a literature teacher Gal Man-Dror presents one of her favorite primary sources from the National Library: a Simchat Torah's flag from the Conservative movement, printed in 2013.

Since when does Simon the Macabbee promote citrus fruits?! Explore some funny and interesting advertisements connected to Chanukah.

Yom HaShoah is commemorated on April 27, the day on which the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising began.

This webinar discusses how learning personal stories can help contextualize and forge connections to grand historical events.

Explore texts and primary sources that highlight the idea of support and solidarity between Jewish people around the world in different times in history.

Which city was not part of the Jewish state? Click on the cities that were not part of the Jewish state according to the partition plan.

Are you a party animal or a traditionalist? Find out which Purim poster reflects your idea of this festival!

How did two prime ministers - David Ben-Gurion and Menachem Begin - use fashion to transmit political and moral values?

Letters written by Israeli children during the 1973 war reveal how they experienced one of the nation's most challenging periods.

What does Judaism have to say about teaching the next generation?

The unbelievable story of how a record number of people flew aboard a single airplane as part of 1991's Operation Solomon.

Teachers Talk About NLI Primary Sources - Netanel Burstin - Photo of the celebration of the establishment of the State of Israel, Arch of Titus, Rome, 1948.

Learn how different historical circumstances come to life in the unique design of each Haggadah.

Discuss letters written by children during times of war and try to understand the writers' thoughts and emotions

Test your geography skills and discover historical photographs of Jewish schools from all over the world from the NLI collections.

It was a close competition between artists to see who would receive the honor of designing the National Emblem

Can you identify the places? Jerusalem, then and today. Click to flip the pictures!

Explore our responsibility to each other within the community and to then try to put what you learned into practice

Using the Chanukiah as a case study, discuss what values we are celebrating on Chanukah, and explore the rules regarding lighting Chanukah candles in times of danger

On Chanukah Jewish kids all over the world play with dreidels. We invite you to discover the origin of the famous Chanukah game.

How was Shavuot celebrated in the time of the temple, and how does this tradition compare with its modern Zionist interpretation?

Dina talks about primary sources on sukkot

In these printable pages, you can explore sukkot ('succahs') built as you've never seen them before.

What makes a chanukiya a chanukiya? What does the choice of material and design teach us about the time and place it was made?

Explore ketubot from different times and places and learn how artistic design can reflect one's values and identity

Explore traditional, modern and visual texts to reflect on the value of arguing and why it is so important to learn how to disagree.

Explore the unique photos from the National Library of Israel's collections and discuss questions with your students.

Explore Sukkot primary sources from the NLI's collections, answer the questions and discuss different topics with your students!

In this lesson, you will uncover the meaning of the slogan "Let My People Go" which was used by the Soviet Jewry movement to allow Jews to immigrate to Israel.

A central mitzvah (commandment) of Rosh Hashanah is the blowing of the shofar whose sounds are intended to induce teshuvah (repentance). Read the TANACH texts about shofar blowing, explore the primary sources, and discuss what you feel when you hear the shofar.

Explore different aspects and functions of the synagogue in Jewish communal life, and reflect on what it means to you!

Who inspired hundreds of young athletes and continues to be a role model to those who wish to combine a career with motherhood?

Discover how Yom Hazikaron is commemorated by analyzing a poster created by Tzipi Berak Biyonsky.

The content varies depending on the group organizing the event and can include a lecture, singing, refreshments, or any other type of entertainment.

Learn how Israel has absorbed immigrants from around the world and helped them adjust to their new country by teaching them Hebrew.

How did the Maccabees inspire Jews throughout the ages? What made them role models for the founders of the State of Israel?

Election posters use advertising methods to convey messages. How can we recognize tools used by designers that influence the viewers?

Analyze this Yom Hazikaron Poster for Fallen Soldiers. The main image in this poster is Michael Elkayam.

Wondering where to go for your next adventure? Take our quiz to find the perfect destination for you.

Create your own illustrated scene from the Megillah based on the analysis of historical illuminated manuscripts from the NLI collections.

Go back in history and take a look at some of the posters that were created in the early years of the State of Israel.

Jewish Soldier and Poet. Through this interactive experience, take a journey through the works and life of Chana Senesh

This puzzle features an El-Al poster with a map of Israel. Do you recognize any of the places on the map?

Compare historical and recent photographs to discuss the changes that have taken place in Israel over the last 150 years.

In this worksheet you will explore the history, culture and traditions of the Russian Jewish community through photographs, newspapers, documents and more.

Create a timeline that tells the story of your community and learn about the people behind these events

Analyze photographs and study classical Jewish texts in order to gain a deeper understanding of the Arba Minim and Sukkot.

Learn more about the drafting of the Balfour Declaration, in which the British government expresses its support for the Zionist enterprise.

Get a chance to hear recordings from Jewish holiday and life cycle events across time and place.

In this video, we will give you useful tips on how you can use them in your teaching. Choose any of the NLI's resources and analyze them with your students!

Israeli Song Writer. Learn about Naomi Shemer’s life, get to know some of her iconic songs and reflect on the texts

Design your own Shana Tova card inspired by illustrations and texts from historical cards!

This quizz will help you to figure out what Jewish holiday you are!

Explore primary sources and Jewish texts dedicated to the idea of preserving collective memories by integrating them into everyday life

Analyze the prayer written in 1809 by Rabbi Moses Sofer as a response to the Austro-Polish War.

Learn about Sukkot in the past and connect it to how we celebrate Sukkot today.

This on-demand webinar explores the centrality of rituals in Israeli culture and discusses new initiatives for commemoration.

​Teachers Talk about NLI Primary Sources - Letter from Sarah Aaronsohn

Gil Hovav presents three unique maps of Jerusalem, that depict the city from an unusual point of view.

Why do we eat such weird foods on Rosh HaShanah? Watch this video to find out! Video courtesy of Kan - the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation.

Do you know Israel's history in the Olympic Games?

It is sometimes difficult to picture the places that we read about in the Tanakh. Luckily, there are drawings and photographs which help us to imagine what the places and events described in the Tanakh look like.

Just prior to his 27th birthday, the modest red-headed lieutenant colonel was abroad for the first time, reluctantly part of the Israeli negotiating team on the Greek isle of Rhodes. He had never worn a suit.

Match the riddle to the image to discover different haggadot from around the world

Record a meaningful oral history of a family member and create a video to reflect on how our family history influences your lives today.

Henrietta Szold ran Youth Aliyah, an organization that rescued 30,000 Jewish children from Nazi Europe and she remained a mother figure to many of those children. To honor her memory, 'Family Day' is marked on the anniversary of her death.

Design our own tree certificate while learning about the custom of planting trees in Israel.

The story of how the Jewish-Canadian singer-songwriter ended up singing for soldiers and crossing the Suez Canal with the IDF during one of Israel's most desperate hours.

This is the story of two Jews - from Salonika, or Thessaloniki, in today's Greece - who managed to survive, thanks to a Spanish diplomat and some very brave Greek families.

How was Shavuot celebrated in the time of the temple, and how does this tradition compare with its modern Zionist interpretation?

Follow the journey of the Ethiopian Oriyt from Ethiopia, through the deserts of Sudan, all the way to the National Library of Israel.

To Have and to Hold: at the start of their studies, children in Morocco went through a symbolic wedding ceremony to bond them forever with the Torah.

Step back in time to the the Roman Jewish community in the 1400s to consider the effect illustrations can have on the prayer experience.

Discover how to use primary sources to enrich your teaching and prepare your learners for Sukkot and Simchat Torah

Have fun while you expand your knowledge, notice new things and celebrate the beauty of the natural environment that surrounds us. Happy hunting!

Explore the concept of moral courage through an examination of the story of the midwives in Exodus and the lives of Holocaust rescuers

How might we draw inspiration from great Jewish women's actions to spark change in our communities today and do our part to bring the hostages home?

How a women's protest group made a difference by raising the cause of Soviet Jewish political prisoners during the Cold War

“We are not beautiful, we are not ugly, we are angry!” Who was so angry and what were they angry about?

Yitzhak Rabin served as IDF chief of staff and two terms as prime minister of Israel. On November 4, 1995, Rabin was assassinated by Yigal Amir, an extreme right-wing activist who opposed Rabin’s political ideology.

Explore ways to anchor this difficult time using primary sources that touch upon different aspects of memory and illustrate how Jewish culture has dealt with crises in the past

What makes Jewish newspapers special and important, and what would you include in yours?

Founder of Hadassah. Learn about Henrietta Szold as a model for sparking change in the world

Create your own unique dreidel with the custom-made NLI illustrations by the artist Einav Vaisman.

Explore texts and primary sources that highlight the idea of support and solidarity

How did newspapers around the world report the birth of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948? How would you announce it today?