Judaism

Judaism began over 3,500 years ago. There are large Jewish communities in the UK. There is no one founder of the faith. The three patriarchs are Abraham, his son Isaac and Isaac’s son Jacob. The first religious leader was Moses, who received the laws of Sinai. Jerusalem is the holiest city for Jewish people. Judaism centres on one God. Jews can be divided into Orthodox Jews and Progressive Jews.

 

Scriptures

The Hebrew Bible contains the sacred Jewish writings known as the Torah or the book of Moses. It is made of the first five books of the Old Testament that were communicated to Moses on Mount Sinai. The Torah contains commandments for all aspects of life, for example ethics, spirituality, diet, the Sabbath and festivals. The Torah is written on a scroll and is wound round a wooden or metal rod. A pointer or yad is used while reading the Torah to ensure that the parchment is not touched.

Key Beliefs

Majority of Jews in Britain are Orthodox. Liberal and Reformed Jews, together known as Progressive Jews, have interpreted parts of the Torah to fit with the modern world.

  • Prayers should be said 3 times a day;
  • Jewish people will attend synagogue on a Friday evening or Saturday morning
  • The Sabbath day lasts 25 hours beginning of Friday just before sunset and ending just after sunset on Saturday.

Orthodox Jews – Stress the unchanging nature of Jewish religion and practice:

  • Obeying all 613 commandments or laws of the Torah;
  • Men and women worship separately;
  • Singing in worship is unaccompanied;
  • Worship is led in the sacred language of Hebrew.

Liberal Jews – Believe the Torah may be reinterpreted according to circumstances:

  • Men and women worship together;
  • Worship is accompanied by singing;
  • Worship is led in English;

    • The sermon is the central feature of the service.

Reform Jews – Liberals went too far but the Torah is open to reinterpretation:

  • Families may sit together in the synagogue;
  • Worship is accompanied by music;
  • The service is mainly conducted in Hebrew.

Worship

The synagogue is the name for a Jewish place of worship. The service will be led by the rabbi who is the spiritual leader of the community, they will teach, preach, and take on pastoral duties and advice on Jewish law. The Jewish prayer book is called siddur. Everyone except unmarried women, up to a certain age, must wear a hat.

All practising Jews recite daily prayer, Shema and observe the Sabbath which is considered the day of rest. Most Jewish homes have a box, mezuzah, on the right hand door of each room except the bathroom and toilet. This contains a scroll which has the first part of the Shema on it.

Diet and dress

Jewish food must be prepared in a ritually acceptable way, this is known as kosher. Foods that are not kosher are known as treif and are not allowed. There are rules about when each group of foods can be eaten. Pork must not be eaten in any form. Meat from herbivorous animals with a cloven hoof is permitted as is farmyard fowl and fish with both fins and scales. Shellfish is not allowed. The slaughterhouse process must be compassionate and in accordance with Jewish law. Meat and dairy products may not be eaten together. A minimum break of 3 hours should be allowed between food types. Practising Jews may fast during some festivals, these fasts end at nightfall.

Orthodox Jewish men often have beards and wear hats or skullcaps known as a Kipah. Orthodox Jewish women are required to cover their natural hair and may wear a headscarf, beret or wig. Orthodox women do not wear trousers or sleeveless garments in accordance with religious principles relating to modesty. A tallit is a prayer shawl worn by men whilst praying. The tefillin are worn strapped to the forehead and to the arm, while praying in the morning. They contain extracts from the Torah.

Points to remember

  • The Sabbath is central to Jewish life;
  • Jewish tradition requires that the deceased are buried as soon as possible after death and within 24 hours if possible. Immediate family members must stay at home and mourn for 7 days;
  • Some Jewish festivals involve fasting

Festivals

    The main festivals are:
  • Sabbath;
  • Rosh Hashannh;
  • Yom Kippur;
  • Passover or Pesach;
  • Shavuot;
  • Sukkot;
  • Simchat Torah;
  • Barmitzvah.


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