1. Place of worship – The Synagogue
Year 7 - Judaism
Key people
Abraham
Unlike others around him, Abraham worshipped one God. When he was 75, this one God spoke to him and asked him to take his wife and move away from home to a new land.
Abraham was scared to leave, so God promised him lots of children that would become a ‘great nation’, in return Abram was to obey and worship God.
Abraham moved and true to his word, at the age of 90 Abraham’s wife Sarah gave birth to a baby boy and they called him Isaac .
This was the beginning of Judaism.
Moses
After many years Abraham died and a great famine hit his land and people. They had to leave to find new land where they had food and water. They moved to Egypt.
The Pharaohs who ruled Egypt decided to use Abraham’s people (the Israelites) to build their cities. The Israelites became slaves for the Egyptians and God was not pleased.
One day when on the mountain, God spoke to Moses and told him to lead his people out of Egypt and away from slavery.
Moses went and asked the Pharaoh to let his people go, but he refused. God then sent 10 plagues down to persuade Pharaoh to let his people go.
Eventually the Pharaoh agreed. But he then changed his mind and chased them down to the Red Sea.
Moses used God’s power to part the Red Sea and help his people reach safety. The Red Sea then drowned the rest of the Pharaoh’s army and Abraham’s people were eventually free.
Key beliefs
10 Commandments
After Abraham’s people were freed from Egypt, Moses was given 10 rules that the Israelites should follow in order to lead a good life, the way God wanted them to.
E.g. Do not kill, respect your parents, use God’s name with respect and do not lie.
Orthodox Judaism
Religious laws are the word of God and therefore they should stay the same.
People should change to abide by the religious laws, the laws should not change for people.
Men and women must sit separately in the synagogue, you must not drive on the Sabbath.
Reform Judaism
Religious laws should be updated and adapted as society changes.
E.g. Women and men can sit next to each other in the Synagogue, you can drive on the Sabbath.
Key words
Exodus – The Israelites leaving Egypt to live in the desert.
10 Commandments rules given to Moses by God to help guide the Israelites.
Ark – special cupboard where the Torah Scrolls are kept.
Bimah – raised platform on which the Torah is read.
Torah – The Holy book in Judaism.
Torah Scrolls – Special rolls of parchment where the Torah is written.
Yad – Long pointer which is used to follow the words of the Torah.
Sabbath – The holy day of the week for Jews, meaning rest.
Rosh Hashanah – celebration of the Jewish New Year.
Yom Kippur – a special day in the Jewish calendar on which God decides who he is going to forgive.
Synagogue – Jewish place of worship, which also means meeting place.
Rabbi – A teacher of the Jewish faith who leads worship and give religious support.
Place of worship – The Synagogue
The synagogue is where Jews go to worship God. It is also used for:
Celebrations: Important events in a Jew’s life are often celebrated here, e.g. weddings and funerals.
Learning: it is also used for studying Judaism and learning the Torah The Rabbi usually supports and teaches this religious education.
Relaxing: clubs are often held at the Synagogue, for example for the elderly, or for mums and toddlers in the community.
Worship and prayer: on the Sabbath (Saturday) the Jewish community go the synagogue to worship God. This is an important day of the week for Jews.
Charity: many charity activities may take place here to help the community, food may also be provided here for the poor.