Lesson 1 

Our new RE topic is Judaism.

Create a spider diagram showing what you already know about Judaism.

Create a list of any questions you have about Judaism or anything you would like to find out about.

Lesson 2 Making a new start; Rosh Hashanah.

How often have you thought that you would make a new start?
 Perhaps at the beginning of a New Year or when you go into a new class. 
It is good to look back and think it is possible to start again and try better.

Key Questions

Q  When have you decided to make a new start? 
Q  What helped you and how did you feel?
Q  How did it work?
Q  Did you do it with others?

Look at the Rosh Hashanah Power Point below.

You are going to design a Rosh Hashanah card.

What symbols could you use on the front to represent Rosh Hashanah?

You might want to search some examples in Google to help you.

Lesson 3 Rosh Hashanah and Mitzvah Day.

The ten days from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur are called ten days of returning. (‘Yom Kippur’means ‘day of atonement’.) During this time, people try to mend broken relationships by apologising, saying ‘sorry’ and also accepting apologies and forgiving others. Everyone gets a chance to put things right with other people before asking God’s forgiveness. It is a time when Jews can make up for the wrongs of the past year and make a firm commitment not to do the same things again.

Rosh Hashanah also celebrates God creating the world and humankind, so it is a kind of birthday of humanity. Being made in God’s image is celebrated by being truly human, through forgiveness and kindness.

The word ‘mitzvah’, means ‘a good deed’, a growing number of Jewish communities hold a Mitzvah Day, around this time, when they spend time helping in some way in the community. It might be for homeless people, or work on a city farm, collecting recycling, visiting a sick or disabled person. This idea is spreading to other communities as well as Jewish
ones. It is about caring for everyone.

Think of an activity you could do for Mitzvah day - remember it must be something to help others. 
Create a poster advertising your Mitzvah day.

You could look at the Mitzvah Day website for ideas. The link is below.