Orthodox – The majority of Jews in Britain are Orthodox Jews. They believe that God gave Moses the whole Torah at Mount Sinai. Modern Orthodox Jews live by the Jewish laws but incorporate modern society. However Ultra- Orthodox Jews do live strictly by the laws but live separately and do not integrate with in modern society Conservative – Conservative Jews believe that the Torah did come from God but also contain human input. They live by the Jewish laws but do include some aspects of modern culture and society Reform – Reform Jews believe that the Torah was created by different human sources and then later combined. They do not live by the Laws but do adopt some practises and cultures of the Jewish Laws DENOMINATIONS OF JEWS

Tenakh – This is the Hebrew bible and is a collection of Jewish scripture and includes the Torah, the Psalms and the Prophets Torah – The Torah is a sacred text of Jewish people and it includes the laws that most Jewish people live by. These Laws are called the 10 commandments. There are two different versions of the Torah, these are called the Mishnah & the Talmud. Both of these versions are studied as part of the religion SCRIPTURES & RELIGIOUS WRITING

The synagogue is an important part of the Jewish faith. It is a building that is used for prayer and worship but is also used for education and social activities Services are held every day in the Synagogue and Jews are meant to pray three times a day. Morning services are held very early so people can go to work and there are also afternoon and evening services Jewish teachers called Rabbis run the services which usually last between 20 and 45 minutes, however during Shabbat & festivals services are longer SYNAGOGUE

DAILY LIFE

A Mezuzah is a scroll of parchment which is sealed in a case It is put on the right doorpost, and designates a home as Jewish They are often decorated in a colourful way THE MEZUZAH

The majority of Jewish people eat Kosher food, which is prepared in a certain way, and prepared in accordance with the Jewish Dietary Laws Today, Kosher certification labels are printed on packages of Kosher food JEWISH FOOD Kosher FoodsNon-Kosher Foods Cattle Sheep Chicken Goose Duck Cod Turkey Salmon Tuna Clam Crab Lobster Oyster Shrimp Snail

The skull cap is also known as the ‘kippah’ or ‘kippa’ The skull cap is usually made of cloth, and Jewish law says that a man is required to wear a kippah during prayer Very Orthodox Jewish women wear wigs to cover their hair SKULL CAPS

The Star of David is a six-pointed star made up of two triangles It is a significant symbol of Judaism and Jewish identity THE STAR OF DAVID

The Jewish day of rest Begins with the lighting of candle and the Sabbath meal on Friday evenings No work is done, no money is carried or business is transacted Time is spent with family and the creation of life is celebration SHABBAT (SABBATH)

Jewish FestivalsJewish Festivals

It lasts for two days and commemorates the creation of the world. Its celebrated in the month of September The people believe that God balances a person’s good deeds against their bad and decides upon this what will happen next year It’s a chance for Jewish people to ask questions about themselves and about the events over the last year It’s also a chance for forgiveness for wrongdoings People spend most of their time in a Synagogue during Rosh Hashanah. At the Synagogue a special horn (shofar) is blown. This starts a ten day period called Days of Awe Following the service a special meal is eaten at home

It signifies the end of the 10 days (Days of Awe) During Yom Kippur Jews fast for 25 hours in the month of September It’s a day where people ask for forgiveness from God Jewish people mark Yom Kippur in different ways: Many wear white as a symbol of purity No make-up or perfume is worn No sex No bathing Most of the day is spent in the synagogue where 5 services are carried out through the day. Even the less religious Jews attend The sound of the Shofar ends this special day

Jewish people remember how the children of Israel left slavery behind them in Egypt Moses rescued these children and warned the Egyptian Pharaohs about the ten plagues Jewish people were told to cover the door’s in lambs blood, so the plague would ‘pass over’ them The celebration last for 7 to 8 days in the month March-April The night before passover a special family meals takes place ‘Seder’. This meal celebrates the freedom from slavery During the meal the story of the Israeli children is told from the Haggadah. Each person will read some of this book

The Jewish festival of lights in the month of December Hanukkah means rededication and celebrates one of the greatest miracles in Jewish history

RITES OF PASSAGE

BRIT MILAH Eight days after birth all Jewish baby boys are circumcised Carried out by trained Mohel This celebration is called a Brit. The baby’s father thanks God and a prayer is said introducing the boy’s Jewish name Ritual circumcision, is a symbol of the Jewish partnership with God

Celebrated when a boy reaches 13 years old Considered to be an adult in religious terms The translation is “son of commandment” The boy has to spend many months preparing Some Jewish movements celebrate a girl coming of age, this is called a Bat Mitzvah BAR MITZVAH

Weddings can not take place on the Sabbath or on any festival or holy day and often takes place under a Hupah (canopy), symbolising the couples new home Before the service the bridegroom and male guests are led in to the bride’s chambers for a badekan (veiling) ceremony The wedding celebration is very lively often with Israeli folk music The "Hora," or traditional dance of celebration is performed MARRIAGE

Jews are buried as soon as possible after death because they believe in the resurrection The body is washed, anointed and wrapped in a white sheet The body is buried in Jewish consecrated ground The family then observe a period of mourning DEATH

Jesus was a Jew and his family followed Jewish customs. His followers believed him to be the Messiah as predicted in the Jewish bible Christianity then separated itself from it’s Jewish origins Judaism can be described as a religion, race, culture and a nation. All of these descriptions have some validity. Judaism is a way of life SUMMARY - KEY FACTS