Teach Jewish History offers free teaching materials in Jewish history and the history of antisemitism, from the ancient world to today. There are no logins and no ads, so you can read it with your child at home, at any age.
At homeLearn it together
Jewish history runs through the history your child already learns, from ancient Babylon and Rome to medieval Europe, the World Wars, and the modern Middle East.
- Younger children. The K–5 lessons come with read-aloud book lists and printable cards.
- Older children. Each Chapter works as a single lesson, built on primary sources. The Timeline shows the whole arc at a glance.
- A family night. Pick one object in the Museum and ask what it tells you. Take a virtual field trip together, or watch one of the Films.
- Holidays and family life. The Jewish Life Cycle follows birth, coming of age, marriage, and mourning, a good way into a holiday or family event.
Recognize it, then actIf your child sees antisemitism
Antisemitism is hatred of Jews. Children don’t always call it by that name. When a hatred starts to seem normal, a swastika drawn as a joke, a “Heil Hitler” as a dare, or a meme in a group chat can pass without a word. Ask about specifics: has anyone drawn a symbol, said a word, or shared a post about Jews that bothered you?
If it was aimed at your child, tell them it is not their fault, and that they don’t have to handle it alone.
If your child saw it happen to a classmate, tell them that speaking up was right, and help them check on their classmate.
- Recognize it. Hate Symbols explains the symbols, codes, and memes children may be seeing, with their history, in words.
- Tell the school. The For Students page has a short guide and an email you can fill in together, with “I am a parent” as an option. What you type is not sent to this site. Tell your school → You can also print a blank form.
- Report it beyond school. To the ADL in the United States or CST in the United Kingdom. In the United States, families can also file with the Office for Civil Rights.
If anyone is in immediate danger or someone is threatening violence, call the police, then tell the school.
In the classroomWhat’s being taught
Ask your child’s teacher what they use to teach this history. Even well-meant lessons can carry old patterns without anyone noticing. A few questions to ask of any lesson, slide, or reading:
- Do Jews appear only as victims, or as people with their own history?
- Does it repeat an old trope, such as Jewish power, money, or disloyalty, even in passing?
- Does it hold Israel to a standard no other country faces?
- Does it treat Jewish students as responsible for what Israel does?
- Are its claims backed by primary sources?
You can also ask your school to use it. Here is a ready email for your child’s teacher or principal.
Ask your school to use it A ready email you can copy or open
Fill in the names, then send it from your own email. This site does not send or keep it.
Hard questions at homeTalking about Israel and the news
Children bring home what they hear in school, online, and in the news. The For Students page answers the questions they ask most, in short answers that link to the full record:
- Is criticizing Israel antisemitic? Where criticism ends and antisemitism begins.
- What do the slogans mean? “From the river to the sea” and “Globalize the intifada.”
- Has a court found Israel guilty of genocide? And is Israel an apartheid state? What has been decided, and what hasn’t.
- What about America’s support for Israel? The trade, defense, and aid agreements, and where criticism of the aid crosses into antisemitism.
For the full picture, Common Misconceptions sets widely held beliefs beside the documented record, and Contemporary Antisemitism explains the main definitions of antisemitism side by side.
Every familyRaising an upstander
An upstander is a person who sees wrong being done and acts. Whatever your family’s background, you can help your child be one. Talk ahead of time about what to do if a classmate is targeted: sit with them, walk with them, tell an adult. Standing up to antisemitism is part of standing up to hate in all its forms.
During the Holocaust, the rescuers were the upstanders. Their stories are in Jewish Resistance & Rescue, a good chapter to read together with an older child.
Take partGet involved
Teach Jewish History is free and open to everyone. Each Chapter cites its sources, so you can trace them yourself. Questions or ideas? Get in touch. Teachers, see For Teachers. Students, see For Students.
Last updated: November 2026.