Judaism Practices Flashcards
What is the name for jewish place of worship
The Synagogue
What is the symbol for judaism
Star of David
Shat is the Ark
Cupboard that
houses the Torah scrolls – the most important feature in the synagogue
What is the ten commandments in the synagogue
These decorate the Ark, reminding Jews of their most important rules.
What is the bimah
Platform in the centre of the synagogue. The Torah scrolls are read from
here.
What is the menorah
A seven-branched candlestick – representing each day of God’s creation
What is the Ner Tamid
Eternal light. Always burning. It shows God is always present
What does stained glass windows show
Show important symbole of faith
What does the gallery show
In Orthodox synagogues the seating area upstairs is just for women.
Worship in synagogues for orthodox
• Daily services
• Services in Hebrew
• Rabbi has his back to
the congregation
• Men & women sit
separately
• Congregation may arrive
late
• Men always cover their
heads
• Singing is unaccompanied
Worship in synagogues for reform
• Services only on Shabbat & festivals (not daily)
• Services in Hebrew and English
• Rabbi faces congregation
• Men & women sit together
• Shorter, structured services
• Most men wear a kippah (and some women)
• Singing is accompanied by music
• Women perform all rituals … can
be a rabbi, publicly read the Torah etc
The importance of synagogue for prayer
• Communicate with God
• Become closer to God
• Focus your heart, mind and soul on God
• Strengthen the sense of Jewish community
The importance of the synagogue for study
• Learn Hebrew (used in prayer)
• Prepare for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs
• Library to improve knowledge of Jewish faith
The importance of the synagogue for charity
• Place to collect money/items for the poor
• Holds fundraising events e.g. for World Jewish Relief/natural disasters
The importance of the synagogue for socialising
• Youth clubs
• Senior citizen clubs
• Music and drama groups • Sports groups
What is the kippah
All Jewish men cover their heads when they pray as a sign of respect for God.
What is Tallit
Woollen shawl. Shows the man is obeying God’s laws because each fringe (tzitzit) symbolises one of the 613 mitzvot given by God.
What is tefillin
Two leather boxes. One is worn on the upper left arm and the other on the forehead. Each contains the Shema and wearing them shows that the person loves God with their heart and mind.
What is the minyan
• Orthodox Jews pray three times a day - morning, afternoon and evening
• A minimum of ten adult males are required (Orthodox) • Or a minimum of ten men and women (Reform tradition)
The format of the jewish prayer service
- Opening prayers
- Shema
- Amidah
- Final prayers
The aims importance of prayer are to…
• Communicate with God
• Become closer to God
• Focus your heart, mind and soul on God
• Strengthen the sense of Jewish community
What is shabbat
The Jewish holy day – Sabbath. From sunset on Friday until sunset on Saturday every week
Shabbat in synagogue
Every Friday evening there is a prayer service in the synagogue
Saturday morning includes a reading from the Torah.
While the Torah is being read the congregation stand to remind them that the Israelites stood at the bottom of Mount Sinai when Moses returned with the Ten vommandments
The Torah scrolls are then paraded around the synagogue – giving people the opportunity to be close to God’s word.
5. Many touch the Torah with their tzitzit (tassels on their tallit) and then touch their lips – showing that God’s words should be on their lips.
Worship in the home
Jews worship God whenever they can
• Their house reminds them to obey God’s
commandments…
• The mezuzah - a small box containing verses from the Torah is fixed to a doorpost
Brit milah
Circumiscision ceremony when baby is 8 years old
Bar and bat mitzvah
A jew is seen to become an adult
Preparation brings the person closer to God
Jewish boy can be part of a minyan
Expected to take responsibility for following the law
Boys in bar mitzvah
When boy is aged 13
• Reads from Torah during
a service
• Wears a tallit for the
first time
• Makes a short speech
• The boy’s father
declares he is now responsible for his own actions
• Usually followed by a party
Girls in bat mitzvah
When a girl is 12
• Reform girls have a Bat Mitzvah • Girl reads from the Torah
• Girl gives a speech
• Usually followed by a party
Jewish marriage
- Engagement (betrothal – usually lasts a year) 2. Wedding
The wedding may be in the synagogue or a hotel (not on
Shabbat/festival) - The betrothal ceremony takes place under chuppah (canopy) - symbolising their home. Rings exchanged
- Marriage contract signed (hopes for marriage)
- Marriage ceremony – blessings recited, short speech
from rabbi, groom breaks a glass - Wedding reception – music and dancing
Four days of mourning
- The family do not have to follow certain Jewish laws (24 hours)
- Shiva - intense 7 days of mourning, from burial. Do not work, stay home and say prayers 3 times a day. No make up worn, no shaving, no hair-cuts; mirrors are covered so as not to focus on appearance
- Until 30 days after death. Normal life resumes but still no
listening to music, going to parties, shaving or cutting hair. - 11 months – do not attend parties, children say blessings for a parent.
Jewish dietry laws
Kosher-food that jews can eat
Trefah-food that jews can’t eat
Jewish dietry rules
Rule 2-do not mix meat with dairy
A fully kosher household may have two sets of pots, pans and dishes: one for meat and one for dairy (or colour
coded).
• Be healthy
• Have its throat slit by a trained Jew (so it does not
suffer)
• Have the blood drained from it before it is eaten
Rule 4
Animals must be killed according to Jewish Law. It must:
Shabbat at home
The house and meal are prepared - clean clothes.
• Wine and two loaves of challah bread are placed on the table
• A female member of the family lights two candles before sunset
• She then welcomes in Shabbat by waving her arms around the candles and covers her eyes to say a blessing and prayer
• Many go to the evening service in the synagogue (see previous)
• Once home, there is a family meal - Kiddush blessings are said
• On Saturday morning the family may attend another service in the synagogue (see previous slide)
• Afterwards, time is spent as a family - Torah may be studied
• When 3 stars are seen in the sky Shabbat has finished
Roah hashanah
• Jewish new year
• Remembers God’s creation
• Believed to be the anniversary of the day God created humans.
• God judges people’s actions over the past year and decides their fortune for the coming year
• Similar to Shabbat – meal includes applies dipped in honey (symbolises hope for a sweet new year)
• In synagogue ram’s horn is blown 100 times
Yom kippur
• Holiest and most important day of the year – the Day of atonement - when God’s judgement from Rosh Hashanah is finalised
• Much of the day spent in the synagogue
• Confession & forgiveness
• Jews fast for 25 hours
• Do no work
• Bathing, wearing leather shoes, having sex are forbidden
Pesach
• Lasts for eight days
• Celebrates the Jews’ escape from slavery in Egypt.
• Remembers the final plague which killed the firstborn of the Egyptians but ‘passed over’ the houses of the Jewish slaves
• The most important preparation is to remove leaven (yeast) from the home
The seder meal
Different foods symbolise an aspect of the struggle of the Israelites in Egypt
• …It reminds Jews that God freed them and led them to the Promised Land
• It reminds Jews that they are the chosen people of God.
What dows dipping the parsley represent
This reminds Jews of the sweat and tears of the slaves
• The Parsley is a symbol of the fresh start God gave the Israelites
What dows the unleavened bread represent
Matzah reminds Jews of the speed with which they left Egypt
What does charoset represent
represents the mortar used to make the bricks to build Pharaoh’s buildings.
The sweet taste symbolizes freedom.
What does roatsed egg represent
A symbol of the harshness of the Egyptians • The new life offered to the Jews by God
What does lamb bone represent
A symbol of sacrifice of the lamb, shown with blood on the door post of each Jewish home on the night of the Passover
The blood of the lamb marked the Israelites out as the People of God
Importance of pesach
• It celebrates that Jews are God’s chosen people – God has fulfilled the covenant
• To thank God for saving them
• To help Jews empathise with those who still live under
oppression
• To experience the freedom that their ancestors gained
