GCE Getting Started - Pearson qualifications
Pearson
Edexcel GCSE
in Religious Studies A
Scheme of Work
Area of Study 2: Judaism
Introduction
This Area of study is comprised of an in-depth study of Judaism as a lived religion in the United Kingdom and throughout the world.
This component is worth 25% of the full course qualification. Students will be assessed by a 50-minute examination paper, which is out of 51 marks.
There are two sections in the specification content:
1. Beliefs and Teachings
2. Practices
Students will be expected to study Judaism within the context of the wider British society, the religious traditions of which are, in the main, Christian. Students should compare and contrast two areas of belief and practice within Christianity and Judaism:
● Beliefs about the afterlife and their significance (1.8) *
● The practice and significance of worship (2.4) *.
Students should recognise that Judaism is one of the many religious traditions in Great Britain, which include Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Sikhism. This knowledge may be applied throughout the assessment of the specified content. Students should also recognise that within Judaism there may be more than one perspective in the way beliefs and teachings are understood and expressed. Common and divergent views within Judaism in the way beliefs and teachings are understood and expressed should be included throughout, including reference to Orthodox, Reform and Liberal traditions.
The significance and importance of the various beliefs and practices to Jews today should be explored throughout the two sections.
The learning sequence outlined in this Scheme of Work provides a framework for this component of the GCSE. The timings assume a GCSE course studied over two years, but it can be adapted for a three-year GCSE course. This can be used to develop students’ understanding of religious beliefs in order to be able to respond to the issues that are studied in later sections. The approach places the emphasis on the students developing their knowledge and understanding of religious beliefs and teachings, enabling them to assess and analyse these beliefs and teachings and thus meet the assessment objectives AO1 and AO2.
This Scheme of Work can be used alongside or to complement other materials which are available on our website. The teaching ideas and resources are suggestions only and not prescriptive. Third-party websites are subject to change, and teachers should check the content before sharing with students.
Section 1: Beliefs and Teachings
|Week |Section |Learning outcomes |Suggested content |Exemplar resources |
| |Bullet | | | |
|1 |Section 1:1 |Students will be able to show knowledge |Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the nature and |Lesson Activity Idea 1 |
| | |and understanding of: |characteristics of God within the tradition of Judaism, with |Students may reflect on what attributes make them ‘them’. How would |
| | |The nature of the Almighty |reference to sources of authority (AO1) |their parents describe them? How would their best friend describe them? |
| | |How the characteristics of the Almighty | |What are their most important characteristics, without which, they just |
| | |are shown in the Torah |(The following Torah quotes are not essential knowledge but are there|wouldn’t be them? |
| | |Why these characteristics are important |as examples and as suggestions.) |Then, in groups, students can look at one of the different attributes of|
| | |in Jewish life today |Students should be introduced to ideas such as: |the Almighty. Would they want to be described in this way? Are these |
| | |The idea of The Almighty as One, Creator,|The Almighty is the Judge (Psalm 82:1-3) |positive characteristics? Does The Almighty need to have these |
| | |Law-Giver and Judge, including reference |The Almighty is merciful who will forgive (Deuteronomy 7:12) |characteristics to be ‘The Almighty’? |
| | |to Genesis 2 |The Almighty is the Law-Giver (Exodus 15:26) |This can lead on to a discussion about why The Almighty does not abuse |
| | | |The Almighty is the Creator (Isaiah 40:28) |his attributes e.g. what makes him so different from humans and |
| | | |The Almighty is our Father (Genesis 26:24) |therefore worthy of worship? |
| | | |Creation account from the Jewish tradition (Genesis 1 & 2) | |
| | | |Keep in mind each of the beliefs will each be studied in depth in the|Lesson Activity Idea 2 |
| | | |next weeks. This week’s lessons should study where these beliefs |Students may compare the Genesis 1 account with the Genesis 2 account. |
| | | |originated (with reference to the five Books of Moses) and why they |The class could be split into two teams and students arranged in mixed |
| | | |are important in Jewish life today. |ability or mixed reading age groups according to Kagan Cooperative |
| | | | |Learning strategies in which to read and discuss their verse: |
| | | |Students should be given the opportunity to summarise the main |What do these verses tell us about the attributes of the Almighty and |
| | | |beliefs. |how do these attributes differ in the two passages? |
| | | |Students should be able to refer to an example from the Torah and |How is creation shown differently in the two passages? |
| | | |know how the text links to Jewish beliefs about The Almighty. |Can either of the two passages be reconciled with scientific accounts of|
| | | |Students may develop their understanding of Jewish ideas about the |the creation of the universe? How? |
| | | |Almighty by comparing the Almighty’s attributes in different books |How are men and women shown in these passages? Does this differ in |
| | | |from the Torah – opportunity for discussion: What sort of God is the |Genesis 1 to Genesis 2? How may this reflect in modern Jewish society |
| | | |Almighty of Judaism? |and the place of men and women within the religion? |
| | | | | |
| | | |Know and understand how beliefs about the Almighty are expressed in |Lesson Activity Idea 3 |
| | | |Jewish communities today (AO1) |Philosophy for Children debate surrounding controversial questions e.g. |
| | | |Students should be able to know how each of the beliefs relate to |‘The Almighty set Adam and Eve up to fail – discuss’ or ‘The Genesis |
| | | |worship, their view of authority, moral decision making and |account of the Almighty’s creation and science can never be reconciled’.|
| | | |lifestyle. |Give students a stimulus e.g. a picture/video clip/quote which will |
| | | | |start off their discussion. Give out a pack of playing cards so that |
| | | |Assess and analyse the importance and modern relevance of these |each student gives a card in when they give their opinion – this way, |
| | | |beliefs for Jewish people (AO2) |everyone has to contribute! |
| | | |Students should assess why the beliefs are important and link the | |
| | | |importance to how the beliefs are expressed e.g. How the name of God | |
| | | |is not written or pronounced in full by Jewish people – how does this| |
| | | |reflect their view about God? | |
|2 |Section 1:2 |Students will be able to show knowledge |Know and understand the nature and importance of Shekhinah (AO1) |Lesson Activity Idea 1 |
| | |and understanding of: |Shekhinah is the English transliteration of a Hebrew noun meaning |Pupils may be given scriptural examples of direct revelation from the |
| | |The nature and importance of Shekhinah |‘dwelling’ or ‘settling’ and denotes the dwelling or settling of the |Almighty (Exodus) to compare with the lack of modern day experiences of |
| | |How the divine presence is shown in the |divine presence of the Almighty and his cosmic glory. This exact term|direct revelation. They may be asked to question why this seems less |
| | |Torah and why it is important |does not occur in the Hebrew Bible and is first encountered in |frequent, if not obsolete. What does this mean for the concept of |
| | |interpretations of 2 Chronicles 7:1–3 |rabbinic literature. |Shekhinah? |
| | |The divergent understandings of Shekhinah|Divine presence is shown as real and direct in the Torah. Students | |
| | |found in different forms of Orthodox |should have the opportunity to discuss the meaning of this direct |Lesson Activity Idea 2 |
| | |Judaism |revelation and compare with modern day examples of revelation, such |One of the interpretations of Shekinah is that the Almighty is too |
| | |The importance of these beliefs for Jews |as scriptural examples, compared with the modern day creation of |awesome to be directly seen by man (Exodus 33). |
| | |today |Israel as divine revelation realised. |A good resource to demonstrate this to students is in the ‘Ten |
| | | |Students should have the opportunity to interpret and discuss varying|Commandments’ animated film which depicts the story of Moses during the |
| | | |interpretations of 2 Chronicles 7:1-3. |exodus from Egypt and afterwards, including his interactions with the |
| | | |Divergent understandings of Shekhinah could include interpretations |Almighty which lead to him receiving the Ten Commandments (Ten Sayings).|
| | | |from the tradition of Kabbalah: Kabbalah refers to the Shekhinah as a|This can be found on YouTube by searching for ‘The Ten Commandments |
| | | |feminine, Jewish divine presence. In Kabbalah the Shekhinah is |(2009) - Bible Animated Movie HD’ |
| | | |referred to as 'the daughter of God'. She is said to be like the moon| |
| | | |in reflecting divine light into the world. Similarly, in a foundation|Lesson Activity Idea 3 |
| | | |book of Kabbalah, the female Shekhinah is said to play an essential |Students should be given the opportunity and resources with which to |
| | | |role in the conception and birth of Moses. |question the divergent interpretations of Shekhinah in other sects of |
| | | |Know and understand how the understandings of Shekhinah are reflected|Judaism, such as Kabbalah. Celebrity followers of the tradition (e.g. |
| | | |in Jewish communities today (AO1) |Madonna, Ashton Kutcher and Ariana Grande) could be used as a ‘hook’ for|
| | | |Students should be able to know how each of the beliefs relate to |students at the start of the lesson. |
| | | |worship, their view of authority, moral decision making and |Students should question whether the concept of Shekhinah in Kabbalah is|
| | | |lifestyle. |anthropomorphic or rather, allows a personal relationship with the |
| | | | |Almighty as a more ‘approachable’ figure than what is portrayed in many |
| | | |Assess and analyse the importance of these beliefs for Jews (AO2) |Torah verses. |
| | | |Students should assess why the beliefs are important and link the | |
| | | |importance to how the beliefs are expressed. | |
|3 |Section 1:3 |Students will be able to show knowledge |Know and understand the nature and purpose of the Messiah (AO1): |Information and Jewish teachings about the Messiah can be found in |
| | |and understanding of: |Students must understand the term ‘Messiah’ and be able to apply it |various places including: mashiach.htm#When |
| | |The nature and purpose of the Messiah |to exam paper questions. |Orthodox teachings on the Messiah can be found in various places |
| | |How messiahship is shown in the |Students must show understanding of the predictions of the coming of |including: moshiach.html#axzz4DRg4vSw8 |
| | |scriptures including Jeremiah 23:5–8 |the Messiah within Torah literature. |Reform teachings on the Messiah can be found in various places |
| | |The nature and significance of the |Orthodox view: Torah commentary by Maimonides explains the verse |including: |
| | |Messianic Age and the Jewish |describing the days of the coming of the Messiah (11:6): "The wolf |article/the-messianic-concept-in-reform-judaism|
| | |responsibility to bring it about |will dwell with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down with the |/ |
| | |Divergent understandings of the Messiah |young goat". Maimonides explains: this is a parable, meaning that the| |
| | |in different forms of Orthodox and Reform|Jewish people will dwell securely together with their enemies who are|Lesson Activity Idea 1 |
| | |Judaism |likened to wolves and leopards. |Students could compare Jewish scriptural descriptions of the Messiah to |
| | |The importance of these beliefs for | |modern day examples such as Benny Hinn, who believes himself to be the |
| | |Jewish people today |Reform view: Reform Judaism views Messianic teachings as closely |Messiah. Clips of Hinn can be found on YouTube. |
| | | |related to Zionism (the belief in the Jewish exodus back to Israel), |Lesson Activity Idea 2 |
| | | |rather than the literal scriptural interpretation of the Orthodox |Students could be given the opportunity to study the concept of Zionism |
| | | |tradition. |and the Palestine-Israel conflict. This may show them how Jewish |
| | | | |scripture and reform theology about the Messiah can be relevant to |
| | | |Know and understand how the nature and purpose of the Messiah are |modern day Jews. |
| | | |shown in the scriptures and how these beliefs are interpreted by | |
| | | |different denominations of Judaism (AO1) |Lesson Activity Idea 3 |
| | | |Students should be able to give examples of where this is illustrated|Based on the criteria of the coming of the Messiah – this gives more |
| | | |in the Torah: |meaning to the observance of Shabbat for Jews (a brief study of Shabbat |
| | | |The idea of Messiah is an ancient one in Judaism |may be helpful at this point). |
| | | |The Jewish idea of Messiah is a great human leader like King David |Students should question why many Jews believe the Messiah is imminent |
| | | |There is much speculation about when the Messiah will come |based on the behaviour of the youth in modern day Britain e.g. |
| | | |The Tenakh identifies several tasks that the Messiah will accomplish |crime/religious observance/respect of parents etc. |
| | | | | |
| | | |Assess and analyse the significance of the Messianic Age for Jews and| |
| | | |why this is still important today (AO2) | |
| | | |Students should attempt to question the Jewish theories about the | |
| | | |future coming of the Messiah and what this means to modern day Jews. | |
| | | | | |
| | | |It has been suggested that the Jewish Messiah will come if: | |
| | | |Israel repented a single day | |
| | | |Israel observed a single Shabbat properly | |
| | | |Israel observed two Shabbats in a row properly | |
| | | |There was a generation that was totally innocent or totally guilty | |
| | | |There was a generation that lost hope | |
| | | |There was a generation where children were totally disrespectful | |
| | | |towards their parents and elders. | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
|4 |Section 1:4 |Students will be able to show knowledge |Know and understand the importance of the covenant for Jews (AO1) |Lesson Activity Idea 1 |
| | |and understanding of: |Students need to discuss the implications of the covenant on modern |Read and discuss Exodus 20. |
| | |The Covenant at Sinai |day Judaism. | |
| | |The nature and history of the Covenant at|‘The Prince of Egypt’ film demonstrates the importance of the |This may inform Jewish beliefs and practice in the modern day as the |
| | |Sinai (the Ten Commandments) |covenant between the Almighty and the Jewish people very well. |teachings focus on not worshipping other gods. This can be interpreted |
| | |This topic must include a study of Exodus| |as having a love of other vices of modern day society which Jews may |
| | |20 |Assess and analyse what the role of Moses in the Covenant at Sinai |choose to avoid e.g. money/fashion/alcohol/drugs/politicians/monarchies |
| | |The role and significance of Moses in the|teaches Jews (AO2) |etc. Anything which may lead Jewish people away from the Almighty and |
| | |Covenant at Sinai |Students need to recognise the role of Moses in the covenant with the|their faith could potentially be seen as sinful. |
| | |Divergent understandings of how and why |Almighty. | |
| | |the Decalogue is important in Jewish life| | |
| | |today | | |
| | | | | |
| | | |Evaluate how and why the Decalogue is still important to Jewish life |Lesson Activity Idea 2 |
| | | |today (AO2) |The mention of ‘displaying grace to the thousandth generation’ also |
| | | |Students must have an understanding on different Jewish views on the |shows that the Decalogue remains relevant to Jews for the modern day and|
| | | |Decalogue and its importance in modern Jewish life e.g. Kabbalah’s |far into the future. |
| | | |‘tree-of-life’ interpretation of the Ten Commandments and their | |
| | | |relevance. |Lesson Activity Idea 3 |
| | | | |The denomination of Kabbalah links the Ten Commandments to their |
| | | | |‘tree-of-life’ theology. |
|5 |Section 1:5 |Students will be able to show knowledge |Know and understand the covenant with Abraham and his descendants |Lesson Activity Idea 1 |
| | |and understanding of: |(AO1) |Information on the covenant can be found on the BBC website. |
| | |The covenant with Abraham and his |Students should know some examples from scripture which describe the |bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/history/firstcovenant.shtml |
| | |descendants |covenant between Abraham and the Almighty. | |
| | |The nature and history of the Abrahamic | |Lesson Activity Idea 2 |
| | |covenant |Explain the role of Abraham in the covenant, including an |Students may use a clip from Kids’ Club ‘God's Story – Abraham’ to |
| | |The role of Abraham in the covenant, |understanding of references from Genesis 17 (AO1) |create a timeline of events in the lives of Sarah and Abraham – what is |
| | |including Genesis 17 |Students should read Genesis 17 as a basis for their understanding of|significant about what they went through? The clip can be found on |
| | |Why the Promised Land covenanted to |the role of Abraham in the covenant. |YouTube. |
| | |Abraham and his descendants, is still | | |
| | |important for Jews today |Assess and analyse the importance of the Promised Land to Jews today |Lesson Activity Idea 3 ic/Zionism |
| | | |(AO2) |Students may use similar websites to study the concept of Zionism, |
| | | |Students should have an understanding of Jewish teachings of Zionism |paired with an understanding of the Palestine-Israel conflict and |
| | | |and the creation of Israel after the Holocaust. |compare evidence from both the Palestinian and Israeli sides of the |
| | | | |debate. |
|6 |Section 1:6 |Students will be able to show knowledge |Know and understand Jewish teachings on the sanctity of life (AO1) |Lesson Activity Idea 1 |
| | |and understanding of: |Use the Torah (Genesis accounts) to explain how nature was created by|Ask students to discuss the concept of Pikuach Nefesh in pairs and then |
| | |Teachings on the sanctity of life |the Almighty to worship and obey Him. |use either a list, spider diagram or mind map to record ideas about the |
| | |The nature and importance of Pikuach | |Pikuach Nefesh and how this relates to modern day ethical decision |
| | |Nefesh (primacy of life) |Students should understand Old Testament references to free will. |making. |
| | |Why human life is considered holy by |Students need to discuss what angels are and why they are important | |
| | |Jewish people | |Lesson Activity Idea 2 |
| | |How life is shown as special and taking |Know and understand how Jewish people put their beliefs and practices|Students could do a Webquest activity to research Jewish views on the |
| | |precedence over everything, including |about the sanctity of life into practice (AO1) |sanctity of life and how they can be applied to a number of modern day |
| | |Talmud Yoma 83–84 |In Judaism, human life is essential and so Pikuach Nefesh, the |ethical issues e.g. abortion/ euthanasia/ organ donation/ IVF. There is |
| | |Divergent understandings of how and why |obligation to save a life in jeopardy, is considered a major value to|helpful information with specific reference to these issues from a |
| | |the principle of Pikuach Nefesh is |uphold. This obligation applies to both an immediate threat and a |Jewish perspective on the BBC website. |
| | |applied by Jews today. |less grave danger that has the potential of becoming serious. Pikuach|bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/jewishethics/abortion_1.shtml |
| | | |Nefesh is derived from the biblical verse, “Neither shall you stand | |
| | | |by the blood of your neighbour” (Lev. 19:16). According to Pikuach |Lesson Activity Idea 3 |
| | | |Nefesh a person must do everything in their power to save the life of|Students could look at case studies of people who have saved the lives |
| | | |another, even donate bodily organs. |of others and put their own lives at risk in the process (links to the |
| | | | |obligation to save a life in jeopardy). This could be made relevant to |
| | | |Analyse and assess the significance of Pikuach Nefesh for Jews today |non-Jews through modern examples from films e.g. Superman in 2016 film |
| | | |(AO2) |‘Batman vs. Superman’. |
| | | |Students should discuss whether these teachings could have any | |
| | | |importance for non-Jews and if so for whom and why. E.g. How | |
| | | |teachings on Pikuach Nefesh (the obligation to save a life in | |
| | | |jeopardy) effect Jewish beliefs on organ donation/abortion/euthanasia| |
| | | |etc. Plus the fact that, to support life, all but three of the 613 | |
| | | |Mitzvot can be broken (idolatry, incest and adultery). | |
|7 |Section 1:7 |Students will be able to show knowledge |Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of moral principles and the |Lesson Activity Idea 1 |
| | |and understanding of: |Mitzvot for Jewish people (AO1) |Information about the Mitzvot can be found on websites such as: |
| | |Moral principles and the Mitzvot |Students should be aware that the Mitzvot are 613 commandments taught|613.htm |
| | |The nature and importance of the Mitzvot,|within the Jewish tradition. They are the grounding of many Jewish |jsource/Judaism/613_mitzvot.html |
| | |including reference to the Mishneh Torah |moral principles. | |
| | |of Maimonides: Sefer Madda |The most accepted list of the 613 Mitzvot is Maimonides' list in his |Lesson Activity Idea 2 |
| | |The importance of the relationship |Mishneh Torah. In the introduction to the first book of the Mishneh |Ask students to discuss in small groups how they feel life might or |
| | |between keeping the Mitzvot and free will|Torah, Maimonides lists all of the positive Mitzvot and all of the |might not be affected by the Mitzvot. |
| | | |negative Mitzvot, then proceeds to divide them up into subject matter|Introduce the concept of the Almighty’s judgement and ask students to |
| | |The Mitzvot between humans and the |categories (see link). |discuss whether Jews need free will to go against the Mitzvot so that |
| | |Almighty, and between humans |Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the relationship between |they can be judged accordingly. |
| | |Divergent understandings of the |keeping the Mitzvot and free will (AO1) |Students should summarise the discussions in the way they feel most |
| | |importance of the Mitzvot between the |One of the commandments is “Not to intermarry with gentiles” (Deut. |suitable, such as a written paragraph or a table of the different |
| | |Almighty and humans, and between humans, |7:3). Gentiles are non-Jews or non-believers. Students should |arguments. |
| | |for Jewish life today. |understand how this commandment and others of the 613 could be seen | |
| | | |to affect free will and how Jews prevent this from happening. | |
| | | | | |
| | | |Analyse and assess the implications of divergent beliefs in the | |
| | | |Mitzvot for Jews today (AO2) | |
| | | |Jewish mystics believe that the two primary purposes of observing the| |
| | | |Mitzvot are to connect the soul to its source in the Sefirot and to |Lesson Activity Idea 3 |
| | | |restore the intrinsic unity within the Sefirot through ritual |Students should attempt an exam style question. Sample Assessment |
| | | |actions. These two functions, the unitive and restorative, permeate |Materials can be used for example question papers. |
| | | |every aspect of Jewish mystical approaches to religious life. | |
| | | |The Sefirot are ten modes or attributes through which the Almighty | |
| | | |manifests Himself. The Sefirot are not the Almighty and should not be| |
| | | |worshipped, but they are the medium through which specific qualities | |
| | | |and attributes can be ascribed to the Almighty. | |
|8 |Section 1.8* |Students will be able to show knowledge |Know and understand Jewish teachings about life after death (AO1) |Lesson Activity Idea 1 |
| | |and understanding of: |the nature of judgement |Torah study: The notion of resurrection appears in two late biblical |
| | |Jewish beliefs about life after death |heaven |sources, Daniel 12 and Isaiah 25-26. Students can be encouraged to read |
| | |Divergent Jewish understandings of the |hell |these two sources along with Ecclesiastes 12. |
| | |nature and significance of life after | | |
| | |death, including reference to different |Know and understand how life after death is shown in the Torah (AO1) |Lesson Activity Idea 2 |
| | |forms of Orthodox and Reform Judaism |Students should have knowledge of the verses of the Torah which |Create questions for a Webquest using websites such as: |
| | |Jewish teachings about life after death, |mention teachings about life after death with reference to |olamhaba.htm |
| | |including interpretations of Ecclesiastes|Ecclesiastes 12 and any other relevant sources (see exemplar | |
| | |12 |resources). | |
| | |The nature of resurrection and judgement |Students should understand the different interpretations of these |Lesson Activity Idea 3 |
| | |Why belief in life after death may be |textual references by Orthodox and Reform traditions: There is clear |Ask students to research Gan Eden and Gehinnom – what would their |
| | |important for Jews today |evidence in the Torah of belief in existence after death. The Torah |version of heaven and hell look like? |
| | |*Compare and contrast Jewish and |indicates in several places that the righteous will be reunited with |Compare and contrast the Jewish beliefs about the afterlife with those |
| | |Christian beliefs about the afterlife |their loved ones after death, while the wicked will be excluded from |of Christianity. The scheme of work for Christianity will provide |
| | | |this reunion. |example activities and lesson ideas. |
| | | |Students should also have an understanding of Jewish teachings on | |
| | | |resurrection. | |
| | | | | |
| | | |Assess and analyse how Jewish teachings about life after death affect| |
| | | |the lives of Jewish people (AO2) | |
| | | |How Jewish people act due to their beliefs about resurrection and | |
| | | |judgement e.g. observance of Jewish laws/Mitzvot/dietary requirements| |
| | | |etc. | |
| | | |Jewish views of ‘sin’ in the modern world and how to live their lives| |
| | | |without sin. | |
Section 2: Practices
|Week |Section |Learning outcomes |Content |Exemplar resources |
| |Bullet | | | |
|1 |Section 2:1 |Students will be able to show knowledge and|Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the nature and purpose of |Lesson Activity Idea 1 |
| | |understanding of: |Jewish public acts of worship (AO1) |Students may be given a Webquest task to research different forms of |
| | |The nature and purpose of Jewish public |Students should be introduced to ideas such as: |Jewish worship and expression. They can use useful websites such as |
| | |acts of worship |Observant Jews are expected to recite three prayers daily and more on|the BBC website and worship/judaism. |
| | |The nature, features and purpose of Jewish |the Sabbath and Jewish holidays. | |
| | |public worship, including interpretations |While solitary prayer is valid, attending synagogue to pray with a |Lesson Activity Idea 2 |
| | |of Psalm 116:12–19 |minyan (quorum of 10 adult males) is considered ideal. |Students may analyse the content of Psalm 116:12-19 and what it |
| | |The nature, features and importance of | |prescribes for public Jewish worship. |
| | |synagogue services for the Jewish community|Know and understand how worship is expressed in the Torah (AO1) |You could split the class into two teams and arrange students in mixed|
| | |and the individual |Psalm 116:12-19 and what it prescribes for public Jewish worship: “I |ability or mixed reading age groups according to Kagan Cooperative |
| | | |will fulfil my nederim (vows) now in the presence of all His people.”|Learning strategies in which to read and discuss their verse. |
| | | | |What does this verse tell us about the way Jews should worship? |
| | | |Assess and analyse the importance and modern relevance of synagogue |Is this passage accurately interpreted by the different denominations |
| | | |services for the Jewish community (AO2) |of Judaism in the way they worship? |
| | | |The use of Hebrew is most often used in an Orthodox service and the | |
| | | |least in Reform services, and services in Reform temples also tend to|Lesson Activity Idea 3 |
| | | |be shorter than those held in Orthodox shuls and Conservative |Visit a local Orthodox synagogue and Reform synagogue to compare their|
| | | |synagogues. Many synagogues have a hazzan (cantor) who is a |beliefs on Jewish acts of public worship. |
| | | |professional or lay-professional singer employed for the purpose of | |
| | | |leading the congregation in prayer. | |
| 2 |Section 2:2 |Students will be able to show knowledge and|Know and understand the nature and importance of Jewish law in the |Lesson Activity Idea 1 |
| | |understanding of: |Tenakh and the Talmud (AO1) |Students can use this website to research the differences between the |
| | |The Tenakh and the Talmud |The Tanakh is the Hebrew Bible (Torah) containing 24 books. It is |written and oral laws. |
| | |The nature, features, purpose and |referred to as the Written Law and the belief is that God dictated |
| | |significance of the Tenakh (the written |the Bible to the writers word for word. There is a three-fold |rity-judaism/ |
| | |law) and Talmud (the oral law) for Jews in |division to the Tanakh: Torah, Prophets and Writings. | |
| | |daily life today, with reference to Perkei | |Lesson Activity Idea 2 |
| | |Avot 2 |The Talmud is a commentary on the Mishnah (The Mishnah is referred to|Pupils could be asked to write down everything they eat in one day (a |
| | |The nature and purpose of Jewish laws: food|as the Oral Law). It is believed that the oral law was given at the |food diary for homework) and then have to analyse which meals would be|
| | |laws, kashrut, including kosher, and |same time as the written law on Mount Sinai and was given to Moses |kosher and which would not – how much would this change their daily |
| | |treifah and the separation of dairy and |but not written down until about 220 B.C.E.). The Talmud is a great |life if they were to abide by Jewish food laws? |
| | |meat, including reference to Deuteronomy |fund of Jewish religious experience and wisdom accumulated throughout|Pupils should be given a list of kosher foods and create a menu for a |
| | |14:3–10 |the course of the ages. The Talmud ranks next to the Sacred |special occasion which could be eaten by a Jewish person. |
| | |The divergent implications of the Jewish |Scriptures in significance as a source for religious insight, | |
| | |food laws for Jews today. |inspiration and practice, and will instruct the last generations of | |
| | | |mankind. | |
| | | | | |
| | | |Know and understand how Jewish laws are reflected in Jewish | |
| | | |communities today (AO1) |Lesson Activity Idea 3 |
| | | |Both the written and oral laws in Judaism are still upheld in the |Analyse Deuteronomy 14:3-10. |
| | | |Jewish communities of today, both in the synagogue, daily worship and|Do you think kosher food laws accurately represent what it says in the|
| | | |laws. For example, food laws which affect the daily lives of modern |Torah? Are these practices relevant for modern day Jews or should they|
| | | |Jews. |be abandoned as they are outdated? |
| | | | | |
| | | |Assess and analyse the importance and implications of Jewish food | |
| | | |laws, including those from divergent traditions (AO2) | |
| | | |The Talmud and Tenakh are not awarded the same importance in some | |
| | | |sects of Judaism, such as in Kabbalah, where the Zohar takes | |
| | | |precedence. | |
| | | |Students should understand some divergent beliefs about Jewish food | |
| | | |laws e.g. The founder of Chabad also instituted various rulings, | |
| | | |including the use of stainless steel knives for the slaughter of | |
| | | |animal before human consumption, which is now universally accepted in| |
| | | |all sects of Judaism. | |
|3 |Section 2:3 |Students will be able to show knowledge and|Know and understand the nature and purpose of prayer in the home and |Lesson Activity Idea 1 |
| | |understanding of: |private prayer (AO1): |Students should try and interpret Psalm 55:16-23 “Evening, morning, |
| | |The nature and purpose of prayer in the |The Talmud defines prayer as ‘the service of the heart’, suggesting |and at noon, I will cry out in distress. He will hear my voice.” |
| | |home and of private prayer |that prayer should be an expression of the deepest feelings and |Do they come up with different ideas about what this means? How do we |
| | |The nature, features and purpose of prayer |longings of the soul. |know what the ‘right’ interpretation of religious text is? |
| | |three times a day |Prayer is not just for synagogues. Prayer with the community is | |
| | |The importance of having different forms of|highly valued, but individual prayer is also encouraged. Many Jews |Lesson Activity Idea 2 |
| | |prayers, including interpretations of Psalm|recite the Shema when they go to bed at night and pray to the |Students can use the BBC website to research Jewish teachings on |
| | |55:16–23 |Almighty when they wake up in the morning. |praying three times a day. |
| | | | |bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/worship/prayer_1.shtml |
| | | |Know and understand the purpose of prayer three times a day (AO1) | |
| | | |Students should be able to give examples of where this is illustrated| |
| | | |in the Torah e.g. understand the meaning of Psalm 55:16-23. | |
| | | | | |
| | | |Assess and analyse the importance of having different forms of | |
| | | |prayers (AO2) | |
| | | |A beautiful statement found in Midrash Tehillim teaches: “When you | |
| | | |pray, pray in the synagogue of your city; if you are unable to pray | |
| | | |in the synagogue, pray in your field; if you are unable to pray in | |
| | | |your field, pray in your home; if you are unable to pray in your | |
| | | |home, pray on your couch; and, if you are unable to pray on your | |
| | | |couch, meditate in your heart. This is the meaning of the verse: | |
| | | |‘Commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still.’” | |
| | | |prayer-and-liturgy | |
|4 |Section 2:4* |Students will be able to show knowledge and|Know and understand the nature and importance of the Shema and the |Lesson Activity Idea 1 |
| | |understanding of: |Amidah (AO1) |Students should be asked for one idea or characteristic which makes |
| | |The nature and importance of the Shema and |Students must understand the Shema as a declaration of faith in one |them who they are. What is the most important belief they hold? As a |
| | |the Amidah (the standing prayer) |God which must be recited in the morning and at night. This is a |class it could be discussed why these beliefs are so important and how|
| | |When the Shema and the Amidah might be |separate obligation from praying. |we show that they are important e.g. a love of football would be shown|
| | |used, how and why, including reference to |The Amidah counts towards the Jewish obligation to pray. It is the |in regularly going to football matches etc. Whereas, a love of the |
| | |the Mezuzah |central prayer of all four services in the day: morning, afternoon, |Almighty could be shown in the recitation of the Shema and the |
| | |The importance of having the Shema and the |evening, and any additional. The word Amidah literally means |fulfilment of the Amidah. (From the known to the unknown). |
| | |Amidah for Jews today, including reference |‘standing’, because it is recited while standing. It can sometimes be| |
| | |to Deuteronomy 6:4 |referred to as tefilah (prayer) because it is the most important |Lesson Activity Idea 2 |
| | |Compare and contrast Jewish and Christian |Jewish prayer. |Analysis of Deuteronomy 6.4 “Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God. Yahweh |
| | |beliefs around the practice and | |is one.” Question why the Shema is such an important belief to Jews |
| | |significance of worship |Assess when the Shema and Amidah might be used and why (AO2) |and when students think it would be important to recite it during the |
| | | |Students need to recognise the importance of the times when the Shema|day and in life in general. |
| | | |is recited – why is it particularly relevant in the morning and |Compare and contrast the Jewish beliefs about worship with those of |
| | | |before they go to sleep? |Christianity. The Scheme of Work for Christianity will provide example|
| | | | |activities and lesson ideas |
| | | |Evaluate how and why the Shema and Amidah are still important to | |
| | | |Jewish life today (AO2) | |
| | | |Students must have an understanding of why the Shema and Amidah are | |
| | | |still important to Jews today, with reference to the Torah. | |
|5 |Section 2:5 |Students will be able to show knowledge and|Know and understand the features and purpose of several different |Lesson Activity Idea 1 |
| | |understanding of: |Jewish rituals (AO1) |Students should have an opportunity to read and understand how rituals|
| | |The importance of ritual for Jews today |Students should have an understanding of rituals in: |are referred to in the Torah e.g. Genesis 21:1-8. |
| | |The nature, features and purpose of the |The Birth ceremony e.g. Brit Milah | |
| | |birth, marriage, Bar and Bat Mitzvah |Marriage ceremonies |Lesson Activity Idea 2 |
| | |ceremonies, including interpretations of |Bar Mitzvahs |Students should question the interpretations of Leviticus 12. |
| | |Genesis 21:1–8 and Leviticus 12 |Bat Mitzvahs |Students should question whether all of the Torah should be |
| | |The nature, purpose and importance of | |interpreted literally and question why some parts are, and other parts|
| | |mourning ceremonies |Explain the distinct importance of the funeral, shiva, avelut and |are used in a symbolic manner. |
| | |The distinct importance of the funeral, |yahrzeit for Jews today (AO1) | |
| | |shiva, avelut and yahrzeit for Jews today |Shiva is the week-long mourning period which takes place after the |Lesson Activity Idea 3 |
| | |Divergent understandings of the importance |death of a first-degree relative e.g. spouse, father, mother, |Students should use useful websites about the Jewish rituals |
| | |of each ritual for different forms of |brother, sister etc. |surrounding death and mourning and could compare these to the rituals |
| | |Orthodox and Reform Judaism today |Avelut is the Hebrew word for mourning, which consists of three |of the second religion they are studying – they could create a table |
| | | |periods: Shiva, sheloshim and the year of mourning. |listing what is similar and what is different. |
| | | |Yahrzeit is translated to mean “time of year.” In Judaism, there is a| |
| | | |focus on carrying on the memory of those before us from generation to| |
| | | |generation. The Yahrzeit is the day one year following the death of a| |
| | | |loved one as calculated in accordance with the Hebrew calendar. This | |
| | | |date is commemorated with the lighting of a candle. | |
| | | | | |
| | | |Assess and analyse divergent interpretations of these rituals (AO2) | |
| | | |Students should have an understanding of divergent interpretations of| |
| | | |rituals such as these from traditions such as Hasidism and Kabbalah. | |
|6 |Section 2:6 |Students will be able to show knowledge and|Know and understand the nature and purpose of celebrating Shabbat |Lesson Activity Idea 1 |
| | |understanding of: |(AO1) |A visit from a local Rabbi or Jewish person to explain the importance |
| | |The nature, features, history and purpose |Every week religious Jews observe the Sabbath, the Jewish holy day, |of Shabbat as family time and time with the community without |
| | |of celebrating Shabbat |and keep its laws and customs. |distractions, once every week. |
| | |The nature, features and purpose of the |The Sabbath begins at nightfall on Friday and lasts until nightfall |truetube.co.uk/film/alien-abduction-judaism |
| | |celebration of Shabbat in the home and in |on Saturday. In practical terms the Sabbath starts a few minutes | |
| | |the synagogue, including interpretations of|before sunset on Friday and runs until an hour after sunset on |Lesson Activity Idea 2 |
| | |Exodus 31:12–18 |Saturday, so it lasts about 25 hours. |Design a Shabbat meal for a family which also takes into account |
| | |Why the celebration of Shabbat is important|God commanded the Jewish People to observe the Sabbath and keep it |Jewish food laws (Kosher). |
| | |for the Jewish community and the individual|holy as the fourth of the Ten Commandments. | |
| | |today |The idea of a day of rest comes from the Bible story of the Creation:|Lesson Activity Idea 3 |
| | | |God rested from creating the universe on the seventh day of that |Bring in some Challah bread for students to try. |
| | | |first week, so Jews rest from work on the Sabbath. | |
| | | |Jews often call the day Shabbat, which is Hebrew for Sabbath and | |
| | | |which comes from the Hebrew word for rest. | |
| | | | | |
| | | |Know and understand how Shabbat is celebrated in the home and in the | |
| | | |synagogue with reference to teachings in the Torah (AO1) | |
| | | |“Observe the Sabbath, because it is holy to you.” (Exodus 31:12–18) | |
| | | |In order to avoid work and to ensure that the Sabbath is special, all| |
| | | |chores like shopping, cleaning and cooking for the Sabbath must be | |
| | | |finished before sunset on Friday. | |
| | | |Sabbath candles are lit at sunset on a Friday. The woman of the house| |
| | | |usually performs this ritual. It is an integral part of Jewish custom| |
| | | |and ceremony. | |
| | | |It is also traditional to eat challah, a soft rich eggy bread in the | |
| | | |shape of a braid. Challah is eaten on the Sabbath and Jewish holidays| |
| | | |except for the Passover when leavened bread is not permitted. | |
| | | | | |
| | | |Analyse and assess the importance of Shabbat for Jews today (AO2) | |
| | | |Shabbat is very much a time when families come together in the | |
| | | |presence of God in their own home. | |
| | | |Singles, or others with no family around may form a group to | |
| | | |celebrate Shabbat together. Shabbat is a time when Jewish communities| |
| | | |also join together at the synagogue and perform acts of worship | |
| | | |together. Some of the family will have been to synagogue before the | |
| | | |Sabbath meal, and it is likely that the whole family will go on | |
| | | |Saturday. | |
|7 |Section 2:7 |Students will be able to show knowledge and|Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the nature, history, |Lesson Activity Idea 1 |
| | |understanding of: |purpose and significance of Jewish festivals (AO1) |bbc.co.uk/religion/0/19150793 |
| | |Jewish festivals: the nature, history, |As well as annual festivals, observant Jews keep a holy day each |Create a research project on one of the Jewish festivals found on the |
| | |purpose and significance of Jewish |week, called the Sabbath or Shabbat, which occurs on Saturday. Work |BBC Religions and Ethics website. Present to the rest of the class or |
| | |festivals |is forbidden on the Sabbath as well as on some Jewish holidays. |turn into an assembly for the relevant date. All festival dates can be|
| | |The origins and meaning of specific | |found on the calendar on truetube.co.uk. |
| | |festivals, including Rosh Hashanah, Yom |Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the meaning of several | |
| | |Kippur, Pesach, Shavuot and Sukkot, |festivals (AO1) |Lesson Activity Idea 2 |
| | |including interpretations of Leviticus 23 |Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) is one of the most important festivals in|Show clips from ‘The Prince of Egypt’ showing the first Passover |
| | |(Rosh Hashanah) |the Jewish year. At this time Jewish people remember how the children|during the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt. |
| | |Divergent understandings of why festivals |of Israel left slavery behind them when they were led out of Egypt by| |
| | |are important to different forms of |Moses over 3,000 years ago. The story can be found in the Book of | |
| | |Orthodox and Reform Judaism today |Exodus, Chapter 12 in the Hebrew Bible (the Torah). | |
| | | | | |
| | | |Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year festival. It lasts two days. It | |
| | | |commemorates the creation of the world. Rosh Hashanah is also a | |
| | | |judgement day, when Jews believe that God balances a person's good | |
| | | |deeds over the last year against their bad deeds and decides what the| |
| | | |next year will be like for them. | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | |Yom Kippur is the most sacred and solemn day in the Jewish calendar. | |
| | | |It means Day of Atonement. It's a day to reflect on the past year and| |
| | | |ask God's forgiveness for any sins. On this day, Jewish people fast | |
| | | |for 25 hours. | |
| | | | | |
| | | |Analyse and assess divergent understandings of why festivals are | |
| | | |important to different Jewish denominations today (AO2) | |
| | | |The differences in the manner in which Reform and Orthodox Jews | |
| | | |practice their tradition is grounded in their view of the Hebrew | |
| | | |Scripture (Torah) and the status of other sacred texts, such as the | |
| | | |Mishnah and Talmud. There are also law codes, such as the Mishneh | |
| | | |Torah (by Moses Maimonides) and the Shulchan Arukh (by Joseph Caro) | |
| | | |which guide the life of Orthodox Jews. For Orthodox Jews, the Hebrew | |
| | | |Scriptures is a divinely-authored text and therefore every | |
| | | |commandment contained therein must be obeyed. The Mishnah and Talmud | |
| | | |are considered to have virtually the same status and are called Oral | |
| | | |Torah. Reform Jews, however, understand the texts to have been | |
| | | |written by human beings. | |
|8 |Section 2.8 |Students will be able to show knowledge and|Know and understand features of the synagogue (AO1) |Lesson Activity Idea 1 |
| | |understanding of: |The synagogue is the Jewish place of worship, but is also used as a |Watch the clip and answer questions about the layout of the synagogue |
| | |Features of the synagogue |place to study and often as a community centre as well. |and how worship takes place there. |
| | |The nature, history and purpose of the |Orthodox Jews often use the Yiddish word shul (pronounced ‘shool’) to|truetube.co.uk/film/holy-cribs-synagogue |
| | |different design of the synagogues in |refer to their synagogue. In the USA, synagogues are often called | |
| | |Liberal, Reform and Orthodox Judaism, |temples. |Lesson Activity Idea 2 |
| | |including facing Jerusalem, layout of |Layout of the synagogue can be found on the TrueTube website (see |“In the tent of meeting, outside the curtain that shields the ark of |
| | |seating the Ark and the bimah and with |exemplar resources). |the covenant law, Aaron and his sons are to keep the lamps burning |
| | |reference to Proverbs 14:28 | |before the Lord from evening till morning.” (Exodus 27:20-21) |
| | |How and why the synagogue is used by the |Know and understand the history and purpose of different synagogue |How can you tell this extract from the Torah has been used in the |
| | |different communities, including reference |designs in different denominations (AO1) |design of all synagogues? |
| | |to Exodus 27:20–21 |Orthodox synagogues feature a partition (mechitzah) dividing the | |
| | |How and why objects of devotion are used |men's and women's seating areas, or a separate women's section |Lesson Activity Idea 3 |
| | |within the synagogues, including a yad, |located on a balcony. |Visit a local synagogue and experience the layout for yourselves! |
| | |Torah Scroll, ner tamid and menorah |The Reform movement which arose in the early 19th century made many | |
| | | |changes to the traditional look of the synagogue, keeping with its | |
| | | |desire to simultaneously stay Jewish yet be accepted by the host | |
| | | |culture. | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | |Assess and analyse how the synagogue is used by different Jewish | |
| | | |communities (AO2) | |
| | | |Synagogues often take on a broader role in modern Jewish communities | |
| | | |and may include additional facilities such as a catering hall, kosher| |
| | | |kitchen, religious school, library, day care centre and a smaller | |
| | | |chapel for daily services. | |
| | | |Since Orthodox Jews prefer to collect a minyan (a quorum of ten) | |
| | | |rather than pray alone, they commonly assemble at pre-arranged times | |
| | | |in offices, living rooms, or other spaces when these are more | |
| | | |convenient than formal synagogue buildings. A room or building that | |
| | | |is used this way can become a dedicated small synagogue or prayer | |
| | | |room. Among Ashkenazi Jews they are traditionally called shtiebel | |
| | | |(Yiddish for "little house"), and are found in Orthodox communities | |
| | | |worldwide. | |
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