Introduction to Judaism - Key Stage 3
These notes are intended to introduce teachers to a religion rather than provide all the background information
they might need. Additional information may be sought from local faith communities, books or websites.
Jews are monotheists; they believe in one God. The most basic Jewish teaching about God is
contained in the Shema. In the Torah, God’s name is written using 4 consonants i.e. without vowels. As
God’s name is too holy to be pronounced, he is referred to as Adonai (master). In everyday speech and
prayers many terms are used to refer to God: the Holy One, ribbono shel olam (sovereign of the
universe); ha shem (the name); shomer Yisrael (guardian of Israel). These titles give an indication of how
Jews perceive God. There is a deep emphasis on both the mercy of God and the justice of God as seen
in stories like Abraham and Isaac or Sodom and Gomorrah. Jewish belief and faith can be summed up in
the Thirteen Principles of Faith, which stress the nature and one-ness of God, his message to them and
the importance of the teachings of the Torah.
Jews believe God requires all human beings to be moral and acknowledge him. There are 7
mitzvot or commandments (Noachide Code) for all human beings but for Jews there are 613. Jews believe
they are a chosen people; chosen not for privilege, but for particular responsibilities, and understand
this relationship with God in terms of a Covenant. The stories of Abraham (the founding father of the
Covenant) and Moses (the leading Jewish prophet) tell of the beginnings of the covenant relationship
but, as the history of the Jewish people shows, it is not always an easy one. Jews believe they should
respond to God through prayer and worship (tefillah), through repentance (teshuva) and seeking social
justice (tzedaka).
Rosh Hashanah (New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) are the High Holy Days, and
express beliefs about God’s judgement and the need for repentance and forgiveness. The shofar calls
people to think about judgement day. The custom of Tashlich is practised by some Jews and symbolises
the ‘throwing away’ of sins. Yom Kippur is a day of contemplation and reflection, making amends, and
seeking God’s forgiveness through fasting and improving relationships with others.
The Torah given at the Sinai revelation is important to the Jews as God’s answer to the question
“How should we live?” Written in Hebrew, it contains laws and stories. In Reform Synagogues a local
translation is often used. Many children learn Hebrew and study Torah in preparation for Bar or Bat
Mitzvah ceremonies. Talmud is also studied; this consists of Mishnah (Oral Law) and Gemara
(commentary). Mishnah is mostly halakhah (rules, legal decisions) regarded as binding on Jews but some
is agadah (moral teaching, legends, ideas) which is less so. Changes in modern technological societies
raise questions about how the laws (mitzvot) should be kept. It is the role of the Rabbi to re-interpret
how to do mitzvot under new conditions and answer questions such as "Is it breaking the Sabbath to
use automated machinery?" They also need to apply Jewish law to moral issues (e.g. environmental
ethics and the concept of Tikkun Olam - ‘mending the world’).
The Jewish community is composed of two main traditions. Orthodox Jews believe, for example,
that the Torah is revealed truth, unchanging and unchangeable. Progressive Jews believe, for example,
that the Torah is inspired, containing the essence of Judaism, but is open to challenge and revision.
Shoah (the destruction) is the term Jews use for the Holocaust in which six million Jews were
murdered by the Nazis. This event has had a huge impact on Jewish communities throughout the world.
Jews still struggle with questions such as “Where was God?” They believe they have a responsibility not
to let the world forget the Shoah in order to prevent such evil happening again. The modern state of
Israel developed after the Second World War. Many Jews ‘returned’ to Eretz Israel, the land promised to
Abraham and his descendants by God. Jews worldwide come to see the remaining Western Wall of the
Temple Mount in Jerusalem, Yad Vashem (the Holocaust memorial) and Masada, a mountain-top fort,
scene of the Jews’ last stand against the Romans.
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Learning about religion
Learning from religion
Explore the concepts of monotheism, covenant and chosen
people in Judaism and their impact on a Jewish understanding
of the world.
• How hard is it to keep your side of a
bargain or agreement?
• What do Jews believe about the meaning,
purpose and value of human life?
Analyse the Shema, the 13 Principles of Faith and selected
stories from the Tenakh in order to discuss the significance of
the titles Jewish people give God.
• Israel means ‘struggle with God.’ In what
ways do people struggle with God?
• What challenges to belief in God has the
Jewish community faced in the light of the
Holocaust?
Explore the festivals of Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah in
relation to teachings about judgement, repentance and
forgiveness.
• What beliefs do Jews hold about life after
death?
Consider a variety of responses to belief in God in the light of
Jewish experience of the Holocaust.
• What are the key concepts or ideas in
Judaism?
Beliefs and Concepts
JUDAISM ~ Key Stage 3
• What are the key beliefs about God?
• How important are names and titles?
• What are your thoughts about life after
death?
Investigate Jewish attitudes to life after death, noting
differences between Orthodox and Liberal views.
Expressions of
Spirituality
Authority
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• What are the different sources of authority
in Judaism (e.g. sacred texts, founders,
leaders, creeds or traditions)? How do
these inform believers’ lives?
• How do Jewish people agree or disagree
about the status of a particular source of
authority?
• How is authority exercised by religious
leaders in Judaism?
Explore the roles of Torah, Tenakh and Talmud as sources for
the Jewish way of life.
• What sorts of people do you listen to when
you need advice?
Discuss reasons for the variety of practice and belief within
Judaism (e.g. orthodox and progressive), and consider their
effect on the lives of different believers.
• Who sets the ‘ground rules’ for you?
Investigate the role of Abraham and Moses in establishing the
fundamentals of Jewish belief and practice.
Analyse the role and significance of the Jewish rabbi.
• Who or what is in authority over you? How
far do you follow their instructions?
• Which would you rather be: a reactionary
or revolutionary?
Investigate how Jewish people express their belief in and
• How does the way you behave towards
• How do Jewish people express their
relationship
with
God
through
prayer
and
worship.
different people reflect your relationship
understanding of God in words and actions?
with them?
Consider the importance of practices such as kashrut and the
• What symbols are used in Judaism to
observance of shabbat in expressing Jewish identity and
• What objects or places have a strong
express feelings, values or beliefs?
spirituality.
emotional or spiritual significance in your
• What role does Israel play as a focus for the
life?
Explore the significance of some traditional symbols in Judaism
expression of Jewish identity
(e.g. Magen David, menorah and Ner Tamid).
Assess the role of Eretz Israel, Jerusalem, the Western Wall
and Yad Vashem as symbols of Jewish identity.
Religion and Science
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Rights and Responsibilities
Ethics and
Relationships
• What questions and issues inform Jewish
ethical and moral choices?
• How do Jewish people make decisions
about what is right and what is wrong?
• How do the teachings of Judaism give
guidance on handling relationships?
Consider a range of ethical and moral questions which might
face Jewish believers today, particularly in the light of the Ten
Commandments.
• What can help us decide if something is
right or wrong?
Examine the teachings of the Torah, Talmud and the Rabbis
about making ethical and moral choices, and how these are
re-evaluated to inform modern life.
• Would it be a good idea to have one day
each year set aside to patch up friendships,
mend quarrels and make peace?
• What is wisdom?
• What does Jewish teaching say about
justice, mercy, forgiveness and
reconciliation?
Evaluate the extent to which festivals such as Yom Kippur
provide an opportunity for forgiveness and reconciliation.
• What are some of the things Judaism
teaches about rights and responsibilities?
Explain how Jewish people see their religious responsibilities in • Do you have an equal number of rights and
responsibilities?
terms of performing tzedaka (acts of charity) and keeping
mitzvot (commandments).
• Can lessons from the past help us to behave
better in the future?
Consider what the stories, prayers and celebrations associated
with Passover say about human rights issues (e.g. persecution, • Where do religious and cultural prejudice
racism and freedom).
and hatred come from?
• What does Judaism have to teach about
social justice and citizenship, including
issues of prejudice and discrimination?
• What have Jewish organisations done to
promote social justice? What inspired their Explore the effects of anti-Semitism on the Jewish community
action?
and consider what this has to say about rights and
responsibilities in the wider community.
Investigate the work of some Jewish organisations dedicated
to helping others and promoting social justice (e.g. Jewish
Council for Racial Equality, Tzedek).
Explore stories in the Torah related to the beginnings of the
• How do Jews view the world and its
origins? How does this affect their answers world and analyse the beliefs they are expressing.
to questions about life?
Explore a range of moral teachings (e.g. the Ten
• What concerns might Jews bring to the
Commandments), which would help Jewish people decide
debate between religion and science?
whether scientific developments are right or wrong.
• How might Jews today approach issues to Debate how technological developments have affected
do with science in the light of their religious religious practice (e.g. observance of Shabbat, keeping
teachings?
kosher).
• If we have experienced suffering, does it
make us more or less likely to help
someone in need?
• Do we have a duty to care for people less
fortunate than ourselves?
• Was the universe created by chance or do
you agree with Einstein’s assertion that
‘God does not play dice’?
• What do you think about these words from
the Mishnah: ‘Whoever destroys a single life
is considered as if he had destroyed the
whole world, and whoever saves a single
life as if he had saved the whole world’?
• ‘Science without religion is lame, religion
without science is blind.’ What do you think
Einstein meant?
Global Issues
• Why are Israel and the Jewish people so
often in the news?
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Inter-faith Dialogue
Consider the impact of the establishment of the state of Israel • What should have priority, the claims of
on Jewish life and how this affects international relationships.
faith or the claims of politics?
• What do Jewish scriptures say about animal Analyse passages from the Jewish scriptures (e.g. Genesis 1,
rights and the environment?
Psalm 104, Deuteronomy 20:19, Proverbs 12:10) and
consider their implications for Jewish responses to
• What principles within Judaism have
particular things to say about justice in the environmental issues and animal rights.
• Should humans and other animals have the
same rights?
• Is the world well-made?
• In what different ways are Jewish ideas
about care for the environment expressed
and passed on through community
celebrations?
• ‘There are too many problems in the world
Discuss the Jewish concepts of tikkun olam (the healing or
for us to do anything about.’ Do you agree?
repair of the world) and bal tashhit (do not destroy or waste)
• Do you waste anything?
and investigate ways in which Jewish people seek
environmental and social justice.
• How would you design an annual
celebration to make people more mindful
Investigate the role of Jewish celebrations and festivals (e.g.
of the need to care for the environment?
Shabbat, Sukkot and Tu B’Shevat) in keeping Jewish people in
touch with the environment.
• What contribution does Judaism make to
reconciliation, tolerance and respect
between different faith communities?
Evaluate the work, for example, of the Council of Christians
and Jews and its impact on inter-faith relationships and wider
dialogue.
• What are the underlying religious issues
which cause conflict between Judaism and
other religions in Israel?
Explore the place of Jerusalem within Judaism and how it
impacts on Jewish relationships, in particular with Muslims
and Christians.
• Why, and on what issues, do some groups
within Judaism, such as Liberal, Hasidic and
Orthodox, disagree? Do they share any
common ground?
Investigate and discuss some areas of debate between
different Jewish traditions, for example, intermarriage, the
role of women, keeping kosher.
world?
• Can talking solve every dispute?
• What do you think is the first step to
reconciliation between two warring
factions?
• Is it ever right to fight for a place that
people consider to be holy?
• Should religions always try to update
themselves?