RS Judaism Practices

hey gang so update, its currently 1st of january, 2025 and its 3:45pm. it is raining. and im making these flashcards. i love rs. its lit a break. its not even revision, its just a lovely little break (she says while breaking down into tears). YEAH ITS THE 2ND OF JAN NOW. RS GRRRR I HATE IT. MY ONENOTE NTES R SO BAD I CANT EVEN MAKE THESE FLASHCARDS UGHHHH

What is Rosh Hashanah

 

• A two day festival to mark Jewish New Year, remembering the creation of the world

 

What do Jews do on Rosh Hashanah

• Think about their lives and actions over the past year

• Ask for forgiveness of your sins

• Reflect on yourself

 

What is the Days of Awe

• The ten day period that begins with Rosh Hashanah and ends with Yom Kippur

• A time for self reflection and seeking forgiveness

 

What happens to the book of life

• The Book of Life is opened during Rosh Hashanah

 

How does God judge Jews

• Some Jews believe that God keeps a record of people's good and bad deeds, and on Rosh Hashanah God weighs them up, judges them and makes a decision about what peoples fortune will be in the coming year 

What do Jews do on Rosh Hashanah

• Say special prayers of forgiveness

• Tashlich - throwing sins (bread) into running water

• Go to synagogue

 

What is Teshuvah

• Spiritual realignment

• Jews focus on this during Rosh Hashanah - they use it as a time to remember who they truly are and strive to return there

 

What is Yom Kippur

• Yom Kippur is the holiest, most important day in the Jewish calendar.

What does God do on Yom Kippur

• This day of Atonement is when God seals the Book of Judgement, so it is the last chance to repent for any sins.

 

What do Jews do on Yom Kippur

• Make confession for their sins

• Have a sunset service in the synagogue

 

 

How is Yom Kippur observed in Britain today

• No work is done

• Jews fast for 25 hours

How is Yom Kippur observed in the synagogue

• Services are held throughout the day

• There is a general confession of sins

• In the final service, the doors of the Ark are open

  • This is the last chance for people to make confession

  • Then the door is closed, showing God's judgement is no sealed

• The service ends with a blowing of the shofar to signal the end of fasting

Reasons that Rosh Hashanah is the most important festival

• It is the anniversary of when God created humans

• It is the build up to the New Year

 

Reasons why Yom Kippur is the most important festival

• G-d seals the book of judgement on this day

• People repent for their sins and God forgives them, strengthening relationship with God

 

Quote about Yom Kippur

• "On this day, atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you of all your sins" - Leviticus

What is halakhah

• Halakhah is living a fully Jewish life

Why do Jews follow food laws (quote)

• Brings you closer to G-d

• "By following the law, you are walking in the path of G-d"

 

 

 

Do certain denominations not follow the food laws?

• Reform and liberal Jews might not keep kosher

  • Ultra-orthodox must keep kosher

  • Most reform Jews only keep the moral laws, not the laws about diet, purity or dress

 

Kosher law for meat and fish (quote)

• "you may eat any animal that has a divided hoof and chews the cud"

• "you may eat any that have fins and scales"

• Leviticus 11

 

Why should we still follow kosher laws in the 21st century?

• It is a way to put your faith into action

• Connects Jews to their history

• It is a way to obey the Torah

Why should we not follow kosher laws in 21st century

• There is no health reasons to do so

  • Most people think kosher laws originate from hygiene, but now there is no need to avoid certain animals

• It is easier to integrate into multicultural friend groups if you don't follow the kosher rules

• It is expensive to keep kosher in your home, because you need two of everything

 

Kosher law for combining foods (quote)

• "do not cook a young goat in its mother's milk"

What is marriage important

• It shows commitment

• Provides a foundation for building a family

• It follows what G-d said when he instructed people to "go forth and multiply" (Genesis)

What is Kiddushin

• betrothal

• Where you say your intention of getting married

• The first part of the marriage process

• 1 year before

What is Ketubah

• marriage certificate

• Contains promises such as having children, divorcing etc

• Solidifies the promises that the groom makes to his wife

• The mothers of the bride and groom break a plate to make the certificate legal

 

What is Chuppah

• the canopy in which the couple get married under

• It is made of tallits so that they're under the prayer shawls of people

• Represents the home that the couple will grow together

Do both denominations have Bat mitzvahs

• Only done in reform

• Orthodox Jews do not do bat mitzvahs because women can't read from the Torah, pray in the synagogue on the ground floor etc.

 

Do both denominations have bar mitzvahs

• Yes - because in both denominations, men can read from the Torah, lead a service etc., therefore it is worth preparing them for this

 

What happens in a bar mitzvah ceremony

• Boys wear the tallit from the first time

• Read from the Torah

What is the naming ceremony

• When boys and girls born into Orthodox families get blessed in the synagogue on the first Shabbat after birth

• The father goes forward to recite the Torah blessing and ask G-d for good health for his wife and child

What is Brit Milah

• Circumcision at 8 days old

 

Why do Jews do Brit Milah (+ quote)

• Circumcision recalls the covenant that G-d made with Abraham, serving as a lifelong reminder

• "Any male who is uncircumcised ... shall be cut off from his kin; he has broken my covenant" - Tenakh

Reasons why Brit Milah should still be done

• God told all Jews to do it in his covenant with Abraham

• It connects all Jews

• When you do it at an early age there is less health risks

 

Reasons why Brit Milah should not be done anymore

• If someone doesn't stay as a Jew their whole life, they would feel bad having a symbol of a religion they are no longer part of

• It is public

Differences between reform and orthodox synagogues

• Reform

  • Men and women sit together

  • Women can lead

• Orthodox

  • Men and women sit separately

  • Bimah faces the Aron Hakadesh

What is the Amidah prayer 

• The Amidah is the central prayer of daily Jewish worship. 

• The prayer's name means 'standing', and the prayer itself is a series of blessings recited silently while standing up

Quote for Tallit

• "Instruct them to make fringes on the corners of their garments" - Tenakh

What is the Tallit

• Prayer shawl, aminly worn during morning prayer

• There are 613 strings for each mitzvot

What is Teffelin

• Boxes, containing some Torah scrolls, with straps that are wound around your arm when you pray

What are the features of the synagogue

• Star of David

• Ner Tamid

• Aron Hakodesh

• Ten Commandments

• Bimah

• Menorah

What is the Ner Tamid

• Everlasting light

• Situated above the Aron Hakodesh

• Shows everlasting nature of God

 

What is the Aron Hakodesh

• The holy arc where the Torah is

• Different section each week

 

Features of the Sefer Torah

• Parochet - curtain to cover the scrolls

• Yad - pointer used as to not damage the Torah

What way does the Bimah face

• In Orthodox synagogues it faces the Aron Hakodesh

• In reform it faces the audience

 

Seating in orthodox vs reform

• In both, the seating faces the Aron Hakodesh

• In orthodox, men and women are separated

  • So that they can do their set prayers together

  • So they do not get distracted

• In reform, men and women sit together

Candles in Shabbat

• Female member of the family lights the candles 18 mins. Before sunset

• This is to welcome in Shabbat

• She then recites a blessing which praises God, and asks God to bless the family

 

Steps before eating the meal

• Reciting Kiddush: The head of the household recites the Kiddush blessing over the wine, which sanctifies the Shabbat and starts the meal.

• Blessing the Challah: The head of the household uncovers the challah, says a blessing, and the bread is shared, typically dipped in salt, as part of the meal.

 

What happens on the Friday of Shabbat

• Families have their meal, which can last for 2 or more hours

• They say a prayer of thanksgiving

 

What happens on the Saturday of Shabbat

• A morning service in the synagogue

• Another special meal

 

 

How is the end of Shabbat marked

• By a havdalah service, performed in the home once 3 stars can be seen in the sky

What do Jews do in the synagogue

• It is where they go to worship

• It is where they celebrate festivals e.g. Yom Kippur, Bar Mitzvahs

• They have Shabbat services there

• They have charity events there

• Children have lessons there

 

Why is the synagogue important

• Some prayers need to be done in a minyan, so Jews go to the synagogue to do this

• It is a replacement of the destroyed temple in Israel

Quote to encourage Jews to do shabbat

• "Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy" - exodus 20

• It is also one of the Ten Commandments

 

 

 

Why is Shabbat important

• It remembers God's creation of the Earth

• It is a time to relax with your family

 

What happens on the Friday in synagogue

• There is a brief service to welcome Shabbat

• At the end, the prayer leader takes a cup of wine and recites a Kiddush blessing, thanking God for giving shabbat to the Jewish people

 

What happens on the Saturday in synagogue

• There is a longer service on Saturday morning

• It includes prayers, blessings, and a reading from the Torah

 

 

What happens when the Torah is taken out of the ark

• The doors of the Aron Hakadesh are opened to reveal the Torah

• The congregation stands, to remember how the Israelites stood at the bottom of Mount Sinai when Moses returned with the Ten Commandments

 

What happens in the synagogue after the Torah is taken out of the ark

• It is paraded around

• This gives Jews a change to be close to the Torah and give thanks

 

What can you not do on Shabbat

• Any work

• The 39 Melachot are all the forbidden actions on shabbat

• These include carrying, writing, tying a knot, lighting a fire

2 mourning rituals in Judaism

• Shiva - when a mourner takes 7 days off work after a loved one's burial

• Shmira - when the body is never left alone before the burial, to protect it

When do Jews pray

• Orthodox Jews pray 3 times a day, either in the home or synagogue

How are Jews reminded to obey God's commandments

• Their homes have a kitchen designed to meet Jewsih food laws

• They have mezuzah in their houses

 

What is a mezuzah

• A small box containing verses from the Torah

• It is fixed to the doorpost

• Jews touch it so that they remember God's laws

What is the Tenakh

• 24 books

• Contains the Torah, Nevi'im and Ketuvim

 

What is the Torah

• The fist 5 books of Moses

• All of the essential Jewish laws

What is the Talmud

• The oral law

• What Moses remembered from God

 

Why is the Torah important

• It contains the Ten Commandments and the 613 mitzvot

• Unchanged (the Talmud was passed down by word-of-mouth so is therefore more unreliable)