What should we study before going to Jerusalem for 2 months?

[Chris in VA]

We are thinking of taking Dh's sabbatical in Jerusalem next summer. We will hopefully visit the main Christian sites around Israel, and go up to Petra and maybe Turkey.

 

Dd will be coming off a year of studying American history up thru the Civil War in public school 6th grade; we'll be starting Modern World Hist that fall for seventh grade.

 

She's had some basic Bible history, done Ancients with SOTW in first and also done some Greek and other Ancients in ps 3rd and 5th. I wouldn't say she's retained a ton, but she knows the basic bible stories and such.

 

I'd like to do something maybe an hour a day while we are there--Daddy will be writing/editing a book, and it would be good for us to start schooling in a light way for about an hour or two almost every day. I just want some supplementary materials to help us maximize our time there.

 

Any thoughts/ideas?

[momofkhm]

I would do some sort of Biblical archeology study. See Christian and Jewish sites and hopefully already know a little bit about what happened there.

 

I'd do a brief bit about Muslim sites as well. I enjoy seeing the differences in religions.

 

If it's a sabbatical, then you'll be there for a couple months right? I would take every opportunity you could. Well, could afford. To me the area is all about religion. I know there is more than that, but that would be my focus.

[Margo out of lurking]

Personally, I'd choose Revelation because of Petra and because I am fascinated by Revelation. Both of my kids will study eschatology this school year.

 

But I'd consider anything that included David or Solomon and the temple.

 

Or is that too vague?

[Chris in VA]

Any specific curriculum ideas? :bigear:

[Sebastian (a lady)]

Peter Connolly's book The Holy Land (also published as Living in the Time of Jesus of Nazareth). One of my favorites from our ancient history studies. Not written from a religious viewpoint, but it was the first time I actually understood many of the Biblical references. Packed with things like an explanation of how the Romans came to rule Jerusalem in that era, Herod's family, etc.

 

Judith Miller's God Has Ninety-Nine Names has a long chapter on each of the countries in the region. She goes back into the (modern) historical underpinnings of much of the current conflicts.

 

I learn well from historical fiction. You might consider some of the Bodie Thoene books set after WWII or Wouk's The Hope and The Glory (two book series) or Leon Uris' Exodus. (NB: Not sure which if any of these books would be appropriate for your kids.)

 

And oddly enough, I would consider studying about the Crusades. The Modern Scholar has a good lecture series that covers not only the European side, but also the actual conflicts in and around Jerusalem. (Modern Scholar even has tests available for their courses.)