An Encounter with the Geniza: Living History in an 8th-Grade Classroom

Yuval Kuperman, a history teacher, led an 8th-grade class at the Hartman High School for Boys in Jerusalem as part of the “In the Footsteps of the Cairo Geniza” project. My goal in participating in the project was to provide students with an experiential approach to learning history—one that connects them tangibly to the subject. I wanted them to experience history up close, not just through textbooks, but through direct contact with historical sources. I accompanied my class (an 8th-grade class) in participating in the “In the Footsteps of the Cairo Geniza” project. I coordinated the visit of researchers from the University of Haifa to the school, taught the students historical background on the Geniza and the importance of the historical documentation it contains, and accompanied them throughout the entire session. The activity took place in the school library. The students listened to a short lecture by the researchers, and then were divided into teams, with each team working on a computer using software to transcribe texts from the Geniza.This was a very unusual activity for them, not something typically done in a history class. Their reactions were full of enthusiasm and curiosity. They thoroughly enjoyed the experience and showed genuine interest in the content. I myself greatly enjoyed participating. It was personally interesting for me to work with texts from the Geniza and to deepen my understanding of the researchers’ fields of study. I believe in learning that is both experiential and meaningful, and this session embodied exactly that combination. In my view, the students’ participation created an extraordinary opportunity for them to be exposed to authentic historical sources, to understand how a historian works, and to experience their work firsthand. The researchers’ contribution was critical to the success of the activity, as they were the ones who provided the tools, content, and guidance that made the session what it was. I had wanted to expand the activity to include a tour and lecture at the National Library, but due to logistical constraints, I stuck with the original plan and I am pleased with the result.