Lesson video

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

We're gonna have such a great time and I just know you're going to do brilliantly.

Today's lesson is from the Unit Jews.

How does remembering maintain Jewish identity? This lesson is called How Jews Mark Purim today.

By the end of today's lesson, you will be able to describe different ways Purim is celebrated and the symbolism of some traditions.

Here are the key words that we'll be using in our lesson.

The first is Hamantaschen, Hamantaschen.

These are triangular pastries.

The next is Purim.

Purim, a festival that commemorates the saving of the ancient Jewish community in Persia.

Next mitzvah, mitzvah, which is a good deed.

And finally, charity, giving help to people in need.

You may choose to pause the video there and practise saying the key words.

Here's our lesson outline.

In the first part of the lesson, we're going to look at how is Purim celebrated, and second, we'll be looking at why is Purim celebrated today.

We're going to begin by looking at how is Purim celebrated? Aisha and Lucas are talking about celebrations.

Lucas says, I love to celebrate birthdays with my friends.

There is always lots of noise as we play games and have fun together.

Aisha says, I celebrate Eid with my family.

The best part is having brand new clothes to wear.

How do you celebrate special occasions? Have a think about some of the ways that you do that.

Pause the video while you reflect.

Have a look at this picture.

What can you see in the picture, what's going on? Why not pause the video and think? These children are dressed up for the Jewish Festival of Purim.

The Jewish Festival of Purim is celebrated in early spring.

Purim is a lively festival with many traditions, including party games and sweet food.

Like the picture here.

These are sweet pastries called Hamantaschen.

You might remember, that's one of our key words.

The parties are a reminder of the banquet Queen Esther gave for the king.

It is traditional to dress up as characters from the story of Esther.

In modern times, children might choose to dress up as anything they like.

Here's Rebecca, Rebecca has a Jewish worldview.

She attends a progressive synagogue with her family.

Rebecca says, celebrating Purim reminds me that I belong in the Jewish community.

It's important to have fun together as well as being serious.

She continues and says, we go to the synagogue at Purim, but it feels very different because we are all dressed up in silly clothes, even the grownups.

When I was little, I liked to wear my princess dress and a crown to look like Queen Esther.

Well, that sounds like a lot of fun, doesn't it? So festivals don't just have to be serious.

They can be fun too.

Here's Lucas and Aisha again.

Lucas says, religious celebrations sometimes seem to be very solemn and serious.

They're about important stories and special rituals.

Aisha says, I don't think that is always true, Lucas.

Some religious festivals can be fun.

Do you agree with Aisha? Explain your ideas.

You might want to pause the video now while you think why you agree with Aisha.

Let's check our understanding with a true or false question.

Jewish festivals are always reflective and serious.

Pause the video and think, is this true or false and why? The answer is false.

Festivals like Purim involve fun and silliness as well as times for reflection.

Well done if you got the right answer.

The story of Esther is read at the synagogue at Purim.

The book of Esther has its own special scroll called the Megillah.

It is important for Jews to hear every word of the story.

So it is read twice, once at the start of Purim, and again at the end.

The story tells of evil Haman's wicked plot to kill all the Jews.

It shows the courage of beautiful Queen Esther as she pleaded with the king and saved her people.

You can see a picture of Esther pleading with the king over there.

The book of Esther is read in silence except from the times when evil Haman is mentioned.

When they hear his name, people boo and hiss.

To make even more noise, people use special rattles called graggers.

Some people write Haman on the soles of their shoes and stamp their feet.

Here's Rafi.

Rafi has a Jewish worldview.

He attends an orthodox synagogue with his family.

Rafi says, "I go to the synagogue with my family to hear the story of Esther being read aloud from the scroll.

The best part is when we all get to boo and hiss when we hear Haman's name.

I make a lot of noise by shaking my gragger to drown out his name." That does sound like a lot of fun.

Rafi continues, "I like knowing that the story of Esther has been told like this for many years.

My parents and grandparents all remember shouting and hissing at Haman's name.

One day I might be bringing my own children to the synagogue to shake their Graggers.

So let's check our understanding with a quick question.

What happens when Haman's name is mentioned during the reading of the book of Esther? Choose two.

Will you choose A, people boo, hiss and shake rattles? B, people stamp their feet or C, people listen quietly and reflect on the story.

Pause the video as you consider which two of these are correct.

The correct answers are A people boo, hiss and shake rattles, and B, people stamp their feet.

Well done if you got the right answers.

Hamantaschen are sweet triangular pastries filled with poppy seeds.

The name means Haman's pockets and they are another reminder of the story of Esther and Haman.

I do have to say, those Hamantaschen look particularly delicious.

Here's Michael.

Michael has a secular Jewish worldview.

He says, we don't go to the synagogue at Purim, but we usually invite all our friends around for a party with silly games and lots of cake and sweet food.

My gran makes the best Hamantaschen.

She makes traditional poppy seed ones, but she also fills some with lemon curd or jam.

I like the sound of those Michael.

Michael continues.

Even though we are not religious, we like to celebrate our Jewish identity, eating Hamantaschen reminds me of Haman, the baddy in the story of Esther.

I remember pictures of Haman in a story book my gran used to read to me when I was little.

Well, let's check our understanding again.

What are Hamantaschen? Select the correct answer.

Will you select A, the scroll of the book of Esther, B, sweet triangular pastries, or C, noisy rattles to drown out Haman's name? Pause the video now and think which is the correct answer.

The correct answer is B.

Hamantaschen are sweet triangular pastries.

Well done if you got the right answer.

So now it's time for a task.

These children are talking about their Purim celebrations.

Give a reason for their actions.

Michael says, "I eat Hamantaschen at our Purim party." Rebecca says, "I dress up when I go to synagogue at Purim." and Rafi says, "I shout and shake my Gragger during the story of Esther." So think, why do the children do each of their actions? Give a reason.

Pause the video now whilst you complete your work.

I wonder what you put.

You might have said, Michael eats Hamantaschen at his Purim party to remember the story of Esther and Haman.

The traditional food reminds him of his Jewish identity.

Rebecca dresses up to go to the synagogue at Purim because the celebration is about fun, as well as remembering the serious parts of the story.

Rafi shouts and makes lots of noise to drown out Haman's name and to show that Haman's actions were evil.

Well done for completing that task.

So we've completed the first part of our lesson on how is Purim celebrated.

Now we're moving on to look at why is Purim celebrated today? Purim is a reminder that Jews face danger in the time of Queen Esther.

The word Purim means lots.

In the story of Esther, the Jews were going to be killed on a random day that will be chosen by throwing Jewish dice called lots.

Here's Rafi again.

Rafi celebrates Purim with his Orthodox Jewish family.

Rafi says "It is not nice to think of Haman planning to throw lots to decide when to kill the Jews.

At Purim, we even find some fun in this part of the story, my mom collects a basket full of little wrapped gifts.

The children throw a dice and take a random gift.

It is a good surprise to get a new pen or tiny toy." Being Jewish can be difficult today because some people are hostile to the Jewish community.

Purim celebrations bring the Jewish community together and enable them to celebrate their Jewish identity as they dress up and take part in celebrations at home and in the synagogue.

Here's Sherri.

Sherri has a secular Jewish worldview.

She doesn't believe in God.

She does not usually attend synagogue.

Sherri says, in my family, we celebrate many Jewish festivals.

Festivals like Rosh Hashanah and Purim remind us of our Jewish identity and help us to feel connected with Jews around the world as we all celebrate.

She continues and says, celebrating together as a local Jewish community reminds us that we belong together and we can laugh and have fun together even during the tough times, we can allow ourselves to be happy and make others happy too.

Now here is Mahsa.

Mahsa has a Jewish worldview.

She attends a Sephardi synagogue.

The celebration of Purim is an important part of her Jewish identity.

She says, celebrating Purim with my family and friends emphasises and reinforces my Jewish identity.

It maintains my historical connection with Jewish people in the past, even people living 3000 years ago in the time of Queen Esther.

She continues and says, "The story of Purim reminds me that God had the power to save the Jewish people and overcome evil thousands of years ago through the actions of Esther and Mordecai.

Even today, I believe we don't need to be afraid of evil in the world.

God is still looking after us." So let's do a quick question to check our understanding.

Choose two reasons to explain why Jews celebrate Purim today.

Will you choose A, to celebrate their Jewish identity.

B, to show that sweet food is important, C, to remember that God's power can still overcome evil or D, to retell the story of Moses and the Exodus, pause the video and think which two reasons explain why Jews celebrate Purim today.

The answers are, A, to celebrate their Jewish identity.

And C, to remember that God's power can still overcome evil.

Well done if you got the correct answers.

Purim is a time for doing good deeds.

A good deed is called a mitzvah.

One common mitzvah at Purim is to give out plates of sweet food called Mishloach manot to family and friends.

The plates contain sweet foods such as hamantaschen as well as fruit and cakes.

Here you can see a picture of children giving Mishloach manot.

So back to Sherri.

Sherri says, "My mitzvah at Purim is to take a plate of food to one of my neighbours.

I take sweet treats and other things I know she enjoys.

She lives on her own, and my mitzvah is to spend time with her and help her feel less lonely." Mahsa says, "My mitzvah at Purim is to give to others by giving to charity.

I choose to give to charities that help people who are poor and in need in the UK and in other countries." So let's check our understanding again with a quick question.

Which of these is the best definition of a mitzvah? Is it A, a plate of fruit and cakes? B, a sweet pastry eaten at Purim.

C, a good deed such as giving to others in need.

Or D, a noisy rattle used in the synagogue.

Pause the video while you consider which of these is the best definition of a mitzvah.

The answer is C.

A good deed such as giving to others in need.

Well done if you got the correct answer.

Time for a task.

Jacob is wondering about the Jewish celebration of Purim.

He says, I think Purim sounds a bit depressing.

It seems to be all about someone deciding to kill Jews a long time ago.

Lucas says, you are right.

It sounds like a sad and difficult story, but Purim is also a story of courage and the Jewish celebrations sound like great fun.

Help Lucas to explain some of the positive aspects of Purim to Jacob.

Pause the video now whilst you help Lucas explain some of the positive aspects.

You might want to bullet point these down in a list.

I wonder what you put.

You might have said, Purim is a time to celebrate the courage of Queen Esther with special food and fun.

The story is told like a pantomime by dressing up and shouting at Haman, the evil villain.

Jews eat hamantaschen, cakes and sweets.

Jews might do a mitzvah, a good deed, by giving to charity or sharing food with people in need.

Well done for completing that task.

So we've come to the end of our lesson.

Let's summarise what we've looked at together today.

During Purim, the story of Esther is read out at the synagogue.

When Haman's name is mentioned, everyone shouts and makes lots of noise.

There are different customs connected to Purim, such as acting out the story and wearing fancy dress, special foods are eaten including symbolic pastries called hamantaschen.

And finally, the festival reminds Jews of God's power to save them and overcome evil.

It is traditional to give to charity and to give gifts of food.

This is a mitzvah, a good deed.

Well done for working so hard today.

I'm really proud of what you've done and I'm really looking forward to working with you again soon.

Bye for now.