Judaism

Covenant with Abraham

Definition: agreement between Jews and God

promises: Abraham will be made father of many nations, the promised land, blessings (abram to abraham)

Abraham’s test of faith: G-d asked Abraham to kill his only son to prove his devotion to G-d. (G-d stopped him before the son was killed)

Quote: ‘Every male among you shall be circumcised’ Genesis

Ten commandments

Definition: the laws given to Moses on mount Sinai

Importance: gives jews important guidelines on how to have a good relationship with God and others

Impact: God protects the jews and jews obey his laws in return

Quote: ‘you must not murder’

‘you must have no other Gods before me’

‘you must not murder’

‘you must keep the sabbath day holy’

Pikuach Nefesh

Definition: the principle of saving a life which overrides all other religious laws

Importance: God breathed air into Adam (genesis) and therefore valuable, only god has the right to take life away

Impact: jews believe euthanasia, abortion and murder are wrong

Quote: ‘And G-d breathed life into Adam

mitzvot

Definition: 613 commandments in the Hebrew scriptures covering religious and moral conduct

Importance: identity, community, affects all parts of Jewish life, guidance on how to live their life correctly

Impact: jews feel secure in their relationship with God, jews know how to treat others and keep peaceful relationships

synagogue

Definition: jewish place of worship

Importance: worship and prayer, education, charitable events, social activities

Impact: brings communities closer together 

quote: ‘worship one God’

orthodox judaism

a traditional branch of judaism

they practice strictly following the laws in the Torah

they believe men and women should have different roles

all orthodox rabbis are men

men and women sit separately so not to distract each other in the synagogue

reform judaism

a type of progressive judaism

they emphasise the importance of individual choice in deciding how to worship and practise the faith

they believe the torah was inspired by god but written by humans, so can be interpreted

they believe men and women can undertake the same roles

this means women can become rabbis or be apart of the minyan

brit milah

Definition:  ceremony for boys in which he is circumcised (mostly at 8 days old)

Importance: part of the covenant with abraham, creates a sense of community

Impact: jews get to celebrate the new life and member of the community

Quote: ‘Every male among you shall be circumcised’ Genesis

bar + brit milah

Definition: the service for a boy / girl to become a member of the community. bar = boy, brit = girl

Importance: brings jews closer to God and the jewish community, when a jew is seen to be an adult, when a jew is expected to start strictly follow jewish law

Impact: when a boy is able to become part of the minyan

kosher and trefar

Definition: kosher is acceptable, trefar is unacceptable. as a way to categorize food

orthodox follows is closely, reform has a more modern view

kosher animals are killed in a certain way - with a sharp knife while conscious and all the blood must be drained

quote: “Do not eat pigs” - Leviticus

Rosh Hashanah

Definition: the Jewish new year

Importance: remembers gods creation of the world, a day of judgement, gives jews a chance to take action that will improve gods judgement

Impact: community, they eat apples dipped in honey - sweetness of the new year, they eat pommergranets to remember the 613 mitvzot

Quote: “May G-d give me a sweet and happy new year”

Yom Kippur

Definition: the day of atonement and the holiest day for jewish people

Importance: asking God to forgive them of their sins

Impact: fast for 25 hours and no work - gives them an opportunity to connect with god

Quote: “atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you of all your sins” tenakh

Pesach

Definition: festival of Passover celebrating the Jews escape from Egyptian slavery

Importance: gives thanks to God for saving their ancestors, remembers the final plague that god sent to egypt

Impact: brings the community together + identity

Quote: “Put some blood on the door frame of the house” - Exodus

creation

Definition: the making of the world from nothing by God

Importance: its when we + the planet were made

Impact: everything

Quote: ‘In the beginning, G-d created the Heavens and the Earth’ Genesis

gan eden

Definition: a place referred to by ancient rabbis as the place good people go to when they die

Importance: gives Jews motivation to follow god correctly and have high morals - however Jews aren’t too concerned with the after life as they are more focused on the present

Impact: lets them not fear death and makes the world a kinder place

Quote: ‘the dust returns to the ground’ tenakh

gehenna

Definition: a place of torment or suffering linked to the idea of hell

Importance: reminds Jews of the consequences of not following God respectfully and not repenting for sins will result in

Impact: motivation to commit a life to God

Quote:  ‘the dust returns to the ground’ tenakh

havdalah

Definition: a closing ceremony to end shabbat - separation service

Importance: to mark the end of shabbat

Impact: they pass round the spice box and take a sniff to take the sweetness of shabbat into the week ahead

Quote: ‘keep the sabbath holy’

kaddish

Definition: prayer in synagogue; often mourning prayers

Importance: honoring the dead

Impact: remembrance and blessings

Quote: ‘may his name be blessed forever’

kashrut

Definition: jewish dietary system that covers what jews can and cant eat

Importance: lets jews know how God would want them to live

Impact: community

Quote: ‘you shall not boil a kid in its mothers milk’ tenakh

minyan

Definition: minimum number (10) of adults necessary for an act of worship

Importance: needed for a service and some prayers to take place

Impact: encourages communal cohesion

Quote: ‘Whenever 10 men are gathered for prayer, there the Shekinah rests’ Talmud

ner tamid

Definition: perpetual light/lamp, found in synagogues and representing god

Importance: symbolises Gods presence (so its never put out)

Impact: reminds Jews God is always with them even through dark times

Quote: ‘eternal light’ reflecting God’s eternal love for the Jews

promised land

Definition: the land promised by god to the descendants of Abraham

Importance: part of the covenant, proof that Jews are Gods chosen people

Impact: makes jews feel a special bond with God

Quote: ‘I will make of you a great nation’

rabbi

Definition: leader in jewish community, who leads synagogue services

Importance: guides the community, an example of jewish values

Impact: strengthens the community

ressurection

Definition: the physical coming back of the body to life after death - the afterlife

Importance: life now is much more important than the afterlife

Impact: keeping the mitzvot and covenant

Quote: ‘love the lord your god with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength’ Torah

shabbat /sabbath

Definition: the jewish holy day

Importance: focus on religion, worshiping God, strengthens faith, spending time with family, keeping the mitzvot and covenant

Impact: shabbat meal - halah

Quote: ‘god rested on the seventh day’

‘keep the sabbath day holy’

seder

Definition: a meal to celebrate the passover

salt water - salty tears of slaves

unleavened bread - symbolises the bread that wasn’t able to rise because the jews didn’t have time during their escape from egypt

bitter herbs - represents the bitterness of slavery

Impact: lets jews reflect on their history

Quote: “Roast the lamb and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs” - Exodus

shema

Definition: a declaration of faith: prayer in synagogue

Importance: reminds them of the key principle of the faith - there is only one God

Impact: known prayer - community

Quote: “Hear, O Israel the lord our God, the Lord is one

talmud

definition: commentary on jewish law - a part of the tenakh

Importance: Helps Jew to understand G-d’s law and so live a correct life

Impact: Encourages Jews to follow the laws in the Torah because the interpretations and commentaries make it easier for them to be applied to modern day life

tenakh

Definition: the Tenakh is the holy scriptures of Judaism as a whole. There are three parts: The Torah (Law), The Nevi’im (Prophets), The Ketuvim (Writings)

Importance: It provides a record of their history, instructions for their practice of faith and inspiration for day to day living

torah

Definition: first part of jewish scripture, seen as the word of god and given orally to moses on mount sinai

Importance: Gods words, a guide for spiritual life, bases of the covenant includes the mitzvot 

Impact: keeping covenant and mitzvot

Quote: ‘keep the sabbath holy’

‘made in Gods image’

tzedakah

Definition: meaning charity and giving to those in need

Importance: helps people in difficult situations, spreads love and strengthens communities

Impact: improves quality of life

Quote: ‘He who is kind to the poor, happy is he’

parable of the sheep and goat