Festivals

Question 1

What is rosh hashanah?

Answer 1

New years, God’s willingness to forgive sins.

Question 2

What is yom kippur?

Answer 2

Day of atonement, people can repent for their sins.

Question 3

What is sukkot?

Answer 3

When Jews were in the wilderness after escaping from Egypt.

Question 4

What is simchat torah?

Answer 4

Celebrates the torah and mitzvot, the basis of Judaism.

Question 5

What is hannukah?

Answer 5

Preservation of Judaism after the Greeks tried to destroy it.

Question 6

What is purim?

Answer 6

Saving Jews in Persia.

Question 7

What is pesach?

Answer 7

When God saved Jews from slavery.

Question 8

What is shavuot?

Answer 8

Giving of the laws to Moses.

Question 9

SOWAA for rosh hashanah (3)

Answer 9

‘do no regular work’
‘present a food offering to the Lord’
‘cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.’

Question 10

Features of Rosh Hashanah (3)

Answer 10

Shofar is blown everyday in the synagogue for repentance.
Making new years resolutions isn’t optional for Jews it is a requirement.
Kiddush over food with honey to hope for a sweet year.

Question 11

Importance of Rosh Hashanah (3)

Answer 11

The book of life is opened - God writes down the quality of people’s lives.
Jews acknowledge their wrongs and plan how to do good this upcoming year.
Consider their relationship with God and with others and how to make it better.

Question 12

Origin of Rosh Hashanah

Answer 12

It has been celebrated since biblical times.

Question 13

Purpose of Yom Kippur (3)

Answer 13

Reflect on what was promised at rosh hashanah and make sure things that are wrong with some people are put right.

Question 14

Features of Yom Kippur (3)

Answer 14

25 hour fast to reflect on past sins, confess sins, pray for forgiveness.
People wear simple clothes, no jewellery or leather shoes.
Families have a special meal and donate to the poor.

Question 15

Importance of Yom Kippur (3)

Answer 15

Reconciliation of God and man.
Releases people from guilt of old sins.
Fasting takes Jews mind’s off their physical needs so they can focus on spiritual needs.

Question 16

Origins of sukkot

Answer 16

After Jews escaped Egypt they spent 40 years living as nomads in the wilderness in temporary huts (sukkot) roofed with palm leaves.

Question 17

Importance of sukkot (3)

Answer 17

Symbolises unity since families live in a hut together.
Links Jews to their ancestors.
The etrog stands for the people who know the torah and do good deeds.

Question 18

Features of sukkot (3)

Answer 18

Families make an outdoor sukkah.
People carry an etrog, myrtle, luvav, willow.
Wave the luvav in all directions.

Question 19

Origins of pesach

Answer 19

commemorates the events leading up to the israelites escape from slavery
in egypt.

Question 20

Importance of Pesach (3)

Answer 20

Celebrates freedom whilst condemning slavery.
Celebrates God’s power since without passover there would be no Jewish people.

Question 21

Origins of shavuot

Answer 21

Harvest festival

Question 22

SOWAA for yom kippur

Answer 22

‘must be cut off from his people’

Question 23

SOWAA for sukkot

Answer 23

‘live in booths for seven days’

Question 24

Importance of Shavuot (3)

Answer 24

The gift of the Torah is the most important thing in Jewish history. It gives Jewish people their identity.
It celebrates the spiritual freedom brought by the mitzvot.
Dairy produce is eaten because people did not know what the laws about meat
would be and so they made sure they did not break the laws by eating dairy products
instead.

Question 25

Features of shavuot (3)

Answer 25

Two day festival where no work is done.
Candles are lit to bring in the festival.
People eat dairy rather than meat.