Judaism: practises AQA

• Synagogue


  a building for Jewish public prayer
• Beit Knesset


  house of assembly
• What do Jews do in the house of assembly

  prayer, worship and study
• where can Jews pray?


  they can pray anywhere, but there are certain prayers that can only be said in the presence of a minyan
• What is a minyan?

  a quorum of ten men (or in some synagogues, men and women) over the age of 13 required for traditional Jewish public worship.
• what is the difference between an orthodox minyan and a reform minyan?

  in orthodox it is 10 men over the age of 13, in Reform Judaism women can be a part of the minyan
• Beit Tefilah


  house of prayer
• what shape should a synagogue be?

  usually rectangular but there are no rules as to what it needs to be
• what should a synagogue look like inside?

  it should reflect the temple in Jerusalem - sometimes there is a Star of David or menorah

  - stained glass windows
• What is the Star of David?

  symbol of the Jewish religion

  represents the shield of King David
• what is a menorah


  a candelabra with 7 or 9 lights that is used in Jewish worship
• why can idols of humans and animals not be in the synagogue?

  the second of the Ten Commandments stated that you are forbidden to worship anything other than God
• the different names for the synagogue

  Orthodox Jews refer to it as 'Shul' - school of study

  Reform Jews refer to it as temple - replacement for the temple at jerusalem
• objects inside the temple that represent Israel and Jerusalem (4)

  - Torah scrolls

  - Ark (cupboard for scrolls0

  - Men and women are separate

  - Bimah (platform for the Messiah)
• What way does the synagogue always face?

  Towards Jerusalem and if in Jerusalem it faces the Western Wall
• What is the Ner Tamid?

  Everlasting light
• The importance of the synagogue

  - Worship and prayer.

  - Education.

  - Social activities.

  - Charitable events.

  - a place of study

  -
• What is the Prayer Hall?

  a room in a synagogue where jews come together for communal worship and prayer
• What is the Bimah?


  a platform in a synagogue from where the Torah is read
• Aron Hakodesh


  - The Ark. It is the holiest part of the synagogue as it contains the Torah scrolls.

  - situated at the front of the synagogue - set into the wall of Jerusalem

  - reached by climbing up steps - God is above humanity

  - 10 commandments are set above the ark
• What does the Ark and Prayer Hall contain?

  the Torah scrolls, a seat for the rabbi and a pulpit from which the sermons are delivered
• What is a rabbi?


  A Jewish teacher- A holy man
• What is a Chazzan?

  a trained singer who leads the prayers
• What does the Ark represent?

  The ark of the Covenant
• What did the orginal Ark contain?

  it contained the stone tablets that contain the Ten Commandments Moses was given by G-d
• Why are the stone tablets only reachable by stairs?

  it reminds people that G-d is above his people and that the shared Torah is above humanity
• Sefer Torah


  The scroll of the Torah
• When is the Ark open?

  Only during special prayers and when removing the Torah to read during services
• What is the Parochet?

  The curtain that covers the Ark
• Exodus 40:21 Ark


  "screened off the Ark of the Pact - just as the Lord had commanded Moses"
• Public worship


  jews are expected to pray 3 times a day and this often takes place in the synagogue. they are held by a rabbi, a chazzan or a member of the congregation
• Cantor (chazzan)


  A person who leads or chants prayers in the synagogue
• What happens in orthodox synagogue services?

  - the person leading the congregation with have his back facing them, so that he is facing the Ark and prays facing the same direction

  - daily

  - can arrive late and catch up

  - the service is conducted in Hebrew

  - men and women sit separately

  - women sit in the back at the upstairs gallery

  - now it is symbolised with a split with men and women on the same level

  - unaccompanied singing
• why do men and women pray separately?

  so that they can pray and focus on G-d without any sexual thoughts or distractions
• orthodox rabbis description


  - always male

  - wear a kippah - always cover their heads as a sign of respect and fear for G-d
• Reform synagogue service


  - they do not hold daily services

  - men and women sit together

  - women are more equal and perform all rituals traditionally reserved for men

  - the services are shorter but tend to be more structured

  - most men wear a kippah and some women too
• when is the tallit worn?

  in morning prayer
• When is the Tefillin worn?


  on weekdays, some reform men and women wear them too
• What is a "tallit" for?


  It is worn over the shoulders during prayer
• what is a tallit?

  Jewish prayer shawl - made from wool or silk with a long tassel called a tzitzit