Judaism: Practices

What Judaism: Practices covers

Judaism: Practices is examined in Component Group 1, the Judaism beliefs and teachings & practices paper (J625/03), if Judaism is one of the two religions studied. It covers the synagogue: design, features and the Temple, synagogue services and worship in the Jewish home, Jewish public prayer and the Amidah, Jewish private prayer, the Shema and blessings at home, the Tenakh, the Talmud and Jewish law, Shabbat in the Jewish home and synagogue, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Pesach and the Seder, Shavuot, Sukkot, Hanukkah and the Jewish calendar, kashrut: the Jewish dietary laws, Jewish birth ceremonies and Brit Milah, Bar Mitzvah, Bat Mitzvah and Bat Chayil, Kiddushin and the Jewish wedding and Jewish burial and mourning rites.

The 14 subtopics

Each one has its own page.

• The synagogue: design, features and the TempleThe three Hebrew names of the synagogue, the Ark, the Bimah and its position, the Ner Tamid, the absence of images, the Mikveh, Ezekiel 11:16, and Orthodox, Reform and Liberal seating.Open →
• Synagogue services and worship in the Jewish homeThe weekday morning service, the minyan, the Torah reading and Haftarah on Shabbat, the sermon and the chazan, the use of Hebrew, the synagogue's community role, and how a home is marked for worship.Open →
• Jewish public prayer and the AmidahHow the Amidah is recited and its three sections, the three daily prayer times, the direction faced in prayer, the four purposes of prayer, confession, and why communal prayer is valued.Open →
• Jewish private prayer, the Shema and blessings at homeSpontaneous prayer, when the Shema is said, Grace after meals and blessings before food, teaching children to pray, the tallit, tefillin and kippah, and differing views on dress for prayer.Open →
• The Tenakh, the Talmud and Jewish lawThe Neviim and Ketuvim, a Chumash and a Sefer Torah and how a scroll is made, the compiling of the Mishnah, the Talmud's use alongside the Torah, Deuteronomy 10:12–13, and Orthodox and Reform views.Open →
• Shabbat in the Jewish home and synagogueIts origins in Genesis 2 and Exodus 20, forbidden work, preparing the home, candles and Kiddush, the two challah loaves, synagogue services, Havdalah, and modern disputes over what is prohibited.Open →
• Rosh Hashanah and Yom KippurNumbers 29:1, Teshuva, the shofar, symbolic foods and Tashlich, the Book of Life, Leviticus 16:29 and the rules of the fast, Kapparah, and the Neilah service.Open →
• Pesach and the SederThe Pilgrim Festivals, the commands of Exodus 12, chametz and how it is cleared from the home, matzah, the Seder plate and its symbols, the children's part in the meal, and how groups keep Pesach.Open →
• Shavuot, Sukkot, Hanukkah and the Jewish calendarThe Leviticus 23 commands, building and using a sukkah, the four species and rabbinic readings of them, the origins and celebration of Hanukkah, and why festival dates cause difficulty in Britain.Open →
• Kashrut: the Jewish dietary lawsKosher and terefah, the animals of Leviticus 11, fish, poultry and produce, shechita, Leviticus 7:26–27, keeping meat and milk apart in the kitchen, when the laws may be broken, and food prepared by non-Jews.Open →
• Jewish birth ceremonies and Brit MilahWelcoming a baby girl, the circumcision ceremony and the covenant with Abraham, the Mohel, the Sandek and the father, Pidyon Haben, Elijah's chair, and reasons for delaying the ceremony.Open →
• Bar Mitzvah, Bat Mitzvah and Bat ChayilPreparing for a Bar Mitzvah and the service itself, the father's words, what changes afterwards, Reform and Liberal Bat Mitzvah, Orthodox practice for girls, the first public Bat Mitzvah, and Kabbalat Torah.Open →
• Kiddushin and the Jewish weddingThe Ketubah, the Huppah and its symbolism, wine and the ring, the seven blessings, breaking the glass, the bedeken, Genesis 2:24, women's roles, and when weddings are not held.Open →
• Jewish burial and mourning ritesHow quickly burial follows death, preparing the body and the plain coffin, tearing clothes, the graveside, Kaddish and how long it is said, shiva and sheloshim, cremation, and the stone setting.Open →

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Take Judaism: Practices further

The same content, four other ways.

Commonly confused

Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.

• Kiddushin vs Nissuin

  Kiddushin: the betrothal stage that sets the bride apart as consecrated. Nissuin: the completion of marriage under the canopy, when the couple begin life together.

• Ketubah vs Huppah

  Ketubah: the Aramaic marriage contract setting out a husband's duties. Huppah: the canopy open on all sides under which the couple stand.

• Chumash vs Sefer Torah

  Chumash: the Five Books printed as a bound volume, often with commentary. Sefer Torah: the handwritten parchment scroll read aloud in the synagogue.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What is a synagogue, and what are its three Hebrew names?

   Model answer

   A synagogue is a Jewish building for prayer, study and community life. The Hebrew names Beit Knesset, Beit Tefilah and Beit Midrash mean house of assembly, prayer and study.

2. 2

   What is the Ark in a synagogue?

   Model answer

   The Ark, or Aron Hakodesh, is the cabinet that holds the Torah scrolls. The Ark is set in the wall facing Jerusalem and covered by a curtain called the parochet.

3. 3

   Why is the Ark significant?

   Model answer

   The Ark recalls the Ark of the Covenant in the Temple's Holy of Holies. The Ark is the holiest place in the synagogue, and the congregation stands when it is opened.

4. 4

   What is the Bimah?

   Model answer

   The Bimah is the raised platform from which the Torah is read. The raised position shows the honour given to G-d's word.

5. 5

   How does the position of the Bimah differ between Jewish groups?

   Model answer

   Orthodox synagogues usually place the Bimah in the centre of the prayer hall. Many Reform and Liberal synagogues place it at the front, near the Ark.

6. 6

   What is the Ner Tamid, and what does it symbolise?

   Model answer

   The Ner Tamid is the eternal light that burns above the Ark. The Ner Tamid recalls the Temple menorah and G-d's constant presence.

What is inside Levo

Six ways to work the same material.

Judaism: Practices revision questions

What does Judaism: Practices cover in OCR GCSE Religious Studies?

14 subtopics: the synagogue: design, features and the temple, synagogue services and worship in the jewish home, jewish public prayer and the amidah, jewish private prayer, the shema and blessings at home, the tenakh, the talmud and jewish law, shabbat in the jewish home and synagogue, rosh hashanah and yom kippur, pesach and the seder, shavuot, sukkot, hanukkah and the jewish calendar, kashrut: the jewish dietary laws, jewish birth ceremonies and brit milah, bar mitzvah, bat mitzvah and bat chayil, kiddushin and the jewish wedding and jewish burial and mourning rites. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.

How is Judaism: Practices organised?

By the OCR J625 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.