Students Step into the Historian's Shoes

Judith Weinstock, an 8th-grade teacher, launched the “In the Footsteps of the Cairo Geniza” project at the Hartman School for Boys in Jerusalem.

When Judith Weinstock received an invitation to participate in the “In the Footsteps of the Cairo Geniza” project, she saw it as an opportunity to teach her 8th-grade students a different kind of history, not through a lecture or presentation, but through direct contact with authentic historical sources. She specifically designed a new unit on genizahs in general and the Cairo Genizah in particular, a topic not previously covered in class, out of a desire to provide students with a rich background before they began the transcription process.

The presentations offered as part of the project did not match the depth of study she sought to bring to the classroom, so she chose to expand the content herself. At the project’s final project, the students received excerpts from an ancient midrash found in the Geniza that had not been deciphered by the artificial intelligence systems. They were tasked with trying to decipher what the computer had failed to recognize. The excitement was clear: they succeeded in identifying words, recognizing familiar figures, and at times even correcting the computer’s transcription. As a teacher at a religious school, Yehudit recognized how the students’ knowledge of square script, the weekly Torah portions, and rabbinic literature, served as a meaningful bridge between them and the texts.

The choice of pre-selected texts, in clear Hebrew and script, enabled an accessible and successful experience. Beyond the learning itself, another change took place in the classroom. Students who typically do not excel in the subject matter stood out in their ability to decode and visually identify. The process strengthened each student’s sense of belonging and deepened the connection between them and the teacher. Yehudit describes herself as part of a team, not as a transmitter of knowledge. The support framework created by the project team, Dr. Shai Goldfarb and Prof. Moshe Lavi, which included adapting materials, developing the platform, and providing guidance and training, allowed her to be available to guide the students and give them space for independent experimentation.

According to Yehudit, the project benefited the students in many ways: it exposed them to real research practices, connected them to a sense of meaning and impact, and fostered their curiosity and respect for knowledge. For her as well, it was an opportunity to approach teaching in a different way, one that fosters trust in students, a diversity of voices and modes of expression, and a deep connection between the school and academia.