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Ealing Agreed Syllabus: guidance for teachers
Unit title: Belief and practice (Judaism)
Learning
objectives
Suggested activities
Suggested resources
Abraham, his God and his character
AT1
Pupils are to
know that
Jewish people
worship one
God, the God
of Abraham
and Isaac.
Discuss either the story of Abraham following God’s commandments by leaving his home or of
his readiness to sacrifice his son, and discuss the character of Abraham.
Children’s Bible, Genesis 12 or 22
Describe a special journey of their own or write about the feelings of the characters in the story of
the binding of Isaac.
Worship in the synagogue and at home
AT1
Pupils are to
learn how
Jewish people
worship in a
synagogue
and at home.
If possible, use the IWB to show the films on worship in the synagogue and in the home on the
Espresso website: http://content.lgfl.org.uk/secure/faiths/t2_faiths/judaism/index.html (You will
need your LGfL login and password to access this material.)
Birchfield Software, ‘Places of Worship’ the
synagogue or Granada software ‘Exploring
Religions’
Describe elements of Jewish worship (e.g. reading of Torah, lighting Shabbat candles) and learn
about the rabbi, a cantor, a shofar, the ark, the everlasting light and the Torah.
Artefacts used in the home at Shabbat such as
candlesticks, yarmulke, basamim, havdalah
candle, hallot cover (Articles of Faith has an
excellent selection)
Discuss that in some synagogues men and women sit separately.
Describe how for Jewish people worship in the home is an important part of family life.
Ask pupils to write about the key features of Jewish worship in the synagogue or at home.
Belief and practice (Judaism)
1
Learning
objectives
Suggested activities
Suggested resources
Passover
AT1
Pupils are to
learn about
the practices
and
symbolism of
the Passover.
Discuss the story of the Exodus and how Jews celebrate this event. Learn about the character of
Moses and learn the symbolism of the various dishes on the seder table. Point out that Jesus, too,
was Jewish and that the ‘Last Supper’ was a celebration of Passover.
Taste matzoh; a group could cook something without leaven, e.g. macaroons, meringues or
coconut pyramids, and others could design a seder plate.
Passover artefacts including a seder plate and
either pictures or fresh symbolic foods.
Other artefacts are available from Articles of
Faith: http://www.articlesoffaith.co.uk/
Children could design a range of symbols for important events in their life at home or school.
Let’s learn about Passover
ISBN 0-88125-199-2
AT2
Pupils learn to
apply the
principles of
the Passover
feast to events
in their lives.
Chanukah
AT1
Pupils are to
learn about
the meaning
behind the
Hanukiah.
Discuss the story of Judah Macabee and look at a Hanukiah. Watch the candles being lit by the
servant candle and link this story to the everlasting light described in lesson 2.
Find the website www.menorah.com and design a menorah. Some children could do
observational drawings of menorahs that are available and take pictures of these with the lights
using a digital camera. Some could write a caption for the picture. Children could make a
menorah with clay, wood, plastic, plasticine, bottle tops etc.
A group could play with a dreidel or make a dreidel from card.
Belief and practice (Judaism)
A copy of the Chanukah story such as “Judah
who always said ‘No’”
ISBN 0-929371-14-3
Menorah (Hanukiah)
Find out how to make a dreidel and play the
game: http://www.cstone.net/~bryback/holidayfun/dreidel.html
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Learning
objectives
Suggested activities
Suggested resources
Qualities of God in the Torah
AT1
Pupils learn
about the
qualities Jews
perceive in
God and the
relationship
they perceive
between God
and the
Jewish
people.
AT2
Applying the
principles of
different
names and
qualities to
their own
lives.
Point out that the word for the Jewish sacred book, Torah, sometimes refers to the first five
books of the Bible, sometimes to the whole of the Jewish Bible and sometimes to the entire body
of Jewish religious literature, law and teaching as contained chiefly in the Jewish bible (known
as the Old Testament by Christians) and Talmud.
Introduce the word ‘covenant’ to describe an agreement between two or more parties. Point out
that the Jewish people believe that they have a covenant with God (the terms of which are set out
in the Torah), which demands a standard of behaviour that sets for Jews the goal of being a ‘light
unto the nations’ (Isaiah).
Children could listen to one of the passages below and discuss the role of God in that passage
and the qualities attributed to him. It can be taught that the name of God is very important to
Jews and that it is often written G_d as an expression of respect; also that Hebrew words are
sometimes written without vowels. Many Jews simply refer to God as Hashem, which means
‘the name’. (Please see ‘points to note’)




Elohim – creator, life-giver (Genesis 1&2 and esp. Genesis 2:4)
Rohi – God the Shepherd (Psalm 23)
m’kaddesh – holy (Leviticus 20:8)
jireh – God will provide (Genesis 22:1-19—this story might have been used earlier in the
lesson on Abraham)
Pupils could say what they would like people to say/know about them and suggest a name that
could reflect this or they could devise names for a person they know to indicate what they do.
Links can be made with Islam and the 99 names for God emphasising that in both faiths there is
still only one God.
Belief and practice (Judaism)
3
Learning
objectives
Suggested activities
Suggested resources
Sukkot
AT1
To learn about
Sukkot and
what it means
to Jews.
Introduce the idea of remembering special times and that Sukkot reminds Jewish people of things
that happened long ago and at the same time celebrates the harvest.
Read Leviticus 23:33-44.
Talk about the Jewish belief that God protected and guided them in the wilderness after they left
Egypt with Moses.
Espresso videos:
http://content.lgfl.org.uk/secure/faiths/t2_faiths/
judaism/index.html
AT2
To apply the
principles of
Sukkot to an
occasion in
their own
lives.
Show children a picture of the four species of plant, the lulav (palm, willow and myrtle bound
together and the etrog) and describe how this is raised in all directions to remind Jews that God is
everywhere.
How to make a shoebox sukkah:
http://www.jdc.org.il/fsu/jewishyear/english/tis
hrei_sukkot_crafts.htm
Pupils can make a sukkah from a shoe box.
Pupils could reflect on a special occasion for them and design an appropriate symbol to suit the
occasion.
Belief and practice (Judaism)
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Learning
objectives
Suggested activities
Suggested resources
Children
AT1
Pupils are to
understand
what are the
important
features of
Judaism for
Jewish
children.
Remind class of the role of children in the Passover and Shabbat.
Video of Bar or Bat Mitzvah
Discuss the dietary laws that a child might observe at home e.g. having separate crockery for
meat and dairy meals.
Yarmulke, Yad, Model torah scroll
Discuss rites of passage observed in the class and watch a video of a bar-mitzvah and batmitzvah. Review the role and appearance of the synagogue from these videos. This lesson can
review earlier lessons from the point of view of a Jewish girl or boy.
Jewish Recipe book and if possible pictures of a
Jewish kitchen
Children can discuss the idea of a mitzvah (good deed) and share some ideas of a mitzvah that
they could do in the coming week. They can discuss the video and share important rites of
passage in their own lives.
They can note that the yad is used to point to the Torah so that it is not touched.
Pupils could record what would be important to a Jewish child.
Key words
Cantor, rabbi, yad, yarmulke, tefillin, tallit, Torah, Shabbat, Passover, Seder, Elohim, Hashem, kosher, mitzvah, ark, sukkah, sukkot, Chanukah,
menorah, bimah
Points to note
Although the names in lesson 3 can be found in Jewish text and it is recognised traditionally that God is identified by different names, most
Jews do not use them most of the time and they never use the vocalisation ‘Jehovah’. Hebrew does not have a ‘j’ sound, so all words in English
which are Hebrew in origin—like Judah, Joshua—are pronounced with a ‘y’ sound in Hebrew, i.e. Yehudah, Yehoshua. The most common
term for God among many Jews is Hashem, which simply means ‘the name’.
Belief and practice (Judaism)
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Outcomes
At the end of this unit, most pupils will:




Understand that Jewish people believe in one God.
Know that they worship God in a synagogue and at home.
Know that Jewish values include faithfulness, obedience and honesty.
Know that Jewish people believe they have a special relationship with God.
Some pupils will have made less progress and will:



Understand that Jewish people believe in one God.
Understand that they worship God in a synagogue.
Be able to name one or two Jewish festivals.
Some pupils will have made more progress and will know all of the above. In addition they will:



Understand that significant figures in the Jewish faith include Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses.
Understand that there is a link between belief and important Jewish values.
Understand that Jews believe that their covenant with God requires them to maintain a standard of behaviour to set an example for others.
Background information
Abraham
Abraham and Isaac by Rembrandt (left)
http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/rembrandt/1630/abraham.jpg
Other pictures of Abraham’s departure and the incident with Isaac can be found at:
http://www.biblical-art.com/
Belief and practice (Judaism)
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Worship in the synagogue:
Structure of a synagogue and what happens during the service: http://biblia.com/jesusbible/synagogue2.htm
Cantor: Synagogue official who leads the congregation in prayer; the chief singer of the liturgy. However, the leading of the
service does not require an official and can be done by any capable Jew.
Kippah (also known as yarmulke): The skullcap worn by Jewish men. A kippah is worn to symbolize that man exists only
from his kippah down; God exists above the kippah.
Bimah (Hebrew, ‘elevated place’): A raised platform in the synagogue from which the Torah is read and other parts of the
services are led.
Yad (Hebrew, ‘hand’): Hand-shaped pointer used while reading from Torah scrolls.
Shofar: ram’s horn used as a trumpet, sounded in biblical times as a signal, and in modern times at synagogue services on Rosh
Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
Ark containing Torah scrolls
The Rabbi of Ealing Synagogue, Rabbi Vogel, welcomes school visits; he will also come to schools to talk at assemblies or
individual classes. Contact him on 0208 579 4894 or 07970 829758 (mobile).
Worship in the home:
The most important ritual observance in Judaism is Shabbat, the Sabbath, which begins at sunset on Friday when the woman
of the house lights the Shabbat candles and recites a blessing. The table should be set with at least two candles (representing the
dual commandments to remember and observe the Sabbath), a glass of wine, and at least two loaves of hallah (braided bread,
also known as challah) in memory of the double portion of manna received by the Israelites in the wilderness The hallah loaves
should be whole, and should be covered with a bread cover, towel or napkin known as a hallah cover.
Kiddush is the special blessing said over the wine. The word comes from a root meaning “holy.” The Kiddush is one of the
ways of fulfilling the mitzvah to “remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” Following the kiddush, hands should be washed
in the ritually prescribed manner. When everyone is reseated, the hallah cover is removed and a blessing is said over the bread.
The hallah is then cut or broken, and distributed to each person.
The Shabbat Bride
By Judith Silverman
Belief and practice (Judaism)
At the end of the Sabbath, just after nightfall on Saturday evening there is another ceremony. This ceremony is called
Havdalah (Hebrew ‘separation’). A special candle with several wicks is lit and a spice box is opened to wish everybody a
sweet week until the next Sabbath. The Havdalah ceremony requires a candle, a Kiddush cup and wine, and fragrant spices
known as Basamim. The parting greeting at the end of the Sabbath is shavua tov (“have a good week”); the candle will be
dipped in wine to extinguish it.
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Passover
Sweet mixture: a mixture of apples, nuts, wine and spices. Symbolic of the mortar the Jewish slaves made in their building for
the Egyptians.
Roast bone: a shankbone or neck of poultry, roasted. Symbolic of the Paschal lamb offered as the Passover sacrifice in Temple
days.
Roast egg: hard-boiled egg. An egg is used because it is a traditional food for mourners, reminding Jews of the destruction of
the Temple in Jerusalem.
Spring vegetable: a vegetable such as parsley, representing spring and growth. Dipped in salt water to represent the tears of
the slaves.
Maror (bitter herbs): herbs such as horseradish. Represents the bitter life of the Israelites during the time of their enslavement
in Egypt.
Bitter vegetable/salt water: a bitter vegetable such as celery or lettuce. Those who do not put such a vegetable on their Seder
Plate sometimes put a dish of salt water in its place.
Chanukah
A menorah is a branched candelabrum with seven candle-holders. Sometimes displayed or depicted in synagogues, it was the
ancient representation of the Hebrews and one of the oldest symbols of the Jewish people. It symbolises the burning bush as
seen by Moses on Mount Sinai. The term hanukiah (or chanukiah) refers to the nine-candled holder used during Chanukah,
which commemorates a miracle relating to the original menorah that stood in the Temple in Jerusalem..
A dreidel is a four-sided top with each side decorated with one of the four Hebrew letters nun, gimel, he or shin. Dreidels are
traditionally used to play a children's game on the festival of Chanukah.
Dreidel
Belief and practice (Judaism)
A pattern to print and make a dreidel: http://www.holidays.net/chanukah/pattern.html
Visit virtual Chanukah website: http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/default.asp
Children’s Chanukah guide: http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article.asp?AID=103903
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Sukkot
On the first day you are to take choice fruit from the trees, and palm fronds, leafy branches and poplars, and rejoice before the
LORD your God for seven days. Leviticus 23:40
You shall dwell in huts for seven days; all that are home born Jews shall dwell in huts; then shall the generations know that I
made the children of Israel dwell in huts when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. Leviticus 23:42-43
The word Sukkot means ‘booths,’ and refers to the temporary dwellings that Jews are commanded to live in during this holiday
in memory of the time the Israelites spent wandering in the wilderness.
Sukkah
curtisloftin.tripod.com/sukkot.htm
Belief and practice (Judaism)
Of the many symbols associated with this festival the most important are the Four Species: Etrog (the citron,
similar in appearance to a lemon but with a beautiful perfume), lulav (palm branches), hadas (myrtle),
aravah (willow). Together these items make up the Etrog and Lulav. The branches are bound together and
referred to collectively as the lulav, because the palm branch is by far the largest. The etrog is held
separately. A blessing is recited as the etrog and lulav are waved in the six directions (east, south, west,
north, up and down), symbolizing the belief that God is everywhere.
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Children
Bar-mitzvah and Bat-mitzvah: Literally son (bar) or daughter (bat) of the Commandments. At the age of 13 for boys and 12
for girls, it is believed that a person becomes responsible for his or her own good and bad actions and behaviour. After a boy’s
Bar Mitzvah, he can be included as a member of a minyan and participate in a religious service. A minyan is the minimum
number of men required for holding a prayer service or reading from the Torah; in Reform and Conservative Judaism a minyan
can include women and girls over bat-mitzvah age.
Mah Nishtanah, “why is it different?” At the Passover seder meal, it is up to the youngest person at the table—usually a
child—to ask the four traditional questions:
The four questions:
Bat Mitzvah by Landis
1.
2.
3.
4.
Why is it that on all other nights during the year we eat either bread or matzoh, but on this night we eat only matzoh?
Why is it that on all other nights we eat all kinds of herbs, but on this night we specially eat bitter herbs?
Why is it that on all other nights we do not dip our herbs even once, but on this night we dip them twice?
Why is it that on all other nights we eat either sitting up or leaning, but on this night we lean when we eat?
Visit http://kosher4passover.com/4questions.htm to hear children asking the questions and to also see the answers.
Scheme prepared by Judy Johnson, West Twyford Primary School, London Borough of Ealing
Additional material: Clive A Lawton
Belief and practice (Judaism)
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