1. Covenant = two way promise
The Covenant with Abraham - Around 3,000 years ago a wise man called Abraham made quite a stir. Unlike everyone else, he believed in just ONE G-d. This is known as , monotheism. G-d wanted to reward Abraham by making a special agreement with him. But first he had to prove that he could be trusted. G-d asked Abraham to sacrifice his only child, a son called Isaac to prove he would do anything for G-d. This was especially upsetting because Abraham and his wife Sarah valued and loved Isaac more than anything else in the world.
For Jews, the law is the most important part of their faith. This is because they like to know that they are keeping their part of the covenant. To protect the law, the Jews elected people who would be in charge of teaching about the law and making sure it was followed. These people were called Pharisees. The Pharisees created something called ‘the law around the law.’ This was a way of bubble wrapping / protecting the commandments. Including the ‘laws around the law’, there are 613 rules altogether written in the Torah!
The covenant with Moses - A few hundred years after Abraham disaster struck for the Jews!
The Jews (or Hebrews) were captured and forced to become slaves in Egypt. They worked for the Pharaoh at the time. Moses was an Israelite. To reduce the number of Israelites in Egypt, the Pharaoh ordered the killing of Israelite babies. To save him, Moses’ mother placed him in a reed basket and put him in the river Nile, where he was found by an Egyptian princess. Moses was then brought up as an Egyptian but when he killed an Egyptian guard who was attacking a slave he had to flee Egypt.
Moses was given the Ten Commandments along with an explanation of the laws. He spent the rest of his life writing what Jews now call the Torah. Basically G-d dictated to him the laws that still govern the lives and behaviour of all Jews today.
This was also a test of Isaac’s faith because Jews believe he knew he was to be sacrificed and did not resist. At the last moment, G-d stopped Abraham; he had passed the test and G-d provided a ram instead. G-d made an agreement with Abraham because he knew he could be trusted.
G-d spoke to Moses, telling him to go to the Pharaoh to demand the release of the Israelite slaves. The Pharaoh refused and so G-d sent ten plagues. Still, the Pharaoh refused to let the people go. Moses warned the Pharaoh that the tenth plague would be the worst plague of all.
Judaism
Eventually the Israelites were released and Moses led them into the wilderness.
G-d promised Abraham he would have many descendants (Jews).
He would give them a land of their own (Israel).
He would always protect them.
In return, Abraham promised that his people (Jews) would follow G-d’s laws (The Ten Commandments).
His people would also love and worship G-d.
Covenant = two way promise

2. ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord is our G-d, the Lord is One G-d’
The synagogue is the place of worship of Judaism and comes from a Greek word which means ‘bringing together’. The synagogue is also a place to study the Word of G-d and law.
Private worship is common in Judaism. Not every Jew can get to a synagogue and many women do not attend synagogue except for Shabbat (the Jewish holy day, this begins at sundown on Friday and ends when the stars are out on Saturday evening). Jews need to be properly prepared both mentally and in appearance for prayer. Kavanah means mind-set for prayer, it is about having the right intention and focus before prayer so people don’t repeat prayers mindlessly.
Pesach is the most anticipated and celebrated of all Jewish festivals and rituals. It is celebrated for seven days in Israel. It commemorates the freedom of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt over 3,000 years ago. It reminds Jews to continue to fight for freedom and emphasises that G-d will come to the aid of his people so there is always hope.
The Ark of the Covenant is found at the front centre of a synagogue and is the most important part of the building as it houses one or more Torah scrolls, which are used in services and which are the most sacred object in Judaism. The eternal light is a lamp which is always lit to represent the idea of the Torah having meaning and value always. The Bimah is an elevated reading platform from which the Torah is read during services. People physically look up to the Torah on the Bimah, emphasising its importance.
Dressing for worship: A person should be clean and tidy for their prayer, again as a sign of respect to G-d and for what they are about to do. The Kippah is a skull cap worn by Jewish men. Covering the head is the Jewish way of showing respect. The Tallit is a prayer shawl. Jews will wear the shawl across their shoulders and some over their heads when praying. The Tzirzit are the fringes attached to the four corners of the shawl. These twisted strands represent the mitzvoth (613 laws around the Ten Commandments). j
The Tefillin are two small boxes with straps which are worn on the forehead and arm. Each contain passages from the Torah to help the individual focus on prayer.
Prayer is a time for reflection and thinking about how Jews are doing in their relationship with G-d and in following their duties on Earth. The ‘Shema’ is the most important prayer that Jews will ever say. It is basically a declaration of faith. It must be recited three times a day in prayer.
The Seder meal is held on the first and second night of Pesach. The Seder plate is used which has sections in it, each containing a symbolic food representing the plight of the Jewish people when enslaved.
Why is it important to worship?
It forms a part of the Covenant with Abraham, so is a duty.
It shows devotion.
It helps to keep a person’s mind on G-d’s presence throughout the day.
It is an act of praise to G-d.
It brings a community together.
‘Hear O Israel, the Lord is our G-d, the Lord is One G-d’