Lesson video

Hello, my name is Mr. Womack, and I'm really excited to be working with you today.

I just know we're going to do brilliantly.

This lesson is from the unit Jews: how does remembering maintain Jewish identity? This lesson is called Rosh Hashanah: diverse Jewish celebrations.

By the end of today's lesson, we will be able to describe different ways that Rosh Hashanah is celebrated and the symbolism of some traditions.

Some of the learning is brand new, but I'm here to help you.

The keywords we will be using today are challah, sweet bread baked in a circular shape eaten at Rosh Hashanah.

Shana Tovah, traditional greeting used at Rosh Hashanah.

Rosh Hashanah, a festival to mark the beginning of the Jewish New Year.

And resolution, a firm decision to do or not do something.

So now pause the video and practise saying some of these words.

You might even want to write them down or think how you might use them in a short sentence.

In today's lesson, we will be looking at these two key things.

How is the New Year celebrated, and how did you celebrate Rosh Hashanah? So we're going to start by looking at how is New Year celebrated? So let's think about how we might celebrate a new year.

What kinds of things might different people do to mark a new year? Have a think.

The pictures on the screen should give you some ideas to get you started.

Now pause the video and talk to someone about what you think people might do.

New Year's Eve is a big celebration for millions of people all over the world.

It often includes singing, dancing, and fireworks as people say goodbye to the old year and welcome the new one.

Some people like to make new year resolutions.

This is a promise to yourself to make changes in your life in the coming year.

I wonder if you've had any resolutions for the new year.

Were you successful? I've made some resolutions for New Year, but I'm not gonna tell you what they were.

You'll just have to guess.

So let's keep thinking about how new year is celebrated.

Let's see what Jun and Laura have to say.

Jun and Laura are talking about new year.

Jun says, "I have made a new year resolution to read a book for half an hour each day.

I've kept my resolution so far." Well, that's a very good resolution, isn't it? Well done, Jun, for making a firm decision to achieve a goal, and for sticking to it.

Maybe trying to read more is something you have tried too.

Laura says, "I love having new exercise books at the start of the school year in September.

I plan to keep my writing really neat!" So while Jun is talking about a new year starting on the 1st of January, Laura is talking about a new school year.

It's really interesting that she has decided to make a resolution for a new school year, isn't it? I love that she's decided that she wants to keep her work lovely and neat.

Maybe that's something we could be inspired by.

So how do you mark or celebrate a new year? You could pause the video here and think of some more ideas.

So now it's time to check our understanding about how a new year is celebrated.

What is a new year's resolution? Choose two answers.

Could it be A, a big firework display? Could it be B, a firm decision to achieve a goal? Or C, a party that takes place on January the 1st? Or D, a promise to make changes in your life? Pause the video, think about which two answers are correct, then we can check if you are right.

So, the two correct answers are B, making a firm decision to achieve a goal, and D, a promise to make a change in your life.

Well done if you chose the right two options.

So let's get back to thinking about how different people celebrate a new year.

Here we have Laura describing the way she and her family celebrate a new year.

She says, "In Scotland, New Year's Eve is called Hogmanay, and it's a huge event with lots of fireworks and street parties.

In my family, we sing the song 'Auld Lang Syne' as the clock strikes midnight.

We then go to all the neighbours and wish them a happy new year!" That sounds like a lovely way to bring in the new year.

Perhaps you've heard that song or even sung it to yourself.

It's popular outside of Scotland too.

So here's Jun describing his new year's celebrations.

His grandparents are from China, so they have some other ways of bringing in a new year.

Jun says, "My grandparents are from China, so we celebrate Chinese New Year in January or February.

My gran gives me lucky money in a red envelope each new year.

Each year is named after an animal, such as the year of the rat, the dragon, or the monkey.

We set off fireworks and our local street has a dragon parade!" So Chinese New Year has some similarities and differences to what we've heard, hasn't it? Perhaps you've spotted some of them.

Fireworks might be more familiar, but lucky money and naming the year after an animal is a different way of bringing in the new year.

So now let's look at someone with a Jewish worldview.

This is Victoria, and here she is describing the way she celebrates the new year.

She says, "Jews have a special festival to celebrate their new year.

Jewish New Year is known as Rosh Hashanah.

Rosh Hashanah means head of the year in Hebrew.

The date of Rosh Hashanah varies, as it is linked to the Hebrew calendar.

It usually occurs in September or October." So you might have noticed that people don't just celebrate the new year in different ways.

Some people have different new year's celebrations altogether based on their worldview and different calendars.

So here's Michael.

Michael has a secular Jewish worldview.

He says, "My family are Jews originally from Ghana.

We celebrate many Jewish festivals, but do not attend the synagogue.

Rosh Hashanah is a time of new beginnings and making resolutions." So within Judaism, there are differences and different ways of celebrating a new year.

So it's time to complete a task about how New Year is celebrated.

This is Sam.

Sam thinks that New Year is celebrated in the same way at the same time all over the world.

So, explain why she is incorrect.

Give reasons for your explanation, and in your answer, try to use the keywords Rosh Hashanah and resolution.

You might choose to discuss this, or write a short paragraph to explain your thoughts.

So pause the video while you explain why Sam is incorrect.

Well, what did you say? You might have mentioned that many cultures around the world celebrate New Year.

However, they mark it at different times.

For example, Chinese New Year is celebrated in January or February, Rosh Hashanah is celebrated by many Jews in September or October, or that many people make resolutions to mark the new year.

This is a promise to make a change in the coming year.

So, we have covered the first part of our lesson.

Now we'll move on to the second part, how do Jews celebrate Rosh Hashanah? So how do Jews celebrate Rosh Hashanah? Rosh Hashanah is a festival to celebrate the Jewish New Year.

Rosh Hashanah takes place during the seventh Hebrew month of Tishrei, usually around September or October.

Jewish New Year is a time of new beginnings and is celebrated with symbolic food and actions.

So let's move on to hear from some people with different Jewish worldviews and about the way they celebrate Rosh Hashanah.

So here's Victoria.

Victoria has a Jewish worldview and attends an Orthodox synagogue.

She says, "Jewish festivals often include foods with symbolic importance.

The special foods act as reminders to help us focus on the meaning of the festival.

I love Rosh Hashanah because we eat lots of sweet food to symbolise our hopes for a sweet new year!" Many Jewish people eat sweet food during Rosh Hashanah celebrations to symbolise their hopes for a good new year.

It's traditional to eat apples dipped in honey and to wish everyone a sweet new year.

They might say Shana Tovah, which means good year.

Shana Tovah is one of our keywords, isn't it? Why don't you try saying it out loud? Shana Tovah.

Shana Tovah.

That's the traditional greeting used at Rosh Hashanah.

Victoria continues by explaining why symbolic food is important.

She says, "When we eat together, it is much easier to talk about our hopes and plans to live a good life.

Abstract ideas such as hope and goodness are impossible to see, but when we share and eat the festival foods at Rosh Hashanah, they act as symbols of these important beliefs." So food is a good way of helping explain different ideas about Rosh Hashanah.

Back to Michael, who is from a secular Jewish family.

Remember, Michael does not attend the synagogue, but he and his family do celebrate festivals like Rosh Hashanah.

He says, "My favourite part of Rosh Hashanah is eating apples dipped in honey.

They taste so sweet and delicious.

Now I'm older, I can help mum to chop and prepare the apples.

We talk about our plans and hopes for the new year as we work.

We want the new year to be as sweet as the apples and honey! He continues, "My family is not very religious and we do not go to the synagogue.

We like to celebrate some Jewish festivals because it reminds us that we belong to the Jewish community.

For me, Rosh Hashanah is all about making new plans for the new year.

It feels like the start of a new school year in the autumn term." So we've looked at some different ways that people celebrate Rosh Hashanah.

We've heard about how food is used as part of the celebration.

So let's do a quick check to see what we've remembered.

Why do many Jews eat symbolic food at festivals? Look for two correct answers.

Could it be A, Jews like the taste of sweet food; or B, the food reminds Jews of the real meaning of the festival; or C, sharing symbolic food reminds Jews of their Jewish identity? So pause the video and have a think, which two of these options are the right ones? So, the correct options would be the food reminds Jews of the real meaning of the festival, and C, sharing symbolic food reminds Jews of their Jewish identity.

Well done if you selected the right ones.

Now, let's look again at special food that is used as part of celebrating Rosh Hashanah.

Challah bread is eaten at Jewish festivals, including the weekly Shabbat meal.

The challah bread at Rosh Hashanah is usually round and might be shaped like a crown.

This circular shape reminds Jews of the cycle of life and the cycle of the year.

At Rosh Hashanah, the challah bread might be sweetened or dipped in honey for extra sweetness.

Like Michael, Sherri has a secular Jewish worldview.

She celebrates Jewish festivals but does not go to the synagogue.

She says, "In my family, we plait our challah bread and make it into a circle.

While I knead the bread, I think about how the events of the past year and my hopes for my family in the coming year are all woven together." She continues by saying, "I remember watching my mum and grandma make challah bread when I was a little girl.

It's important to me that these Jewish traditions have been passed on from generation to generation.

It reminds me of my Jewish identity and makes me feel connected to all those others in the past." Daniel has a different Jewish worldview and attends a Progressive synagogue.

He says, "At Rosh Hashanah, we spend a lot of time with family and friends at the synagogue.

We greet each other by saying Shana Tovah, which means have a good year.

Praying and spending time at the synagogue is an important part of the festival because Rosh Hashanah is a time for reflection." So, unlike Sherri and Michael who have a secular Jewish worldview, Daniel attends the synagogue with his family and friends in order to pray and to reflect.

So, let's see what you can remember.

Which of these Jewish traditions might Jews follow at Rosh Hashanah? Is it A, eating sweets; B, telling the story of Moses; C, saying Shana Tovah; or B, eating bitter herbs? Pause the video and have a think, which of them might be followed at Rosh Hashanah? Well done if you selected A, eating sweet foods, or C, saying Shana Tovah.

Let's keep looking at foods that can be symbolic in Judaism.

Pomegranate fruit is an important symbol in Judaism.

This Torah scroll is decorated with pomegranate motifs to remind people that it contains hundreds of laws, just as a pomegranate contains hundreds of seeds.

At Rosh Hashanah, pomegranates are eaten to remind Jews to make resolutions to do good deeds in the coming year.

It might be that they try to follow God's laws more closely.

Perhaps you know some Jewish laws that might be included as part of this.

So back to Daniel, who attends a Progressive synagogue.

Here is Daniel thinking about some of the deeper meanings in the tradition of Rosh Hashanah.

He reflects, "In my family, we don't eat apples and honey, but we do eat pomegranates at Rosh Hashanah.

The seeds inside this symbolic fruit remind me that I'm full of mitzvahs, or good deeds." He says, "When I eat pomegranate seeds, I pray that God will look deep inside me and know that I really want to follow his laws.

I pray that in the coming year, I'll be able to do lots of good deeds.

So, let's do a true or false question to check our understanding.

True or false? All Jews celebrate Rosh Hashanah in the same way.

Pause the video and think, is this statement true or false, and why? So, it's false.

Jews celebrate Rosh Hashanah in different ways.

You might have said, Jews around the world might have different traditions and find meaning in different aspects of the festival.

For example, they might have an Orthodox worldview, a secular Jewish worldview, or even a Progressive one.

Time for a task.

Use this image and the sentence starters as a prompt to explain how and why Jews today celebrate Rosh Hashanah using symbolic foods.

Try to use at least two keywords in your explanation.

You can see the sentence starters below.

You might want to write a short paragraph to complete this task.

Pause the video while you complete your work.

I wonder what you might have said.

Perhaps your answer included that many Jews today celebrate Rosh Hashanah by eating sweet foods, such as apples, honey, and challah bread.

They wish each other a good and sweet new year by saying Shana Tovah! Some Jews eat pomegranate seeds.

They do this because it reminds them of the laws in the Torah.

Some Jews might go to the synagogue, while others celebrate at home.

So, we've now reached the end of our lesson together.

Let's summarise what we have learnt.

We've learnt that Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the Jewish New Year.

There are many customs and celebrations associated with Rosh Hashanah.

The celebration and its traditions vary among Jewish communities.

Sweet foods such as apples, challah bread, and pomegranates are eaten during Rosh Hashanah, symbolising a sweet new year.

So well done for all your hard work today.

You've done a brilliant job, and I'm looking forward to working with you again soon.

Bye for now.