Israel Country Study for Homeschooling
- Apr 19
- 8 min read
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🇮🇱 Israel Country Study
Welcome to studying the country of Israel on the continent of Asia!
Use your slides to help complete your Student Workbook as you learn. You may choose to mirror this lesson onto a TV or larger screen for easy viewing. At the end of this study, don’t forget to try a fun country project and enjoy a related video together!
Read to Your Child(ren)
Israel is a small but very significant country located in the Middle East along the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea. Its land includes deserts, hills, valleys, and coastal plains.
God’s Word tells many important stories that took place in this region. Israel is central to much of the Bible, where God worked through His people and revealed His promises. Even today, Israel remains an important place in world geography, history, and religion.
Key Facts
Country Name: Israel
Continent: Asia
Capital City: Jerusalem (recognized by Israel)
Official Languages: Hebrew (and Arabic is widely used)
Population: ~9–10 million
Currency: Israeli New Shekel
Geographic Regions
Coastal Plain – Flat land along the Mediterranean Sea with cities and agriculture
Central Hills – Rolling hills where many historic cities are located
Jordan Rift Valley – Deep valley that includes the Jordan River and the Dead Sea
Negev Desert (South) – Large desert region covering much of southern Israel
Galilee (North) – Green, hilly region with fertile land and lakes
Historical Information
Israel is central to many events in the Bible, including the lives of Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus
The ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah were established here thousands of years ago
Jerusalem has long been a significant city for Jews, Christians, and others
Israel became a modern nation again in 1948
Today, it is a modern country with ancient history deeply tied to Scripture
Modern Israel
Although modern Israel is a source of debate, even among believers, it is without a doubt God's chosen land for His chosen people, whom He has not forgotten. We cannot deny this when the authority of Scripture is upheld. Despite theologically concerning arguments to the contrary, an accurate look at Scripture will swiftly convince you that no one has replaced physical Israel. The land still matters, and Jesus is returning to physical Israel when His feet touch down on the Mount of Olives.
If that is not enough, modern Israel fulfilled an amazing prophecy from Isaiah when a nation was born in a day:
"Who has ever heard of anything like that? Who has ever seen such a thing? Can a country be born in a day? Can a nation be created in a moment? But as soon as Zion goes into labor, she gives birth to her children." — Isaiah 66:8
In addition to this scripture, the existence of modern Israel—including the Jewish people who have made Aliyah by returning to the land and the Gentiles who have gone there—continues to be an astounding fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. We live in times when the words of Scripture continue to be fulfilled!
Note to Parents: If you're unsure about this perspective, I recommend studying further yourself. As a parent, you are always "allowed" to teach your children whatever you believe to be true. As parents, we bear the responsibility before the Lord for how we guide and train our children. I encourage you to read the following chapters of the Bible. Remember, if a theology requires verse-plucking and weaving ideas together that would cause God to "change His mind" or break covenant, it must be thoroughly tested against all of Scripture. Antisemitism is not a new idea, and sadly, it isn't a new idea even among those who profess to follow Jesus. It existed among the Church Fathers, Martin Luther, and others. Be sure that you know that you know the truth of God's Word on this subject because it involves God's character as a covenant-making, covenant-keeping Father!
Read:
🇮🇱 Fun “Did You Know?” Facts
🌊 Lowest Place on Earth
The Dead Sea, located in Israel, is the lowest point on the surface of the earth.
📖 Bible Central Location
Many major Bible events took place in Israel, including the ministry of Jesus.
🏜️ Small but Diverse Land
Even though Israel is small, it has deserts, mountains, fertile valleys, and coastline.
🌿 Ancient and Modern Together
Israel contains very old historical sites alongside modern cities and technology.
📍 Biblical Places & Modern Locations
🏙️ Jerusalem
Ancient: City of David, Temple Mount, central city of Israel’s history
Modern: Jerusalem, Israel (major city today, sacred to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam)
🌊 Sea of Galilee
Ancient: Where Jesus called disciples and performed many miracles
Modern: Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), northern Israel
🌊 Jordan River
Ancient: Jesus was baptized here; Israelites crossed into the Promised Land
Modern: Jordan River, flowing between Israel and Jordan
🏜️ Dead Sea
Ancient: Region near Sodom and Gomorrah (Bible references)
Modern: Dead Sea, Israel/Jordan border (lowest point on Earth)
🌾 Bethlehem
Ancient: Birthplace of Jesus
Modern: Bethlehem, West Bank (Palestinian Territories, near Jerusalem)
🏔️ Nazareth
Ancient: Jesus grew up here
Modern: Nazareth, northern Israel (large Arab-Israeli city today)
⛰️ Mount Sinai (traditionally linked region)
Ancient: Where Moses received the Ten Commandments
Modern: Sinai Peninsula, Egypt (exact traditional site debated)
🏛️ Caesarea
Ancient: Roman city and port where Paul was held before trial
Modern: Caesarea National Park, Mediterranean coast of Israel
🏰 Jericho
Ancient: One of the oldest cities; walls fell in Joshua’s time
Modern: Jericho, West Bank (near the Jordan Valley)
⛵ Capernaum
Ancient: Base of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee
Modern: Archaeological site on the Sea of Galilee shoreline, Israel
Activity:
Grab a globe or map and identify each of these places. Notice how incredibly small Israel is! With how large the world is consider why this tiny piece of land is contested.
Learn More
We highly recommend watching Ray Vanderlaan teachings centered in Israel. He is the teacher behind That the World May Know. I am not linking to any specific video here because his videos are not always consistently on YouTube. However, search his name and see what you can find! I have learned more from him than nearly any other Bible teacher. He provides historically accurate, educational, yet deeply spiritually inspiring teaching.
Make it a Unit Study
In my humble opinion, Israel is well worth an entire unit study, simply because it is the Land of the Bible! Perhaps someday Lamp & Light will make one. For now, here are a few ideas:
Use Ray Vander Laan videos as a basis for learning.
Have your child make Biblical connections and write a paragraph about what they learn.
Look up modern articles about Israel and have your child do a current event report.
Look up the homes of the disciples on a map.
Trace Jesus' ministry throughout the country of Israel.
Incorporate the following projects throughout the week!
🇮🇱 Country Project Ideas
For exact recipes visit this site.
🥖 Challah
Background: Challah is a beautifull, braided bread often eaten in Jewish homes, especially on special occasions and Sabbath meals.
Materials Needed:
Flour
Yeast
Water
Sugar
Salt
Oil
Egg wash for shine
Note: I prefer to add my egg wash after the bread has baked for 20 minutes so it doesn't get too dark.
🍳 Shakshuka (Eggs in Tomato Sauce)
Background: Shakshuka is a popular dish in Israel made with eggs cooked in a spiced tomato sauce. It is often eaten for breakfast or brunch.
Materials Needed:
Eggs
Canned or fresh tomatoes, optional: include peppers
Onion and garlic
Olive oil
Spices (paprika, cumin, salt)
Instructions:
Cook onions and garlic in a pan with olive oil.
Add tomatoes and spices to make a sauce.
Simmer for 5–7 minutes until the sauce thickens
Make small wells in the sauce and crack eggs into them.
Cover and cook until eggs are set. (3-5 mins)
Serve warm with bread.
🥗 Israeli Salad
Background: Israeli salad is a fresh, simple dish made with finely chopped vegetables and is commonly eaten with meals.
Materials Needed:
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Onions, purple is a good choice (we do often leave these out to make this more mild. Add a dash of onion powder for flavor.)
Parsley
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Salt
Instructions:
Finely chop all vegetables into small pieces.
Mix together in a bowl.
Add olive oil, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.
Stir and serve fresh.
🧆 Falafel
Background: Falafel are small fried balls made from chickpeas or fava beans and are a popular street food in Israel. On a scale of difficulty I personally put falafel up there, although they are so delicious! I would only take this one on if you have time, solid kitchen skills, and the desire to try these out.
Materials Needed:
Chickpeas (dry, pre-soaked is the "right" way)
Onion and garlic
Parsley
Flour
Mild spices (cumin, coriander, salt)
Oil for cooking
🕎 Pipe Cleaner Temple Menorah
Background:In the Bible, a golden lampstand called a menorah was placed in the Tabernacle and later in Solomon’s Temple (Exodus 25:31–40). It had seven branches and was used to provide light in the holy place. It symbolized light, purity, and God’s presence among His people.
Materials Needed:
Pipe cleaners (gold preferred, but any color works)
We used a total of 8 pipe cleaners for one menorah
Optional: glue and paper for display
Instructions:
Make the center stem:
Braid 3 pipe cleaners together to form the middle stem of the menorah.
Make the branches:
Twist 2 sets of 2 pipe cleaners to create the side arms (branches).
Attach the branches:
Cross and twist each arm onto the center stem, forming three branches on each side (for a total of six arms plus the center stem).
Add the “flames”:
Use a different color pipe cleaner (yellow, orange, or red suggested) and cut it into 7 small pieces.
Attach the flames:
Fold and twist one piece onto the top of each branch to represent the lamps.
Form the base:
Bend the bottom of the stem slightly outward to help it stand.
Optional display:
Glue the finished menorah onto paper or cardstock to display it.
✨ The Temple menorah was carefully crafted according to God’s instructions and used in sacred worship in the Tabernacle and Temple. It is one of the most recognizable symbols from ancient Israel in Scripture.
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