Judaism Fortnight at St. Joseph’s RC Primary School, November 2008
Mrs. Heyman travelled all the way down from Gateshead to tell us about her life as a Jew.
She told us how she and her family celebrate Shabbat at home.
She brought grape juice and challah bread for us to share
Mrs. Paterson’s class (Y2) made Challah bread. They made plaited loaves – they tasted delicious.
Mrs. Heyman showed how to light the candles and say
the blessing over the wine
It starts … Barukh atah Adonai. Blessed are you, Lord.
Barukh atah Adonai E1oheinu, melekh ha'olam, asher kid'shanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu l'hadlik ner shel Shabbat.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has made us holy through His commandments and commanded us to kindle the Sabbath light.
Blessing for the children
English
May God bless you and watch over you.
May God shine His face toward you and show you favour.
May God be kind toward you and grant you peace.
Transliteration into Hebrew
Ye'varech'echa Adonoy ve'yish'merecha.
Ya'ir Adonoy panav eilecha viy-chuneka.
Yisa Adonoy panav eilecha, ve'yasim lecha shalom
Mrs. Heymand told us about the Jewish calendar and when the most important feasts are.
She was very impressed at what we knew about the high holy days of Rom Kipper and Rosh Hashanah. We answered nearly all her questions on Passover or Pesach!
At Sukkot Jews take we take a citron, a palm branch, three myrtle twigs and two willow branches. They hold them close together and recite a blessing over them. Mrs. Heyman’s community built a Sukkah (or tabernacle) in the synagogue. It was big enough for everyone to sit in it. Her relatives in Israel build theirs in the garden but it would be too cold to do that here. The men wave the palm branches in the synagogue.
Nazidi and Andrew joined in.
Mrs. Heyman told us that her cousin is a scribe – he creates new Torah scrolls.
We were allowed to open up and touch this scroll because it is a model – not a real Torah scroll. It was still long enough to stretch around the class.
