RMPS - Int2/Higher - World Religions - Judaism - Education Scotland

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JUDAISM – AN OVERVIEW ‘Progressive’ is the term used to describe the Reform and Liberal movements which have different beliefs and practices. Masorti is the umbrella body that serves the Masorti communities in the UK. This movement did not start in Britain till 1964, but it followed the general principles of the Conservative movement that started in Germany in the mid-19th century and it combines traditional Judaism with modern values. The Masorti communities are often regarded as distinctive from the Progressives as they accept Jewish Law as binding. Whilst the support materials describe in the main the beliefs of Orthodox Judaism, students should remember that there are many Jewish beliefs that are shared by Orthodox, Masorti, Reform and Liberal Judaism. (See section 6, p70.) Central to Jewish ritual observance is the Jewish calendar. This is lunar in organisation, meaning that the months are determined according to the time from one new moon to the next, which is the same time as it takes for the moon to travel round the earth. Since the lunar year consists of approximately 354 days compared to the 365 days of the solar year, it is necessary to adjust the year. This takes the form of an extra month occurring seven times in 19 years. This explains why Jewish festivals fall on different months of the solar calendar each year. While there is some variation in the short term, the lunar calendar is as accurate over a long period of time as the solar calendar. The Jewish festivals The Jewish festivals can be categorised in three groups: • The Jewish New Year and the Day of Atonement. The Days of Awe are so called because they are serious festivals when Jewish people consider their shortcomings in the previous year and try to make amends and to atone for their sins. • The pilgrim festivals. These are Pesach (Passover), Shavuot (Pentecost) and Sukkot (Tabernacles), and are called ‘pilgrim’ festivals because it was on these days that the ancient Israelites were commanded to go on pilgrimage to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices in the temple. These festivals also include harvest festivals. Pesach is an eight-day festival commemorating the exodus from Egypt and it also celebrates the spring barley harvest. Shavuot is the festival of the giving of the law. It commemorates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai and also celebrates the summer wheat harvest. Sukkot is an eight-day festival 4 RMPS: WORLD RELIGIONS – JUDAISM (INT 2, H) © Learning and Teaching Scotland
JUDAISM – AN OVERVIEW that commemorates the wandering in the wilderness and celebrates the autumn fruit harvest. The last day of Sukkot is known as Simchat Torah (the rejoicing of the Law) because this is when the cycle of weekly readings of the Torah is completed and begins again for the next year. It is an occasion of great jollity. No work is permitted on the Days of Awe or the pilgrim festivals, as commanded in the Torah, but work is permitted on the minor festivals because they commemorate events that took place after the Five Books of Moses were written. • The minor festivals. These festivals are based on historical events. The two most important of these are Purim, which commemorates the delivery of the Jews of Persia from an intended massacre at the time of Ahasuerus (Xerxes); and Chanukah, which commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Greek king Antiochus Epiphanes in 165 BCE, allowing them to practise Judaism freely again. It is interesting to speculate that had it not been for this victory neither Judaism nor Christianity would exist to-day. Suggestions for further reading and research • Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews www.somethingjewish.co.uk Click on ‘Judaism Guide’ • Educating for Race Equality – a Toolkit for Scottish Teachers (under Faiths and Festivals) www.antiracisttoolkit.org.uk • Orthodox, Progressive and Masorti Judaism www.faqs.org.faqs/judaism/FAQ/02-Who-We-Are/preamble.html • Masorti/Conservative Judaism www.masorti.org.uk/amasorti.htm • Reform Judaism www.reformjudaism.org.uk RMPS: WORLD RELIGIONS – JUDAISM (INT 2, H) 5 © Learning and Teaching Scotland
Page 1 and 2: Religious, Moral and Philosophical
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS Introduction 1 Section 1:
Page 5 and 6: INTRODUCTION Using these support ma
Page 7: SECTION 1 JUDAISM - AN OVERVIEW The
Page 11 and 12: SECTION 2 What does it mean to be h
Page 13 and 14: The concept and image of God THE HU
Page 15 and 16: THE HUMAN CONDITION He had already
Page 17 and 18: Creation THE HUMAN CONDITION Jews b
Page 19 and 20: Shabbat THE HUMAN CONDITION God res
Page 21 and 22: THE HUMAN CONDITION of the Torah, c
Page 23 and 24: Suggestions for further reading and
Page 25 and 26: THE HUMAN CONDITION Yet, even in ju
Page 27 and 28: SECTION 3 Yetzer Harah and Yetzer T
Page 29 and 30: THE CAUSE OF THE HUMAN CONDITION Su
Page 31 and 32: Suffering is at times inexplicable
Page 33 and 34: SECTION 4 THE GOALS The meaning of
Page 35 and 36: THE GOALS The Shema is the most imp
Page 37 and 38: THE GOALS The meaning of obedience
Page 39 and 40: THE GOALS Activity 17 1. Give the r
Page 43 and 44: Activity 18 1. Read the Ten Command
Page 47 and 48: THE GOALS rest is commentary. Go an
Page 49 and 50: The importance of repentance Repent
Page 51 and 52: Rosh Hashanah THE GOALS Rosh Hashan
Page 53 and 54: Source THE GOALS For the sin that w
Page 55 and 56: 3. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are
Page 57 and 58: SECTION 5 The concept of the Messia
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Olam ha-Bah THE FINAL AIM OF EXISTE
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THE FINAL AIM OF EXISTENCE Genesis
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SECTION 6 The Torah THE MEANS Torah
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THE MEANS The prophetic writings al
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The Ten Commandments THE MEANS The
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Activity 26 THE MEANS (a) Categoris
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THE MEANS fifth century these were
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A page from the Talmud (see Activit
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THE MEANS Theoretically, the term h
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SECTION 7 Moral and social responsi
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THE PRACTICES THAT HELP ACHIEVE THE
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Rites of passage and education Brit
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APPENDIX Glossary APPENDIX Amidah:
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APPENDIX Tanakh: the term for the H
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Useful addresses J E Levingstone (f
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RMPS - Int2/Higher - World Religions - Judaism - Education Scotland

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