Judaism

What do we know?

Key facts Is the original of the three Abrahamic faiths, (Christianity and Islam) Monotheism Founded by Moses Religious festival of light (Hanukkah – November or December ) 613 Mitzvah (Mitzvot) 13.85 million Jews in the world 2014 (Core) 18.5 million enlarged Jewish population 290,000/360,000 UK 6 million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust

SABBATH Nightfall Friday – nightfall Saturday 4th commandment – observe the Sabbath Shabbat Nothing stressful – relaxation and stillness No tv, thinking of work, no rushing to answer phone. SABBATH Eruv Not allowed to carry any item no matter how small for whatever reason in a Reshus HaRabim. Combines the home and outside No cooking, cleaning or shopping. Pushing is a no-no. Religious duties are not reason for an exception.

Here is a short video showing several Jewish men during prayer. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vpKoj8a93s

Place of worship Synagogue

Segregation: Orthodox Synagogues – Men and Women sit separately Revisionist synagogues – Men and women can sit together

Service Rabbi, Cantor or a member of the congregation Minyan – a quorum of 10 adult (older than 13) Males

Clothing during worship Yarmulke (yiddish) or Kippah (hebrew) Adult men – Tallit or a prayer shawl Tzitzit

Sacred items and ceremonies Ark Torah scrolls Eternal light Reading from the Torah

Religious dates Rosh Hashanah During the months of September and October, the Jewish faith celebrate the month of Tishrei. On the first and second day of tishrei, Jews celebrate a time known as Rosh Hashanah, which is their new year. During this time, they eat apples dipped in honey in the hope of bringing them a sweet new year, and they believe that this is when God decides what will happen in the year to come. The first ten days of this religious time, Jews are meant to find everyone they have wronged in the year and make it right with them. This must be done before the day of atonement, or Yom Kippur. These ten days are known as the Days of Awe.

Hanukkah This year Hanukkah will start on December 16th and finish December 24th. This spiritual time of year is celebrated for eight days and nights, and on each night, one of eight candles is lit on the hanukkiyah. These eight days are significant as they are the Jewish peoples way to remember the rededication of the holy Jewish temple in Jerusalem in 165 BCE, when they took it back from the Syrian Greeks. Each community has different ways of celebrating Hanukkah but there are three that are worldwide. Lighting the Hanukkiyah, spinning dreidel’s and eating fried foods.