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JERUSALEM Education
Explore the Physical and Cultural Geographies of Jerusalem
Photograph courtesy National Geographic Entertainment
JERUSALEM provides an eye-opening tour of one of the world's oldest and most enigmatic cities. Discover why this tiny piece of land is sacred to three major religions through the stories of Jewish, Christian, and Muslim families who call Jerusalem home. Five thousand years of history have not dulled Jerusalem's appeal or importance; rather, this special city presents an exciting opportunity to engage middle school and high school learners in awe-inspiring content.
Use the activities, reference materials, and other resources in this collection to discover the physical and cultural geography of this special place, dive into the religions that call Jerusalem home, and make learning personal by encouraging learners to cross social boundaries that exist in their own lives.
Activities
What social boundaries exist between different identity groups at school and how can students cross those boundaries? Students draw social boundary maps showing the divisions that exist in their school and pledge ways to cross them.
How does culture affect food rituals? Students plan a menu for a religious ceremony in accordance with food rituals, and compare what they learn to their personal food rituals.
What are traditional and evolving gender roles in the Jewish and Muslim cultures and how are those roles defined by religion? Students examine the concepts of gender roles, cultural convergence, and cultural divergence in the context of Jewish and Muslim religious cultures.
What is the religious geography of Jerusalem's Old City? Students learn about and create their own map of Jerusalem’s Old City after watching excerpts from the film, JERUSALEM.
Where is Jerusalem located, and how might physical geography affect its location? Students analyze a variety of maps to create a map of Israel and the Palestinian territories’ physical geography, and reason about Jerusalem’s location.
Case Studies
Read our case studies featuring active archaeological sites, and compare and contrast the different technological techniques that are being used to rediscover Jerusalem's past.
Interactive
Gain some new perspectives on Jerusalem's Old City by peering through these "culture goggles." Discover which parts of the city hold special significance to Christians, Jews, and Muslims.
See the Film
Location, Location, Location
The reliable water source provided by Gihon Spring was important to Jerusalem’s early development.
Download and print this black and white map.
The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
People from both sides of the conflict discuss how this international dispute impacts their everyday lives.
Building Bridges
Read about these inspirational people and organizations working to foster understanding.
Aziz Abu Sarah is a 2011 Emerging Explorer and peace activist dedicated to building bridges, not walls, between Israelis and Palestinians.
The Authority for Community and Youth, part of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, works to deepen the involvement and connections between the university and different communities and populations across Israel.
The Coexist Foundation works globally to build religious literacy and encourage cross-cultural understanding.
Teaching Tolerance is a program of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Its mission is to reduce bias and promote equity in schools throughout the United States.
Historical Maps
Travel through time using historical maps from the National Geographic archives. Zoom in and around the high resolution maps.