1. DEATH
JUDAISM – KS3
This presentation aims to introduce KS3 pupils to the theme of Jewish beliefs about death. To support pupil well-being, it is important to check in advance if any pupils have experienced bereavement and loss. It is helpful to remind pupils of the diversity within Judaism and that details of observance and practice vary according to each Jewish community. This is a short film that supports the theme of Death and Judaism

2. What do Jewish people believe about death?
The Big Question
What do Jewish people believe about death?
Image: This is Amy Winehouse’s grave, in a Jewish cemetery.
Ask the pupils: What makes you aware it is a Jewish burial ground?
[Note the Star of David symbols, stones left instead of flowers, Hebrew letters on top are an acronym for the words, "May his/her soul be bound up in the bond of life." Also note that some gravestones are flat…these are from the Sephardic tradition (Jewish people originally from Spain and Portugal).]

3. What happens when a Jewish person dies?
The dead person is not left alone. Someone (called a shomer/shomeret) stays with them. Psalms are recited
The funeral happens quickly, usually within one or two days. Funerals are not held on Shabbat (Friday nightfall – Saturday nightfall)
Washing and preparing the body (tahara) is done by volunteers from the Chevra Kadisha (burial society)
Jewish people are are buried in white linen burial shrouds. Men wear their tallit (prayer shawl). So do women who have chosen to wear a tallit for prayer.
Show the pupils this slide and explain that different Jewish traditions may have different customs. For example, women do not wear a tallit to pray in Orthodox tradition. However, some women from the Reform/Progressive movement do choose to wear a tallit in a Reform/Progressive synagogue.
Ask the pupils to share their ideas on how a sense of community might be reflected in the traditions around death.
Explain that in Judaism, the body is not left alone and volunteers from synagogue prepare it for burial. There is a sense of equality in death, with everyone dressed the same and having the same preparation.

4. What happens when a Jewish person dies?
Coffins are made of plain unpolished wood
Before the funeral service, the mourners have a tear made in their clothes. For a parent, the tear is made on the left, for others, the tear (kriah) is on the right
Children only attend funerals from 13 years old (boys) and 12 (girls)
Show the pupils this slide and explore with them the reason behind the use of simple coffins and the idea of equality between rich and poor in death. Do they agree that 13 for a boy and 12 for a girl is considered an appropriate age to go to a funeral? Why / Why not?
Explain that in Judaism, this is when they come of age and have had a barmitzvah (boy) or batmitzvah (girl).

5. What happens when a Jewish person dies?
The funeral service is short, with prayers of consolation and psalms, a eulogy, but with no music
At the graveside, people take turns to shovel earth into the grave
There are no flowers. People need not wear black but often do
There is a special mourner’s prayer called the Kaddish, this doesn’t mention death but praises God.
Show the pupils this slide and ask whether the pupils can suggest similarities and differences when compared to funeral traditions from the Christian religion.
Explain that flowers in Judaism are considered suitable for celebrations, but not for mourning.

6. What happens when a Jewish person dies?
After the funeral is a week long mourning period called a shiva (seven)
Mourners come back to the shiva house and have a simple meal – eggs, bread and tea
They cover mirrors in the shiva house and sit on low chairs. Men don’t shave
People come round with food and wish mourners ‘long life’. Jewish people tend not to send cards
Religious people observe 30 days of mourning, or a year for a parent
Show the pupils this slide and ask them why they think Jewish people might cover mirrors allow mourners to only wash in a basic way.
Explain that this is so that mourners concentrate on the person who has died and not on personal vanity.
Encourage the pupils to note how there is a clear cycle of mourning for people who have been bereaved. The word ‘sheloshim’ (thirty) is used for the thirty days of mourning. Religious people do not marry during this time, attend celebratory events or listen to music.

7. What happens when a Jewish person dies?
After a year, there is a tombstone consecration ceremony (stone-setting)
Mourners light a remembrance candle (yahrzeit) for each anniversary
There are no flowers in a Jewish cemetery, people leave a stone on the grave when they have visited
They wash their hands after visiting the cemetery
Cemeteries are not next to synagogues
Show the pupils this slide and ask why a stone might be appropriate to show you have visited a grave.
Explore ideas with the class about God as a rock, and about a permanent memory that someone has visited, rather than flowers that die after a few days.

8. Show your understanding
There are two parts to Jewish mourning. Discuss how these two are shown in the rituals and ceremonies for death.
To show respect for the dead
Show the pupils this slide and encourage them to research the rules for shomerim (watchers) who sit with bodies until they are buried
They should discover, for example, that it is considered inappropriate to eat in front of the body, as they now cannot do this themselves. It is also a great mitzvah to visit the bereaved and offer comfort. As part of their research, pupils could list a number of actions they observe during the week that could count as mitzvot.
To comfort the living

9. Wider meaning Here are some quotations on Judaism and death.
A: “What soap is for the body, tears are for the soul” (Jewish proverb).
B: “To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven” (Ecclesiastes).
C: “Weep for the mourners and not for the dead, for he is gone to his rest and we are left to lament” (Talmud).
Ask the pupils to split into groups and choose which of the quotations on this slide best sums up Jewish attitudes to death.
They could make a list of reasons why they believe this and then each group could try to convince each other why their quotation is most relevant.

10. Exploring teachings
One day King Solomon decided to humble Benaiah Ben Yehoyada, his most trusted minister. He said to him, “Benaiah, there is a certain ring that I want you to bring to me. I wish to wear it for Sukkot which gives you six months to find it.” “If it exists anywhere on earth, your majesty,” replied Benaiah, “I will find it and bring it to you, but what makes the ring so special?” “It has magic powers,” answered the king. “If a happy man looks at it, he becomes sad, and if a sad man looks at it, he becomes happy.” Solomon knew that no such ring existed in the world, but he wished to give his minister a little taste of humility.
Explain that the class is going to hear a story about one of the great kings of the Bible, King Solomon. The story may help them think more deeply about life and death. Perhaps they will share some of King Solomon’s reputed wisdom!
Read the story on these three slides aloud with the pupils.
Pausing the story after each slide to ask pupils to reflect on a question.
Here, you could ask: ‘Why do you think that the King wanted to ‘humble’ his most trusted minister?

11. Spring passed and then summer, and still Benaiah had no idea where he could find the ring. On the night before Sukkot, he decided to take a walk in one of the poorest quarters of Jerusalem. He passed by a merchant who had begun to set out the day’s wares on a shabby carpet. “Have you by any chance heard of a magic ring that makes the happy wearer forget his joy and the broken-hearted wearer forget his sorrows?” asked Benaiah. He watched the grandfather take a plain gold ring from his carpet and engrave something on it. When Benaiah read the words on the ring, his face broke out in a wide smile. That night the entire city welcomed in the holiday of Sukkot with great festivity.
At the end of this slide you could ask pupils to to decide what the words on the ring might say. The words should suit Jewish teachings on life and death.

12. “Well, my friend,” said Solomon, “have you found what I sent you after
“Well, my friend,” said Solomon, “have you found what I sent you after?” All the ministers laughed and Solomon himself smiled.
To everyone’s surprise, Benaiah held up a small gold ring and declared, “Here it is, your majesty!”
As soon as Solomon read the inscription, the smile vanished from his face. The jeweller had written three Hebrew letters on the gold band: gimel, zayin, yud, which began the words “Gam zeh ya’avor” — “This too shall pass.”
At that moment Solomon realized that all his wisdom and fabulous wealth and tremendous power were but fleeting things, for one day he would be nothing but dust.
At the end of the story, you could ask pupils to say what they think the main message of this story is for people today, and to write up what they have learnt about Jewish beliefs, practices and stories related to death.
Learning Outcomes:
- explain how and why Jewish people express their beliefs, values and ideas of spirituality through ceremonies, festivals and other creative ways;
provide good reasons for the views they have and the connections they make.
Some pupils could go on to research other religions’ teachings on death, for example, Christianity, Buddhism and Islam, and see whether this story would be appropriate for them too.