Judaism Practices

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  Meaning of public acts of worship:

  • Public worship gives a Jewish person a sense of belonging to a community
  • Some prayers can only be said in a congregation (a group of worshipers)
  • Jews believe worshiping as a group is better than as an individual and gives structure to religious life
  • Weekly worship services take place on Shabbat and special holy days.
  • In Orthodox worship, prayers are said in Hebrew with men and women sat separately whereas reform Jews have mixed seating with prayers said in English
• Importance of public acts of worship

  Community:

  • Jews believe to worship God with all your heart you need to be with other Jewish people as a community
  • Worshiping as a community in the synagogue allows Jews to share great festivals and family celebrations

  Individual:

  • It gives a sense of belonging It gives the opportunity to think about life
  • The sermons from the rabbi may help Jews discover more about their own lives
• Meaning of Tenakh and Talmud

  The Tenakh is the Jewish Bible which contains the…

  • Torah: contains the 613 Mitzvot and Jewish history from creation to the death of Moses
  • Nevi’im: contains books on Jewish history as well as books of the prophets
  • Ketuvim: contains a mixture of history, poetry, philosophy and prophecy.

  The Talmud is the explanation of the Mitzvot:

  • The Torah and Oral Torah together make the halakhah, which was

  written as the Mishneh.

  • Discussions from this were written in the Talmud
• The importance of the Tenakh and Talmud


  The Tenakh is important because:

  • Scripture is an essential part of worship in the synagogue and at festivals
  • Studying it improves a Jewish person’s relationship with God

  The Talmud is important because:

  • It explains the meaning of the 613 Mitzvot and how it should be applied in life

  An example of the Mitzvot are food laws which say certain foods

  cannot be eaten. This provides a sense of identity for Orthodox Jews, but Reform Jews do not always follow them.
• Private Prayer meaning 


  Prayer is communication with God which can be formal (a set prayer) or informal (spontaneous)

  • Formal prayers are written in the Siddur (prayer book)

  Prayer takes place at home:

  • In the morning / at night
  • The Shema is contained in a small box on each doorpost (a mezuzah)
  • Prayer takes place before and after meals
  • Jews should pray formally three times a day:
  • Morning (shacharit), afternoon (minchah) and evening (arvit)
  • Each prayer contains the Shema and Amidah
• Private Prayer Importance

  • Orthodox prayers would be said in Hebrew and men would wear the tallit and tefillin.
  • Reform Jews would pray in English and wearing the tallit and tefillin is optional.

  Jews believe the purpose of

  prayer is to:

  • Serve God with their heart
  • Take the opportunity to talk to God knowing he will listen and respond
  • Prayers stop selfishness
  • Formal prayers give a sense of community
  • Informal prayers build your own relationship with God
• The Shema and the Amidah meaning 


  The Shema starts with “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.”

  This fundamental prayer emphasises:

  • The oneness of God
  • The need to love God
  • The need to follow the Mitzvot and pass them on
  • The covenant
  • The need for mezuzah, tefillin and tallit The Amidah - second most important prayer known as the standing prayer
  • It contains 19 blessings which praise God, asks for blessings and peace, and ends with giving thanks
  • It is said facing Jerusalem
• The Shema and Amidah importance


  The Shema is important because:

  • It expresses faith and trust in God
  • It expresses the belief in one God
  • It is said three times every day
  • Jews touch the Mezuzah every time they enter a room to remind

  themselves of the Shema

  The Amidah is important because:

  • It fulfils the requirements set out by the great rabbis
  • It asks for God to help with both spiritual needs (e.g. forgiveness) and physical needs (e.g. food)
• Birth ceremonies


  • Brit Milah: boys being circumcised at 8 days old
  • Brit Bat: welcoming a girl into the Jewish community
• Coming of age


  • Bar Mitzvah: a boy of 13 becoming a fully responsible male adult
  • Bat Mitzvah: a girl of 12 becoming a fully responsible female adult
• Marriage


  • There is a commandment that all Jews should marry and have children
  • 7 blessing recited
  • Couple stand under canopy - symbolises a new home
• Death and mourning


  • Special prayers are said and actions taken at the end of life
  • There is a prolonged period of mourning
  • Orthodox Jews will cut a piece of clothes in memory of a lost loved one (Genesis)
• Ritual and ceremonies importance 


  Birth ceremonies:

  • Bringing a child into the community means they will be supported in their new life in the Jewish faith
  • Reminds Jews of Abraham.
  • outward sign of the covenant with the almighty

  Coming of age:

  • These ceremonies give young Jewish people the chance to live responsibly and continue the practice of their Jewish faith

  Marriage:

  • Marriage brings two people together in the Jewish faith and provides the opportunity for raising a family

  Death and mourning:

  • Whilst this is a time of grief the rituals bring comfort and the support of the Jewish community
• Shabbat meaning


  • Shabbat literally means to cease from work and remembers God resting on the Seventh day (Saturday)
  • It takes place between the sunsets on Friday and Saturday.
  • Orthodox Jews have 39 categories of work which must be avoided, whereas Liberal Jews have a more relaxed view
  • It begins with the woman of the house lighting a candle to welcome Shabbat into the home
  • The main service of the week takes place in the synagogue with a variety of rituals and prayers
  • More celebrations then take place in the home
• Shabbat importance


  • Observing Shabbat is one of the 10 Commandments
  • It gives Jews a chance to rest and focus on faith
  • It provides the chance to socialise with other Jewish people outside of the pressure of work
  • It is the oldest Jewish festival so links modern Jews with their ancestors
  • It binds the community together
  • The Kiddush prayer sanctifies the wine to symbolise the sweetness of the day
  • The plaited loaves of bread (challot) remind Jews of the bread

  (manna) God provided for them in the desert
• Festivals meaning


  • Rosh Hashanah:

  Jewish new year giving Jews a chance to think about their sins and relationships

  • Yom Kippur:

  A period of fasting 10 days after Rosh Hashanah where Jews reflect on their sins

  • Pesach (Passover):

  Remembering when the Jews freedom from slavery by God through Moses; celebrated with the Seder meal

  • Shavuot:

  Remembering when God was given the Torah on Mount Sinai

  • Sukkot:

  Joyful remembrance of time living in huts in the desert. Families build a hut and celebrate there for five days.
• Festivals importance


  • Rosh Hashanah:

  Jews can acknowledge their faults and promise good behaviour in the new year

  • Yom Kippur:

  It releases Jews from guilt and encourages discipline

  • Pesach:

  There are many rituals linked with Pesach, particular the meal where

  each ingredient represents the story of the Exodus

  • Shavuot:

  The gift of the Torah is the most important thing in Jewish history; the Mitzvot gives Jews spiritual freedom

  • Sukkot:

  It encourages family harmony and links Jews with their ancestors
• Features of a synagogue


  • All synagogues display a Star of David or a menorah (seven-branched candlestick) and will face Jerusalem where the Temple stood.

  Some standard features of synagogues are:

  • A sink at the entrance for spiritual cleansing
  • Aron Hakodesh – the Holy Ark where the Torah scrolls are kept
  • A yad – a pointer for reading so the Torah won’t be touched
  • A bimah – a raised platform for reading the Torah
  • A symbol and / or a real menorah
  • The 10 commandments
• Features of a synagogue importance

  • Most synagogues contain classrooms for learning preparation for ceremonies.

  
  

  Orthodox synagogues:

  • Men and women sit separately so as not to distract one another
  • The rabbi and readers will always be male
  • No music will be played as that is considered work
  • Prayers mostly in Hebrew

  
  

  Reform synagogues:

  • Men and women sit together
  • The rabbi and readers may be female
  • Organ or piano music may be used in worship
  • Prayers mostly in English

  Importance: study, sense of community