Take an exciting Jewish History and Tanach Tour in Israel’s best museums, led by Nachliel Selavan: “The Museum Guy”.
Who said museums are boring?
If you haven’t been to the museum with Nachliel “The Museum Guy”, you might actually believe that. It’s not just a tour, nor just storytelling. It’s “sTOURytelling” in the museum!
Whether you choose a live or virtual tour, you will never look at museums the same way again.
“Nachliel knows his stuff…he creates a unique blend of the ancient and the modern, as he tickles your imagination at the Museum.” – Rabbi David Fohrman, from AlephBeta.org
These tours are good for kids, families and adults alike. Tours cover topics from holidays such as Pesach, Purim and Chanukah, to periods in Jewish History such as the First and Second Temple periods, Byzantine Periods, etc. Looking for something specific for your curiosities, kids’ interests or a specific family or company event? You can customize your own tour as well. Tap into these endless possibilities by reaching out, and we’ll make sure you are satisfied.
About the guide: Nachliel Selavan MA. Ed., offers special Jewish History and Tanach tours in museums in Israel and around the world, both in person and on Zoom. He has a distinctive and engaging approach which brings museums and Jewish history to life; connecting Torah, history, art, geography, and archaeology all in a fun and exciting way. Fun fact: He used to be a Capoeira instructor and also went to art school.
The Tours
Yeshiva Week Tours
A Night in The Museum – Are you afraid of the dark? Looking for something fun, spooky or just…different, to do with your family and friends in the museum? This is the perfect tour for those long cold winter nights – indoor excitement and fun activities. The tour can take place in the Israel Museum on Tuesday, or the Bible Lands Museum on Wednesday
Abraham’s Journey – mentioned every day in the morning services, takes him through the centers of civilization at the time, leads him to Egypt – and to a promise of an Exodus whose importance cannot be overstated. Why are the departures from Ur and Exodus from Egypt so important to us? Join Nachliel in the museum for an adventure to explore these questions through the history and archaeology of ancient Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt. The tour is in the Israel Museum.
A Winter’s Tale – The Jewish holiday cycle end with Hanukkah and Purim during a period of darkness – both physical and spiritual. This is the tale of the two winter holidays that were born in Exile. Two holidays which, according to Jewish tradition, are eternally relevant, beyond all of the other holidays. The tour is in the Bible Lands Museum.
The Third Side of The Coin – Why does money matter so much? Where do the designs on our coins come from? What currency did they use 3000 years ago? Explore the third side of the coin. Explore the history behind money and how it was used by the Zionist movement and the Bank of Israel. Learn behind-the-scenes stories about forgeries that became coins and more! The tour is in the Israel Museum.
Public Museum Tours
Public tours take place several times a month, mainly in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem or in the Bible Lands Museum across the street. Tours are in English or Hebrew and can be geared toward kids or adults on a variety of topics.
The topics usually relate to the time of year, such as Pesach and Ancient Egypt, Purim and Ancient Persia, the Three Weeks and the Destruction of the First and Second Temples. Some topics are seasonal, such as “Avraham’s Journey” which relates to the first Torah portions, “What was Herzl’s Favorite Emoji?” in the summer, and “All About the Money”.
Public tours range between 1:15-2:00 hours, depending on the age and topic.
Private Museum Tours
This is where you get to be really creative. You can customize a single tour, series of tours or lectures, or workshops and study programs for schools, individual students, birthdays, bar/bat mitzvahs, and more.
Nachliel has tailored tours for English Literature as well as Jewish History and Tanach departments, designed tours and activities for National Bible Contest participants – in the museum and virtually – and for students researching installation art and anthropology. The sky’s the limit!
Private tours can take place in the Israel Museum, the Bible Lands Museum, or the Rockefeller Museum. For more information, contact Nachliel.
Virtual Tours
Public virtual tours take place a few times a month in English and Hebrew on both Israeli and East Coast schedules. Other than “Virtual sTOURytime for Kids”, which is a series of 2-3 sessions on topics such as Purim, Pesach etc., there are public tours for adults throughout the year on a wide range of topics. For example, for Yom haAtzma’ut, Nachliel filmed a special tour called “The Gates of Jerusalem” about Ancient and Modern Jerusalem.
Private Virtual tours are also available. Choose from a long list of potential topics or ask Nachliel to create an innovative custom tour for your occasion.
The Audience
Nachliel has lead groups for schools, families, adults, fundraisers, organizations and more. He knows how to make the content interesting for the specific age group he is guiding, and is an excellent communicator, reaching crowds with different affiliations and levels of Jewish education.
Tour Topics
The Gates of Jerusalem
What was Herzl’s Favorite Emoji?
The Third Side of the Coin
The Age of Empires
The Four Kingdoms
Monthly Mystery Museum Tour
Failed Revolutions
Israel and Judah During the First Temple Period
Worlds in Transition
Abraham’s Journey
Leaving Egypt in the 21st Century
A Winter’s Tale
A Culture Clash
In the Days of Achashverosh
Museum Highlights
Night in the Museum
