| Judaism
is the religion of the Jewish people. The
first Jew was Abraham, who lived in the Middle
East more than 4,000 years ago and he is called
the father of the Jewish people. He belonged
to a group of nomadic, or wandering, people
called Hebrews and believed that there was
only one God. He spoke to God and made a covenant
with Him promising to worship and obey Him.
In return, God promised to make Abraham and
his family His Chosen People. He guided Abaham's
descendants to a new land called Canaan. |
Jews
believe in one God who is the creator and
Lord of the universe. They believe that God
has a special relationship, the covenant,
with the Jewish people. If they are faithful
and live by God's laws, He will promise them
a place in perfect future world. |
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Jews worship
in synagogues led by a rabbi. Rabbi is a Hebrew
word that means 'master'. Their holy period,
Shabbat, lasts from sunset Friday to sunset
Saturday. Some synagogues have services every
day. In some, men and women sit apart, while
in others they sit together. |
The
holy book of the Jews is the Bible, written
in Hebrew. It is divided into three sections,
the most important being the Torah. The Torah
is written on scrolls and contains the teachings
that God gave to the prophet Moses. Among
them are the Ten Commandments. The yad is
a metal pointer used by the reader to follow
the Hebrew text. In the synagogue, the Torah
is kept in a special cupboard, the Ark. |
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| Passover,
in March or April, celebrates the time when
the Israelites escaped from slavery in Egypt.
The festival lasts eight days, beginning with
a special meal called Seder. Jews eat a flat
bread called Matzah like their ancestors did.
Rosh Hoshanah, in September, is the Jewish
New Year. The shofar, a ram's horn, is blown
in the synagogue every morning to remind people
of the things they did wrong the previous
year.
Sukkot, in October, is the harvest festival.
Yom Kippur, in September or October, is the
Jews' day of repentance when they say sorry
to God and each other for what they have done
wrong. |
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The
six pointed Star
of David is the most recognized
symbol of Judaism. Jewish legend says
that David went into battle with the hexagram
on his shield. Later, when Jews were minorities
in Christian and Muslim nations, they
were forced to wear the star on their
clothing to identify themselves. Today
you will see the hexagram used to identify
synagogues and Jewish organizations. The
symbol that was once used to separate
Jews from the rest of society is now flown
on the flag of Judaism's homeland, Israel.
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The
Mezuzah literally means doorpost,
but is used to describe a small, slim
container attached to the doorpost of
some Jewish homes. It is a box with a
tiny scroll containing the most important
prayer called the shema, outlining Jewish
belief. |
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Some
Jewish men wear special clothes to pray.
The Kippah,
or skull cap, covers the head. The
Tallit is a fringed prayer shawl.
Tefillin
are tiny boxes with scrolls about the
Torah,
strapped to the forehead and arm. The
Star of David
is worn on a chain around the neck. |
The
Chailah Cover is used to cover
the loaves eaten at the Shabbat meal.
It is usually decorated with symbols of
the Shabbat including wine, candles and
the plaited loaves themselves. |
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A
Hannukiaft is a candle stick used
during the eight days of the festival
of Hannukkah. It has spaces for eight
lights or candles, with an extra space
for the shammas which must light the rest
- one on the first night, two on the second
etc. It is usual to start on the right,
working towards the left as the festival
progresses. The candles should not be
blown out, but allowed to burn away. |
A
Havdatah is a plaited candle, the
name of which means 'distinction'. It
is used in the ritual which brings Shabbat
to an end and symbolises the drawing together
of the different threads of that celebration.
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A
Shofar is a musical instrument
made from an animal horn and is blown
on many occasions, but particularly at
Rosh Hashanah. |
| Websites
to Visit |
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| Judaism
for Children |
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