2.2 jewish practices - exam questions

Question 1

A Outline three times a Jew could attend services that take place in the synagogue. (3 marks)

Answer 1

First, they could attend on Friday evening at the start of Shabbat.
Second, they could attend at morning prayer in the daily prayer services.
Third, they could attend on a festival, such as Rosh Hashanah or Pesach.

Question 2

B Explain two reasons synagogue services are important to Jews. (4 marks)

Answer 2

First, after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, prayers took place in the synagogue three times a day (corresponding to the times of Temple sacrifice). The most common form of Jewish worship is prayer.
Second, services allow Jews to recite the written prayers in the Siddur. This reminds Jews that they are part of a community, and fosters a sense of unity with other Jews around the world who are following the Siddur or very similar services.

Question 3

B Outline two features of public acts of worship in Judaism. (4 marks)

Answer 3

Firstly, Jews pray in the synagogue the Siddur. This word means ‘order’ or ‘sequence’, and it is a book containing the daily prayers which vary throughout the calendar.
Secondly, the Amidah, the 2nd most important prayer in Judaism, is the central part of every worship service. Amidah literally means ‘standing’, because it consists of a series of 19 blessings which are recited while standing up, facing Jerusalem, silently by every individual, then it is said aloud by one person.

Question 4

A: Outline three features of the Tenakh. (3)

Answer 4

First, it contains the Torah (the Law).
Second, it contains the Nevi’im (prophets).
Third, it contains the Ketuvim (writings)

Question 5

B Explain two reasons why the written law is important for Jews. (4)

Answer 5

Firstly, although Orthodox and Liberal-Reform Jews have different views on the authority of the Torah, reading and studying the Torah remains central to all synagogues. Orthodox Jews believe that the Torah is the literal word of God, revealed to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai. It is considered divine, timeless and cannot be altered. Its 613 mitzvah are at the heart of Jewish daily life.
Secondly, the Torah is essential to worship in both Orthodox and Liberal-Reform synagogues. The scroll is taken from the Ark and sections are read four times a week in Orthodox synagogues and once a week in Reform synagogues (on Shabbat). Over the course of the year, the whole Torah is read in sequence.

Question 6

A Outline three purposes of prayer for Jewish people (3 marks)

Answer 6

Firstly, individual prayer is personal time spent with God.
Secondly, daily prayer connects a Jewish person with their family members and the wider Jewish community.
Thirdly, it reminds them to keep God in their mind and heart.

Question 7

C Explain two reasons why it is important for Jewish people to have different forms of prayer. In your answer you must refer to a source of wisdom and authority. (5 marks)

Answer 7

Psalm 55 says that the Jewish person should pray, casting their cares onto the Lord, who will sustain them and will deliver them. For this reason a Jew might take time to pray in private, in order to keep God in their heart.
Another way in which a Jew might take time to pray is praying with others in the synagogue (for example at the daily prayers, the Shabbat prayers or on festivals). This reminds them of their links with the local community and also the worldwide Jewish community (who use the same prayers).

Question 8

A: Outline three Jewish prayers. (3 marks)

Answer 8

First, the Shema is the most important prayer in Judaism, stressing that there is only one God. Second, the Amidah is the standing prayer, said facing Jerusalem. Third, The Kaddish is a prayer of praise which is usually used after a Rabbi’s teaching/sermon.

Question 9

A: Outline three features of the Amidah. (3 marks)

Answer 9

First, it is the second most important prayer in Judaism and is sometimes called the ‘Standing Prayer’ (Amidah literally means ‘standing’), because it consists of a series of 19 blessings which are recited while standing up.
Second, it is the central part of every Jewish worship service and so is sometimes referred to simply as Ha Tefillah, or ‘the Prayer’.

Question 10

B: Explain two ways the importance of the Shema is shown for Jews. (4)

Answer 10

Firstly, the Shema is said usually twice a day. This underlines the importance of the Jewish belief in the Oneness of the Almighty.
Secondly, the Shema is inside the mezuzah on the doorpost of a Jewish home. This is touched by Jews to remind themselves of the words of the Shema prayer many times a day. (You could also write that the Shema is inside the tefillin which Orthodox men and many Reform men and women wear when they pray.

Question 11

B: Describe two differences in the types of prayer used in Judaism and Christianity. (4 marks)

Answer 11

First, the Shema is the most important prayer in Judaism, stressing the fact that God is one, whereas in Christianity, although there is only God, Christians believe God is a Trinity, and so may pray to all three person (eg. the Glory Be, or the Sign of the Cross)
Second, in Judaism, Jews only every pray to God, whereas in Catholic Christianity, Catholics may pray the Hail Mary to ask Mary for her intercession.

Question 12

C Explain two ways in which the Shema is said within Jewish worship. In your answer you must refer to a source of wisdom and authority. (5 marks)

Answer 12

First, the Shema is usually recited twice a day in the synagogues, in the morning and evening services.
Second, it is said three times a day by the individual Jew: morning prayer, evening prayer and before sleep.

Question 13

C Explain two reasons why the Shema is important for Jews.

Answer 13

First, the Shema is important because it stresses the fact that there is only one God. Judaism is a monotheistic religion. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord (or Hashem = the Name) our God is the one Lord” (Deuteronomy 6:4).
Second, it stresses the importance of passing on this faith in only one God to children. Faith needs to be passed on to every new generation in order to survive and so Deueteronmy says about the words of the Shema, “…you shall teach them diligently to your children.”

Question 14

A Outline three things that happen as part of a Bar Mitzvah ceremony. (3)

Answer 14

Firstly, an Orthodox boy will read from the Torah scroll in the synagogue at the ceremony.
Secondly, he will wear the tefillin.
Thirdly, he may also lead the service.

Question 15

B Explain two reasons why Brit Milah (circumcision) ceremonies are important for Jews. (4 marks)

Answer 15

First, it reminds the Jews of the covenant made with Abraham, where the Almighty made them his chosen people and promised them a land. In this covenant, Abraham promised to circumcise himself and his male descendants.
Second, it is a birth ceremony, a Jewish rite of passage, celebrating the handing on of the Jewish faith to a new member of their religion. In it a male child of 8 days old is circumcised by a mohel.

Question 16

C Explain 2 important features of the Jewish ritual of Brit Milah (circumcision). In your answer you must refer to a source of wisdom and authority. (5 marks)

Answer 16

First, the foreskin of the penis is removed by someone religiously qualified, called a Mohel. This is what Abraham did to himself and his son Isaac. (Genesis 17).
Second, it takes place on the eighth day of the child’s life, usually in the synagogue at morning prayers.

Question 17

C: Explain two reasons why birth ceremonies are important for Jews. In your answer you must refer to a source of wisdom and authority. (5)

Answer 17

Firstly, there are naming ceremonies. The birth of a child is a happy event for Jews as it fulfils the commandment to have children in Genesis 1:28. ‘God blessed Adam and Eve and said to them, “Be fertile and increase, fill the earth and master it’’’. And so there are naming ceremonies. Children are always given a Hebrew name, though they often have English names which they use in the secular world. A girl’s name is officially given in the synagogue when the father does an aliyah (a reading from the Torah) after her birth. In Reform communities there may also be a Simchat Bat, a ‘Rejoicing for a Daughter’ celebration. A boy’s name is given during the Brit Milah (ritual circumcision).
Secondly, the brit milah (circumcision ceremony) is performed on a male child on the 8th day. The foreskin is removed to keep the Abrahamic Covenant, as recorded in Genesis 17.

Question 18

D ‘All Jews celebrate the same ceremonies and rituals.’ Evaluate this statement considering arguments for and against.

Answer 18

Ceremonies and rituals are very important for Jews, especially in rites of passage, such as birth, reaching adulthood, marriage and death. Such occasions provide an opportunity to strengthen the individual concerned, the society in which they live and the religious community to which they belong. The Jewish rituals which mark these rites of passage are grounded in Jewish Law, which includes the mitzvot (commandments) as well as Rabbinic laws and traditions. Jews think that observing these laws shows gratitude, respect and love for God, brings God into ordinary, daily life, and strengthens a sense of Jewish identity, binding Jews today to their history and traditions.

For example, the Brit Milah, or ‘Covenant of Circumcision’, is one of the most universally observed mitzvot (commandments). Orthodox, Liberal Reform and even secular Jews almost always observe this law. It takes place on the eighth day of the child’s life, usually in the synagogue at morning prayers. It is an outward physical sign of God’s everlasting covenant with Abraham, as seen in Genesis 17:10-12, where God commands Abraham to circumcise himself and his descendants. He kept this covenant when he circumcised himself, and his son Isaac. The removal of the foreskin of the penis is a ritual that must be performed by someone religiously qualified, called a Mohel.

There is a mitzvah that all Jews should marry and have children. Marriage is regarded as essential for people to become complete and for the Jewish community to grow. ‘A man without a wife is incomplete. An unmarried woman is an unfinished vessel.’ (The Talmud) The Torah provides little guidance on marriage, but the Talmud offers guidance on finding a partner, the form of the wedding ceremony, the nature of a marital relationship. First of all there is a betrothal, which is a binding engagement and the first part of marriage, and then later comes Nisuin, the name for full marriage. The marriage ceremony often lasts around half an hour, including a message to the couple from a Rabbi. The couple stand under a huppah, a canopy that represents the beginning of a new home and how marriage needs both privacy and openness to friends and community. In Reform ceremonies, the couple exchange rings. In Orthodox ceremonies a plain metal ring is placed on the bride’s right forefinger because in Jewish law, marriage becomes official when the groom gives an object of value to the bride. The Ketubah, the marriage contract, is the main part of the ceremony, in which the groom promises to provide for his wife and says what she will receive in the event of his death or divorce. The signing of the contract requires two religiously observant males in Orthodox communities, whereas male or female can witness in Reform/Liberal communities. The Rabbi (or honoured guests) recites Sheva Brachot or ‘seven blessings’, recited in the presence of guests over a glass of wine, for such things as a happy marriage producing children. The groom stamps on a small glass (symbolic of the destruction of the Temple - a Jew must remember Jerusalem and its sadness even when at his or her happiest) and guests shout ‘Mazel tov!’ (good luck/congratulations) before the couple retire briefly to another (seclusion) room to spend time alone together. This is then usually followed by a meal and party which are also religiously important. In Orthodox communities, marriages are only permitted between two Jewish people, but in Reform and Liberal communities, mixed (inter-faith) marriages are permitted. Same-sex marriages are now possible in Reform/Liberal communities. Clearly, then, there are many similarities, but also key differences, between the Orthodox and Reform/Liberal marriage ceremonies.

Mourning rituals seek to help people return to daily life after the loss of a loved one. At the moment of death the family say special prayers. After hearing of the death of Joseph his son, we hear that, ‘Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and mourned his son for many days.’ (Genesis 37:34) Many Orthodox Jews make a tear in their clothing upon hearing of the death of a loved one. Reform Jews might wear a torn black ribbon or cut a tie. Both Orthodox and Reform Jews will then make a blessing to God, referring to him as the true judge and showing their acceptance of God taking the person’s life.

There are five periods of mourning. The first is during the first 24 hours from death to burial. The body is prepared for burial as soon as possible after death (Orthodox do not allow cremation). Someone stays with the body all the time until the funeral. The second is called Shiva, the first seven days, and a time of extreme mourning. The funeral is very simple. The Rabbi gives a short speech about the deceased and then the people go to the grave where prayers are said. Then people go home to eat a ‘meal of consolation’, a hard boiled egg and a beigel, a symbol of the circle of life. The other days of the 7 days of Shiva are called sitting Shiva, intense mourning. Mourners stay at home, sitting on low seats or the floor, do not wear leather shoes, shave or cut hair, wear makeup or work, don’t do things that bring comfort or pleasure, usually wear the clothes they wore to the funeral, and pray 3 times a day with friends, family and neighbours making up the minyan. The third period of mourning is the first thirty days from the day of burial, including Shiva. This is the complete mourning period for any person, except a parent (= a year). It ends 30 days after the death. Normal life resumes, but people don’t go to parties, listen to music, shave or cut their hair. Male mourners try to recite the Mourner’s Kaddish daily in the synagogue. A simple headstone should be set up in the cemetery. The fourth period is called the ‘year of mourning’ for a parent, the 12 Hebrew months following the death of Mum or Dad. The fifth and final period of mourning is called Yahrzeit. It is the anniversary of the date of death, according to the Jewish calendar. The men (and women in Reform/Liberal communities) recite the Mourner’s Kaddish and light a candle every year while they are themselves alive. Such candles are lit by Jews for their own deceased loved ones and on occasions such as Yom Kippur and Yom Ha Shoah (remembrance of those who died in the Holocaust)

There are significant differences in mourning rituals. Many Liberal/Reform Jews think some of the Orthodox funeral customs are out of date in the modern world. They allow more time to elapse before the funeral, to allow more people to arrive. They allow cremation, and not just burial, unlike the Orthodox. They put on a black ribbon rather than tear clothing. They sit shiva only for one day and do not use low chairs, do not cover mirrors, do not stay in the house 7 days and allow music to be played.

Overall, therefore, I disagree with the statement. While it is clear that the various branches of Judaism think that rites of passage are important because they mark them by rituals, it is also evident that they do not agree on some of the details of ceremonies, such as who can and cannot marry each other, or who whether a dead Jew should be buried or cremated.

Question 19

A Outline three features of Shabbat celebration in the synagogue. (3)

Answer 19

First, there is a service for families.
Secondly, a rabbi may lead the service.
Third, the sidra is read.

Question 20

A Outline three things that would happen in a Jewish home to celebrate Shabbat. (3 marks)

Answer 20

First, the house will have been cleaned and tidied and perhaps decorated with flowers. Second, the woman of the house would light the Shabbat candles to welcome Shabbat. Third, the Friday evening meal would be prepared and eaten.

Question 21

B Explain two ways Festivals connect Jews with their past. (4 marks)

Answer 21

First, the Pesach festival is a reminder of the Jewish liberation from slavery in Egypt, when the Almighty passed over the houses of the Israelites. They had painted the blood of a lamb on their doorposts. A lamb bone is found on the seder plate, and there are many other reminders of this event in the Seder meal.
Second, the festival of Sukkot reminds Jews of their time wandering in the desert after leaving Egypt on their way to the Promised Land, living in huts or tents. Sukkot means ‘huts’, ‘booths’ or ‘tents’. Each family builds a temporary, flimsy building to go into or even live in during the holiday and celebrates the festival joyfully for 8 days, showing hospitality to others.

Question 22

C Explain two reasons why Pesach is important for many Jews. In your answer you must refer to a source of wisdom and authority. (5)

Answer 22

• First, it recalls the night the Almighty passed over the houses of the Jewish slaves (1) because they had painted blood on their doorposts, saving them from the killing of the firstborn children (Exodus 12)
• Second, it is a joyful festival as it celebrates the birth of the Jewish nation, who were able to enter the Promised Land after their exodus from Egypt, as seen in Exodus 6:6 ‘I will free you from your labours…and deliver you from their bondage’.
• The retelling of the story ensures the faith and traditions are passed on, as Jews are encouraged through this to feel gratitude for their religious freedom, and they show this in the blessings said over the wine and the other parts of the Seder meal, which is taken from the Haggadah.

Question 23

C Explain two reasons why Rosh Hashanah is important for many Jews. In your answer you must refer to a source of wisdom and authority. (5)

Answer 23

First, it is a reminder of the creation of the world by the Almighty in Genesis. Here it says that God created human beings, male and female, in the image of God. (Genesis 1:26-27)
Secondly, is also the first of the 10 Days of Awe - days of repentance. (Yom Kippur is the 10th Day of Awe). It is a judgement day, when Jews believe that God considers a person’s good and bad deeds over the previous year and decides what the next year will be like for them.

Question 24

C Explain two reasons why Pesach is important for many Jews. In your answer you must refer to a source of wisdom and authority. (5)

Answer 24

First, Pesach remembers the liberation (in about 1300 BCE) of the Jewish people from centuries of slavery in ancient Egypt. It is the night when theybegan their journey towards becoming a nation.
Secondly, it is a reminder of God’s love for the oppressed and weak members of society in every generation. Jews remember on this day all those deaths connected to the freedom of the Jewish people (Jewish, Egyptian and others).

Question 25

D ‘Festivals are important events for Jews to observe.’ Evaluate this statement, considering arguments for and against.

Answer 25

Festivals seem to be very important to many Jews. Ecclesiastes 3 says that ‘Everything has its season, and there is a time for everything under Heaven…a time to weep and a time to laugh.’ Jews believe that there is a time for celebration and a time for sadness, commemoration and reflection. All Jewish festivals are based on the history of the Jewish people. Many of them are joyful events, based on God’s involvement in their history and his intervention to help them. For example, Pesach, with its deep cleaning of the house from all chametz, and its Seder Passover meal, recalls the night that the Jews were liberated from slavery in Egypt by the Almighty.

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are the first and last of the Days of Awe. Rosh Hashanah literally means ‘Head of the Year’. It is the first day of the Jewish year, Jewish New Year’s Day, and is used to remember and celebrate the creation of the universe at the start of the Torah (Genesis 1-2). The Jewish calendar is based on the lunar year, so the date of the new year changes, but it is usually in September and occasionally in October. Rosh Hashanah is also called the Day of Judgment and Day of Remembrance. It is the first of the 10 Days of Awe - days of repentance. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the 10th Day of Awe. Rosh Hashanah is also a judgement day, when Jews believe that God considers a person’s good and bad deeds over the previous year and decides what the next year will be like for them. The Jews believe that God decides on Rosh Hashanah, the first day of the year, who will be forgiven, so Jews will ensure they apologise to everybody they have been unkind to during the past year. God makes his final judgement on Yom Kippur (the 10th day of the Days of Awe) which means Day of Atonement. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are a chance for Jews to ask questions about their actions and life throughout the past year.

Festivals are usually celebrated both at home and in the synagogue (with the whole community), and allow families and synagogue communities to remember Jewish tradition and history. This helps Jews to connect with the wider community of Jewish people, supporting each other’s faith and Jewish identity.

Tradition is important for all Jews, and for Orthodox Jews it is essential to continue the way of life of their ancestors. Orthodox Jews see all of the festivals as mitzvot, and Liberal/Reform Jews keep the festivals, with a bit of creative adaptation to make them more relevant and practical and easier to celebrate (for example, while Orthodox Jews take 2 days to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, Liberal-Reform Jews celebrate over one day only. However, clearly Rosh Hashanah is important to both groups). Perhaps secular Jews would not keep all of the festivals, but even they usually see the historical importance of Pesach to the Jewish people and the nation of Israel. For these reasons, therefore, I agree with the statement.

Question 26

D “Jewish festivals have less religious importance now.”
Evaluate this statement, considering arguments for and against.

Answer 26

Festivals seem to be very important to many Jews. Ecclesiastes 3 says that ‘Everything has its season, and there is a time for everything under Heaven…a time to weep and a time to laugh.’ Jews believe that there is a time for celebration and a time for sadness, commemoration and reflection. All Jewish festivals are based on the history of the Jewish people. Many of them are joyful events, based on God’s involvement in their history and his intervention to help them.

Pesach, the first of the three Pilgrim Festivals, with its deep cleaning of the house from all chametz, and its Seder Passover meal, recalls the night that the Jews were liberated from slavery in Egypt by the Almighty. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are the first and last of the Days of Awe. Rosh Hashanah literally means ‘Head of the Year’. It is the first day of the Jewish year, Jewish New Year’s Day, and is used to remember and celebrate the creation of the universe at the start of the Torah (Genesis 1-2). The Jewish calendar is based on the lunar year, so the date of the new year changes, but it is usually in September and occasionally in October. Rosh Hashanah is also called the Day of Judgment and Day of Remembrance. It is the first of the 10 Days of Awe - days of repentance. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the 10th Day of Awe. Rosh Hashanah is also a judgement day, when Jews believe that God considers a person’s good and bad deeds over the previous year and decides what the next year will be like for them. The Jews believe that God decides on Rosh Hashanah, the first day of the year, who will be forgiven, so Jews will ensure they apologise to everybody they have been unkind to during the past year. God makes his final judgement on Yom Kippur (the 10th day of the Days of Awe) which means Day of Atonement. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are a chance for Jews to ask questions about their actions and life throughout the past year. This is something similar to what has been done throughout history in many cultures and is still done in the West, when people make New Year’s resolutions.

Jewish festivals are usually celebrated both at home and in the synagogue (with the whole community), and this permits families and synagogue communities to remember Jewish tradition and history. It also helps Jews to connect with the wider global community of Jewish people, supporting each other’s faith and cementing further the Jewish identity.

Tradition is important for all Jews, I believe, even if they have different understanding of its place in Jewish life today. For Orthodox Jews, festivals are a vital part of tradition and they are essential, therefore, to continue the way of life of their ancestors. Orthodox Jews also see festivals as mitzvot, and therefore their celebration is a command from God given to Moses at Sinai. Liberal/Reform Jews keep the festivals, with a bit of creative adaptation to make them more relevant, more practical and easier to celebrate. One example of this Liberal-Reform flexibility would be that, while Orthodox Jews take 2 days to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, Liberal-Reform Jews celebrate over one day only (perhaps due to the inability to take more time off work). However, clearly Rosh Hashanah is important to both groups. Perhaps a third group, secular Jews, would not keep all of the festivals, but even they might see the historical importance of Pesach to the Jewish people and its early formation as the people of Israel. For these reasons, therefore, I disagree with the statement.

Question 27

A Outline 3 key features of the synagogue. (3 marks)

Answer 27

First, the Ark or Aron Kodesh, contains the Torah scroll and is in the wall facing Jerusalem.
Second, the Bimah is the raised platform where the Torah is read from and Rabbi leads the service form here.
Third, the Ner Tamid is the light before or above the Ark.

Question 28

B Describe two differences between Orthodox and Reform synagogues. (4 marks)

Answer 28

First, men and women sit together in Reform and Liberal synagogues, but separately in Orthodox synagogues. Second, in Liberal/Reform synagogues women are encouraged to wear tallit and sometimes a kippah (= little skull cap) as a sign of having equal rights and obligations to God as the men, but only men do this in Orthodox synagogues.

Question 29

D ‘Synagogues should all be designed the same way.’ Evaluate this statement, considering arguments for and against.

Answer 29

Worshipping together is also a source of strength for the Jewish community and a confirmation of their Jewish identity. The design of a synagogue is aimed at facilitating this worship together as a whole people, with a special focus on the Bimah in the centre, where the Torah is read.

It is true that many features of Orthodox and Liberal/Reform synagogues are the same, but there are some differences. For example, they both always have an Ark (where the Torah scrolls are kept) and Bimah (where they are read from and from where the Rabbi leads the service). The seating in the synagogue and the place of the Bimah may differ. In Orthodox synagogues the seating is often on 3 sides facing a central Bimah, while the Ark takes up the 4th side of the synagogue. There will be a separate balcony or other area for women to sit in. The seating and placing of the Bimah may be replicated in Liberal/Reform synagogues, or the Bimah may be placed at the front of the hall, in front of the Ark. Seating would then be angled towards the front of the hall, where the Bimah is. However, in Reform/Liberal synagogues the men and women always sit together. Furthermore, some modern synagogues are different shapes, but they always sit people facing towards the Bimah and Ark. All types of synagogues try to face Jerusalem (therefore East in the UK). This doesn’t have to be exact, and structural reasons may mean that sometimes this cannot happen. But all Jewish communities will try to face the Holy City when standing for prayer.

In conclusion, therefore, I disagree with this statement. Synagogues do their best to retain similarities in their design by stressing the importance of the essentials (place of the Ark and Bimah, facing Jerusalem where possible), and I think that is good. But I think that the Liberal/Reform emphasis on seating men and women together is a good thing for equality in Judaism.