Higher Level Powerpoint

• Reminders for exam questions


  • A questions
  • B questions
  • C questions
  • D questions
• A questions


  Make sure you are putting enough detail in to get two marks (revise your definitions)
• B questions


  Two developed points describing and a source
• C questions


  Three developed points explaining and a source (very important to remember or you are capped at 4/8)
• D questions


  • Follow STOTI, spread your argument out as evenly as you can
  • For your 'T' points (strong/weak) you can have two strong/two weak/one of each but make sure you are developing them and including new info
  • For your 'I' point (judgement) make sure it is developed and not just tacked on the end, otherwise you can't get higher than 12
• What can you use for beliefs and teachings in D questions


  • 'Belief in God is the most important belief for Jews'
  • 'The Messiah is the most important belief for Jewish people'
  • 'Abraham is the most important person in Jewish history'
  • 'The Ten Commandments are the most important belief for Jews'
  • 'Jews should always aim to follow the mitzvot'
  • 'Life after death is the most important Jewish belief'
• What can you use for practices in D questions


  • 'The Tanakh is the only form of guidance Jews need'
  • 'The home is the most important place of worship for Jews'
  • 'The synagogue is just a place of worship for Jews'
  • 'Brit Milah is the most important ritual for Jews'
  • 'Shiva is the most important part of Jewish mourning'
  • 'Jewish food laws are out of date'
  • 'Rosh Hashanah is the most important Jewish festival'
• Covenant


  A promise or agreement between two parties. Covenants were made between God with Noah, Abraham and Moses
• Kosher


  ('fit' or 'proper') foods that are permitted to be eaten according to Leviticus chapter 11. It is also used to refer to the purity of ritual objects such as Torah scrolls
• Messiah


  The anointed one who Jews believe will bring in a new era or age for humankind. This will include rebuilding the Temple and bringing in an age of universal peace
• Mitzvot


  The term has a mix of meanings. It is often used to refer to duties (such as the 613 in the Torah) and good deeds
• Shabbat


  Day of spiritual renewal and rest. Beginning at sunset on Friday and closing at nightfall on Saturday
• Shekhinah


  The place where God's presence rests and can be felt
• Synagogue


  House of assembly; a building for Jewish public prayer, study and assembly
• Torah


  The five books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy). Regarded as the holiest books of the Tanakh
• God as One: Monotheism is a central belief in Judaism showing one, indivisible, unique God
• The Shema states, 'The Lord our God is the Lord alone'
• The Shema is recited three times a day, including in the morning and before bed
• The Shema is also contained in the mezuzah on doorframes, Jews touch it as they pass to remind them of God
• In Judaism God is omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent, it reinforces the belief that there is one God alone with these qualities
• Jews respect God by not speaking his name, using the word 'HaShem' meaning 'the Name' instead
• The belief in one God is reinforced through the Commandments, 'you shall have no other Gods besides me', worshiping any other Gods is idolatry and goes against God's will
• Synagogues reflect this belief by containing no statues or images of beings that could lead to them being worshipped; God alone is worshipped
• Judaism teaches God created the world and everything in it
• In Genesis 1 in the Torah, God is an omniscient and transcendent creator, when he creates he does it with order, design and clear purpose
• God's final and must important creation is humanity, 'Let us make man in our image', this teaches Jews they are created in the image and likeness of God, blessed as his special creation
• Humans also have a special role, to be stewards, gifted by God
• The Torah is a source fundamental to Jewish values such as the equality of all humans and care for the environment to pass onto future generations
• Many Jews celebrate God's creation by observing Shabbat, the day of rest which reflects God resting on the seventh day after creation
• Many also celebrate Rosh Hashanah each year as the anniversary of creation, God's gift to humans
• Judaism teaches God wants humans to live in a specific way, so he revealed the Torah to Moses
• The Torah contains the 613 mitzvot (rules/duties) which Moses taught to the Israelites, they form the basis of the Halakah, the code of conduct for Jewish life
• An example is the Ten Commandments which are the basis of Jewish ethics
• Jews think keeping the mitzvot fulfils God's will on earth, helping to develop a close relationship with him, showing their appreciation visibly
• Orthodox Jews try to keep all of the duties laid out in the Torah
• Reform Jews believe the duties need to be adapted to fit into a modern society, so will reinterpret what they mean
• Most Jews will always try to keep the Ten Commandments
• God gives the laws, so therefore will judge individuals on how well they follow the Torah and mitzvot
• As Jews believe God is omniscient, many believe God judges every moment of their lives, so they should strive to do goof and treat others well, as Jewish ethics dictate
• Each person is born with yetzer ha tov (inclination to do good) and yetzer ha ra (inclination to do bad), if they try to keep the mitzvot they will increase their yetzer ha tov and be judged favourably by God