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Teaching
Judaism
Why teach
Judaism in a
Catholic
school?
Melbourne declaration

Goal 2:
All young Australians
become successful learners,
confident and creative
individuals, and active and
informed citizens
Active and informed citizens…
– act with moral and ethical integrity –
appreciate Australia’s social, cultural,
linguistic and religious diversity, and
have an understanding of Australia’s
system of government, history and
culture
–– are able to relate to and
communicate across cultures,
especially the cultures and countries
of Asia
–– are responsible global and local
citizens
Preparing students to live
in a multi-faith world
Nostra Aetate
The Catholic Church’s relationship to non-Christian
religions was formally expressed in the Second Vatican
Council’s Declaration Nostra Aetate promulgated on
28 October, 1965.
The document was originally intended to address the
‘Jewish question’ particularly Christianity’s historical
relationship with Judaism and it was to have a
particular focus on the Shoah (Holocaust)
The final document did not mention the Shoah,
however it did include a small section on Islam and a
brief mention of Buddhism, Hinduism.
Nostra Aetate concentrates on the Catholic
church’s relationship with Judaism and explicitly
states that the church “…draws sustenance from the
root of that well-cultivated olive tree onto which
have been grafted the wild roots, the Gentiles” (NA
7)
“Today we need to teach about Judaism in a way
that acknowledges God’s continuing and lasting
Covenant with the Jews. Christians need to
understand Judaism since Christian origins are
inextricably bound up in Judaism. But we have to
move beyond teaching about Jews as “Hebrews of
old” (Boys, 2006, p. 10) and begin to teach about
Judaism as a living religion and to teach about Jews
as they define themselves not as we define them.”
(Dr Peta Goldburg, Religious Educators leading
understanding in a multi-faith Australia)
What do we know about the
Jewish religion?
3 questions
Groups within Judaism
There are three main groups within Judaism;
Reform Judaism, Orthodox Judaism, and
Conservative Judaism.
Orthodox Jews practice full observance of Jewish
religious laws (halakhah). They believe that the
law recorded in the Torah is a direct expression of
G*d’s will and it is therefore unchanging.
Orthodox Jews accept changes in the halakhah
but they must be based on specific religious texts,
codes and commentaries. The changes must
also be recognised by the rabbinical authority.
The Haredim and Hasidic Jews are the most
obvious of the two Orthodox groups as they
preserve the traditional dress of their European
ancestors – long black coats, hats and beards for
males, and modest dresses for women.
Conservative Judaism
Conservative Jews are more traditional than Reform
Jews but less traditional than the Orthodox Jews. The
belief in the ongoing authority of Jewish law is shared
with Orthodox Jews, yet Conservative Jews stress the
historical development of Judaism. They therefore
believe that Jewish law can be changed.
Conservative Judaism is the largest group within
Judaism, particularly in America. It is very rare for
Conservative Jews to inter-marry, and maintaining
traditional Jewish practices is important.
Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism is also known as Progressive or Liberal
Judaism. This group within Judaism emerged in the
late 1700’s with the emancipation of the Jews. Reform
Judaism is influenced by social, scientific, and ethical
developments in modern society.
This belief in change is also mirrored in
the design of the Reform synagogues which, unlike
Orthodox synagogues, do not separate men and
women.
Core
Beliefs
Judaism is one of the world’s oldest religions, dating
back approximately four thousand years.
The belief in one G*d, who is personal and
intervenes in human history, sets Judaism apart from
other religions of the ancient world. This concept is
illustrated in the book of Exodus which tells the story
of Moses leading the Hebrew people from slavery in
Egypt to freedom in the promised land.
Jews are often referred to as a ‘covenant people’.
The covenant was made between G*d and the
Jews when they escaped from Egypt and received
the Commandments through Moses on Mount Sinai.
Jews believe that this covenant with G*d continues
through time and history.
Covenant – Abraham and Sarah
(Year 2 Religion Curriculum)
 Covenant
 Promise
 Land
 Change
of name
 Number
 Descendants
Covenant –
map of Israel
Covenant – Abraham and
Sarah
Relationship with G*d
The Jewish relationship with God is a covenant
relationship, therefore Jews try to keep G*d's laws, as
outlined in the Torah and Talmud, and bring holiness
to every aspect of their lives.
There are 613 mitzvot, or commandments, found in
the Torah and Talmud which Jews can follow in order
to bring holiness to their lives.
These laws include food and dietary laws which can
take the form of keeping ‘kashrut’ or ‘kosher’ in
Jewish households.
Shabbat
Every week religious Jews observe the Sabbath and
keep its laws and customs. The Sabbath begins at
nightfall on Friday and lasts until nightfall on Saturday.
The idea of a day of rest comes from the Bible story of
the Creation in Genesis 1. God rested from creating the
universe on the seventh day, so Jews rest from work on
the Sabbath. God also commanded the Jews to
observe the Sabbath and keep it holy as the fourth of
the Ten Commandments.
 Jews
often call the day Shabbat, Hebrew for
Sabbath, which means ‘rest’. The Sabbath is a
reminder of the Covenant that God made with the
Israelites, and so it is an occasion to rejoice in God's
kept promises.
In order to avoid work and to ensure that the Sabbath is
special, all chores like shopping, cleaning, and cooking for
the Sabbath must be finished before sunset on Friday.
Sabbath candles are lit at sunset on a Friday. The woman
of the house usually performs this ritual. It is an integral part
of Jewish custom and ceremony.
After the candles are lit, Jewish families will drink wine.
Sabbath wine is sweet and is usually drunk from a special
goblet known as the Kiddush Cup. The drinking of wine on
the Sabbath symbolises joy and celebration.
It is also traditional to eat challah, a soft bread in the shape
of a braid. Under Jewish law, every Jew must eat three
meals on the Sabbath. One of the meals must include
bread. Observant Jews will usually eat challah at the
beginning of a Sabbath meal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GW-frPw2oI&feature=related
Strictly Kosher - Shabbat
Shalom Sesame
Shabbat Shalom, Grover!
Sacred
Text
Torah
The Torah is the first part of the Jewish bible. It is the
central and most important document of Judaism.
Torah refers to the five books of Moses which are
Bresheit (Genesis), Shemot (Exodus), Vayicra (Leviticus),
Bamidbar (Numbers), and Devarim (Deuteronomy).
Jews believe that God dictated the Torah to Moses on
Mount Sinai 50 days after their exodus from Egyptian
slavery. They believe that the Torah shows how G*d
wants Jews to live. The books contains 613
commandments and Jews refer to the ten best known
of these as the ‘ten statements’.
The Torah is written in Hebrew, the oldest of
Jewish languages. It is also known as Torat
Moshe, the Law of Moses. However, Tanach
is more commonly used to describe the
whole of Jewish scriptures, including the
Prophets and the writings.
Key figures in the Tanach
-
-
Adam (adam)
Noah
Abraham
Sarah
Isaac
Moses
Joseph
David
Esther
The Torah scrolls are taken out from the Ark and
portions are read in the synagogue three times each
week. Over the course of the year the whole scroll is
read in sequence. This begins from the end of Sukkot
which is an autumn festival.
The scrolls are not directly touched when unfurled on
the Bimah. A pointer, or Yad (hand), is used instead.
This is in the shape of a hand with an outstretched
finger.
The Torah scrolls are entirely handwritten in Hebrew by
a sofer (scribe) on parchment from a kosher animal.
This is usually a cow. It can take up to 18 months to
complete the whole process from the complex
preparation of the animal skins to the writing of the
final words. The completed scroll is known as a Sefer
Torah.
A Sefer Torah is so sacred to Jews it is said that if one is
accidentally dropped in the synagogue the whole
congregation must fast for 40 days.
Sacred
Space
In the early centuries BCE the Jerusalem
Temple, constructed by King Solomon 400 years
earlier, was considered to be the heart and soul
of religious life for the Israelites. The Temple was
destroyed around 586BCE and as a result the
temple, priesthood and sacrificial systems of the
religion had to change.
The Temple was rebuilt but a new form of
Judaism had emerged which centred on the
synagogue. When the Temple was again
destroyed in 70CE by the Romans, it was this
form of rabbinic Judaism, with the synagogue
as its base, that survived the destruction.
The word ‘synagogue’ is derived from the
Greek for ‘gathering’ or ‘meeting’. It is a
place where believers come together for a
common purpose.
The synagogue complex can be the venue
for a range of activities and religious events
such as bar mitzvahs, circumcisions,
weddings, and meetings for justice groups.
Interior
The most important item in a Jewish
synagogue is the aron ha kodesh, or Holy Ark.
The Ark is usually located on the wall pointing
in the direction of Jerusalem, the holy city.
As the name suggests, the aron ha kodesh
houses the Torah scrolls. The Ark is a cabinet
set into or mounted on the wall, which is then
covered by a thick curtain known as a
parokhet.
The Ark is usually the most lavishly adorned
object in the synagogue, which reflects
how precious the contents are to the
Jewish people.
Near the Ark is the ner tamid, or eternal
flame, which burns constantly and reminds
the congregation of the ongoing
presence of G*d in the sacred space.
Orthodox and Reform synagogues both
reflect the belief in Judaism that any
attempt to depict the deity, or even
sculptures of living creatures, are a form of
idolatry.
Synagogues are therefore decorated with
images such as the Star of David, the
menorah and the Tablets of the Law.
Holy Days
Jewish feast days
The Jewish calendar reflects the experiences of the
Israelites and is a blend of joy and sorrow, pleasure and
austerity, feasting and fasting. Some days express
gratitude to G*d for the earth’s fertility, whilst other festivals
celebrate the saving intervention of G*d in Jewish history

Jewish feast days fall into two categories: Feasts of
Mosaic or Biblical origin, and Feasts of Rabbinical origin.

Examples of Mosaic feasts include Pesah (Passover),
Sukkot, Rosh HaShanah (New Year) and Yom Kippur
(Day of Atonement).

Examples of Rabbinical feasts include Hanukkah and
Purim.
Pesah
Pesah commemorates the Exodus from Egypt and the
creation of Israel as a nation. It symbolises the saving
action of God in history and also marks the time of the
barley harvest.
In the time before the destruction of the Jerusalem
Temple, the Passover lamb was eaten on the first day
of Pesah, and psalms, hymns and prayers were shared.
In contemporary times the Passover sacrifice has been
replaced by a family festive meal, called the seder
meal. During this meal the story of the Exodus is retold
and Jews recite prayers that complement the different
stages of the story.
The Seder is a fifteen-step, family-oriented tradition and
the focal points of the meal are:
• Eating matzah, the flat unleavened bread.
• Eating bitter herbs to commemorate the bitter slavery
endured by the Israelites.
• Drinking four cups of wine or grape juice, a royal
drink, to celebrate freedom.
• The recitation of the Haggadah, which is a liturgy
that describes in detail the story of the Exodus from
Egypt. The Haggadah is the fulfilment of the biblical
obligation to recount to Jewish children the story of
the Exodus on the night of Passover.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCy4-_DaacI&feature=relmfu
Rosh Hashanah
Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year festival and
commemorates the creation of the world. Rosh Hashanah is also
a judgement day, when Jews believe that God balances a
person's good deeds over the last year against their bad deeds,
and decides what the next year will be like for them.
God records the judgement in the Book of Life, where he sets out
who is going to live, who is going to die, who will have a good
time and who will have a bad time during the next year. The
book and the judgement are finally sealed on Yom Kippur.
Time is spent in the synagogue on Rosh Hashanah, when there
are special services that emphasise God's kingship. One of the
synagogue rituals for Rosh Hashanah is the blowing of the Shofar,
a ram's horn trumpet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEOya0ZG0I0&feature=relat
ed
In Jewish homes a special meal is served, with the
emphasis on sweetness.
Apples are dipped in honey, as a symbol of the sweet
New Year that each Jew hopes lies ahead. A sweet
carrot stew called a tzimmes is often served. Hallah (or
Challah) bread is served and it comes as a round loaf,
rather than the plaited loaf served on the Sabbath, to
symbolise a circle of life and of the year.
There's often a pomegranate on the table because of
a tradition that pomegranates have 613 seeds, one
for each of the commandments, or mitzvot, that a Jew
is obliged to keep.
Purim
Purim is celebrated on the fourteenth of Adar, which is around
March. The term Purim means “lots.” The name
commemorates the lots that Haman cast to choose the day
most suitable for the destruction of the Jews.
On this day the Megillah is read. The story tells of the
deliverance of the Jews of Persia through the mediation of
Queen Esther, herself a Jew. The festival is a time of joy and
Jews are expected to eat, drink, be merry, and give gifts to
the poor.
There are four mitzvot associated specifically with Purim:
• Read or hear the Megillah (Scroll of Esther) at night and by
day.
• Give charity to at least two needy people.
• Send a minimum of two ready-to-eat foods to at least one
person.
• Sit down for a royal feast
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgJInVvJSZ
g
Hanukkah
Hanukkah, or Chanukah, is the Jewish Festival
of Lights. In the western calendar Hanukkah is
celebrated in November or December. The
word Hanukkah means ‘rededication’ and the
festival commemorates the Jews' struggle for
religious freedom.
http://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=qSJCS
R4MuhU&feature=rela
ted
The festival marks the victory of a group of Jews called
the Maccabees over the Greeks, who were the most
powerful army of the ancient world. At the end of the
three-year war, the Maccabees recaptured
Jerusalem. When the temple was rededicated a single
portion of oil with the seal of the High Priest still intact
was discovered. The Maccabees then went to light
the eight-branched temple candelabrum, the
menorah, but they only had enough oil to last one a
day. The menorah miraculously stayed alight for eight
days. This became known as the miracle of the oil. It is
because of this miracle that candles are lit from right
to left during Hanukkah.
On day one of the festival, the first candle is lit; on the
second night Jews light two candles, and the pattern
continues. By the eighth night, all eight candles are
alight. They are lit from a separate candle, the
Shamash or servant candle. During Hanukkah Jews
follow simple religious rituals in addition to their regular
daily prayers from the Siddur, the Jewish prayer book.
Potato pancakes and deep-fried doughnuts are
traditional Hanukkah treats. Fried food in particular
reminds Jews of the miracle of the oil and the candles
that burned for eight days. It is customary to play
games, such as the dreidel game, which is a way to
help children remember the great miracle of
Hanukkah. A dreidel is a spinning top with a different
Hebrew letter inscribed on each of its four sides. The
four letters form an acronym that means: 'A great
miracle happened here’.
Connections to the Religion
Curriculum
PREP
BEWR1
Jesus was a Jew. He lived in a Jewish family and
Mary was his mother.
YEAR 1
BEWR2
Jesus participated in the life of the Jewish
community.
Year 2
BEWR3
The Jewish people are a covenant people. Their
relationship with God is expressed in their daily lives.
Year 3
BEWR4
The Jewish people have a special relationship with God.
This relationship is revealed through the stories, people
and events recorded in the Torah, or written law.
Year 4
BEWR5
Judaism is a dynamic religion. Groups within first century
Palestine reflected the dynamic nature of Judaism.
Year 5
BEWR6
Followers of Judaism live their relationship with God
through their personal and communal worship.
Year 6
BEWR7
The faith of Jewish believers is shared and strengthened
through the commemoration of the High Holy Days,
including Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Pesach.
Year 7
BEWR8
The monotheistic religions (Christianity, Judaism and
Islam) share common beginnings of faith which are
found in the patriarchs, Moses and the prophets.
Year 8
BEWR9
Although there is a strong connection between the
‘People of the Book’, there are distinct differences
among their core beliefs and practices. Initiation rituals
in the Abrahamic religions begin the journey of faith
for believers.
Year 9
BEWR10
Christianity, Judaism and Islam are monotheistic
religions that share a belief in the one God (Allah,
God, G*d). The three monotheistic religions have
divergent understandings of God that are reflected
in their beliefs and practices.
Year 10
BEWR11
The religions of the world contribute valuable insights
into the idea of God or the ‘Other’. The core beliefs
and practices of the major world religions (Christianity,
Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism) reflect this
mystery of God/Other which is beyond human
understanding.
Year 11 and 12
BEWR12
The major world religions have a role in the quest
for meaning and purpose in the lives of individuals
and communities. Religious traditions, while
distinct and different, share some distinguishing
elements (e.g. attitudes, beliefs and practices)
that have developed over time.
Resources
Teaching Judaism weebly