Judaism Practises Flashcards
What is The Ark
Cupboard that houses the Torah scrolls – the most important feature in the synagogue
What are the 10 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 is The Gallery
In Orthodox synagogues the seating area upstairs is just for
women.
What is worship like for orthodox jews
- 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
What is worship like for Reform jews
- 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
what is the importance of prayer in the synagogue
- Daily services
- Celebration of festivals
- Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, marriages etc.
what is the importance of study in the synagogue
- Learn Hebrew (used in prayer)
- Prepare for Bar/Bat Mitzvahs
- Library to improve knowledge of Jewish faith
what is the importance of charity in the synagogue
• Place to collect money/items for the poor
• Holds fundraising events
e.g. for World Jewish
Relief/natural disasters
what is the importance of socialising in the synagogue
- 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 the 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 the 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 daily prayer in Judaism
• 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)
- This is called Minyan
what is The format of Jewish prayer services
- Opening prayers
- Shema
- Amidah
- Final prayers
What is the Amidah
is the central prayer of Jewish worship. Prayed in silence while standing and facing Jerusalem. Includes a series of blessings and thanksgiving
what are The aims / importance of prayer
- 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
What is the Shabbat in the synagogue
- Every Friday evening there is a prayer service in the synagogue, contains stories, games, music
- 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 Commandments. - The Torah scrolls are then paraded around the synagogue
- 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.
Shabbat in the 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
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
what are the 4 stages of life celebrated by Jews
- Birth
- Coming of age
- Marriage
- Death
what are the 3 ceremonies associated with birth
- naming ceremony
- Brit Milah (circumcision
ceremony – when a boy is
eight days old) - redemption of the firstborn son
what is 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
What is Bat Mitzvah
- Reform girls have a Bat Mitzvah
- Girl reads from the Torah
- Girl gives a speech
- Usually followed by a party
What is a Jewish marriage ceremony
- 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
What are the Four periods 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.
What is the funeral process in Judaism
• The body is washed, wrapped in cloth and a tallit (men)
• Placed in a simple coffin to show that everyone is equal
in death.
• Funerals take place at the cemetery
• The funeral service includes prayers, psalms, readings
from scripture and a speech by the rabbi
• After the service, everyone washes to their hands to
show they are leaving death behind
• Jewish law states a tombstone must be placed on the
grave to remember the person
• Pebbles are often placed on the gravestone by visitors
what are Jewish dietary laws
Kosher = food that Jews are
allowed to eat
Trefah = food that Jews are
not allowed to eat
What foods are kosher
Lamb, beef, cheese, vegetables, salmon
What’s dietary rule 2
Do not mix meat with dairy
What’s dietary rule 3
A fully kosher household may have two sets of pots, pans and dishes: one for meat and one for dairy (or colour coded).
What’s dietary rule 4
Animals must be killed according to Jewish Law. It must:
• 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
What reasons are for Modern Jews should forget old laws and eat what they want
• It should be an individual’s decision • It is inconvenient…. restricted to Kosher restaurants • ….cannot have dinner with non-Jewish friends • There is no logical reason for the laws
What reasons are against Modern Jews should forget old laws and eat what they want
• The covenant – it is Jews’ duty to obey God • Obeying the rules shows love for God • It shows the uniqueness of Jews • It is the Jewish tradition • It’s healthy
what is Rosh 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
What is 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
What is pesach (Passover)
• 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
what is The Seder meal
Passover 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 happens in the Passover meal (wine)
• First, four cups of wine are drunk to remind Jews of the four times God promised freedom to the Israelites • Wine symbolises the joy of freedom
what happens in the Passover meal (parsley)
• Next, a green vegetable -often parsley - is dipped into salt water. • 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 happens in the Passover meal (bread)
what happens in the Passover meal (parsley)
what happens in the Passover meal (herbs)
Bitter herbs – such as horseradish – are eaten
with matzah. They symbolise the bitter suffering
of the slaves in Egypt
what happens in the Passover meal (charoset)
This tasty mixture of chopped apples, walnuts and spices
represents the mortar used to make the bricks to build
Pharaoh’s buildings.
The sweet taste symbolizes freedom.
The bitter herbs are dipped into the charoset
what happens in the Passover meal (roasted egg)
- A symbol of the harshness of the Egyptians
- The new life offered to the Jews by God
- The egg is not actually eaten!
what happens in the Passover meal (lamb bone)
The blood of the lamb marked the Israelites out as the
People of God
what is the 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
• To ensure Jewish faith and traditions are passed on to
future generations
