6th Grade Religion Inquiry What Defines a People? · 6th Grade Religion Inquiry ... Three of the world's major religions -- the monotheist traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and

INQUIRY DES IGNMODEL CONTEST WINNER

T H I S W O R K I S L I C E N S E D U N D E R A C R E A T I V E C OMMON S A T T R I B U T I O N - N O N C OMM E R C I A L - S H A R E A L I K E 4 . 0 I N T E R N A T I O N A L L I C E N S E . 1

6thGradeReligionInquiry

WhatDefinesaPeople?

Abraham’sJourneyfromUrtoCanaan,paintingbyJózsefMolnár,1850,HungarianNationalGallery,Budapest

SupportingQuestions

1. WhoweretheAncientHebrews?2. WhataretheprinciplesofJudaism?3. HowdothebeliefsandhistoryofJudaismconnecttoIsrael?4. HowdoreligiouspracticesvaryamongdifferentpopulationswithinJudaism?


T H I S W O R K I S L I C E N S E D U N D E R A C R E A T I V E C OMMON S A T T R I B U T I O N - N O N C OMM E R C I A L - S H A R E A L I K E 4 . 0 I N T E R N A T I O N A L L I C E N S E . 2

6thGradeReligionInquiry

WhatDefinesaPeople?

CaliforniaContentStandard&C3FrameworkIndicator

CCS.6.3.Studentsanalyzethegeographic,political,economic,religious,andsocialstructuresoftheAncientHebrews.D2.His.3.6-8.Usequestionsgeneratedaboutindividualsandgroupstoanalyzewhythey,andthedevelopmentstheyshaped,areseenashistoricallysignificant.

StagingtheQuestion Studentscreateagraphicorganizerwheretheyshowthefactors(i.e.,places,ideas,beliefs.)thatareapartoftheiridentities.

SupportingQuestion1 SupportingQuestion2 SupportingQuestion3 SupportingQuestion4

WhoweretheancientHebrews?

WhataretheprinciplesofJudaism?

HowdothebeliefsandhistoryofJudaismconnecttoIsrael?

HowdoreligiouspracticesvaryamongdifferentpopulationswithinJudaism?

FormativePerformanceTask




CompleteagraphicorganizeridentifyinganddescribingmajorfiguresandbeliefsinHebrewhistory.

AddtheprinciplesofJudaismtothegraphicorganizer.

Write1-2paragraphsdescribinghowIsraelconnectstothebeliefsandhistoryofJudaismandtheHebrewpeople.

MakeaclaimsupportedbyevidenceaboutthedifferentwaysJudaismispracticedamongdifferentpopulations.

FeaturedSources FeaturedSources FeaturedSources FeaturedSources

SourceA:Ted-Ed,“WorldReligions”SourceB:JewishVirtualLibrarytimelineSourceC:“Religion:ThreeReligions,OneGod”

SourcesfromSQ1SourceA:Maimonides’13PrinciplesofBeliefSourceB:“JewishBeliefs”SourceC:BBCBitesize–GCSE,“Judaism”

SourcesfromSQ1andSQ2SourceA:SHOW,MappingWorldsSourceB:VideoJerusalem:SacredandContentiousSourceC:LyricstoIsraeliNationalAnthem

SourceA:DescriptionofPassoverSourceB:ImagesofPassoverTraditions

SummativePerformanceTask

ARGUMENTWhatdefinesapeople?Constructanargument(e.g.,detailedoutline,poster,essay)thataddressesthecompellingquestionusingspecificclaimsandrelevantevidencefromhistoricalandcontemporarysourceswhileacknowledgingcompetingviews.

EXTENSIONConductaSocraticdialoguethataddressesthecompellingquestion.

TakingInformedAction

UNDERSTANDDeterminethefactorsthatcomposethelocalcommunity’sidentity.ASSESSIdentifywaysthatthesefactorsvaryamongthoseinthecommunity.ACTCreateaschool-widedisplaythatcelebratesthesimilaritiesanddifferencesacrosscommunitymembers.


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Overview

InquiryDescription

ThisinquiryleadsstudentsthroughaninvestigationofancientHebrewhistoryandJudaismbyusingvarioussourcesthatconsiderthehistoricalandtheologicalfoundations,aswellasissuesrelatedtogeographyandplace.Byinvestigatingthecompellingquestion,studentsexaminethehistoryoftheancientHebrewpeople,theprinciplesthatformthefoundationofJudaicthought,theconnectionofhistoryandreligiontoIsrael,andthegeographicvarianceinreligiouspractices.Bycompletingthisinquiry,studentsbegintounderstandissuesrevolvingaroundthefactorsthathelptoformapeople’sidentity,aswellasthefluidityofdefiningagroupwithinanypredeterminedcriteria.

NOTE:Thisinquiryisexpectedtotakefourtosix40-minuteclassperiods.Theinquirytimeframecouldexpandifteachersthinktheirstudentsneedadditionalinstructionalexperiences(i.e.,supportingquestions,formativeperformancetasks,andfeaturedsources).Inquiriesarenotscripts,soteachersareencouragedtomodifyandadaptthemtomeettheneedsandinterestsoftheirparticularstudents.Resourcescanalsobemodifiedasnecessarytomeetindividualizededucationprograms(IEPs)orSection504Plansforstudentswithdisabilities.

StructureoftheInquiry

Inaddressingthecompellingquestion“Whatdefinesapeople?”studentsworkthroughaseriesofsupportingquestions,formativeperformancetasks,andfeaturedsourcesinordertoconstructanargumentsupportedbyevidencewhileacknowledgingcompetingperspectives.

StagingtheCompellingQuestion

Instagingthecompellingquestion,“Whatdefinesapeople?”teacherscanhavestudentscreateagraphicorganizerwheretheyshowthefactors(i.e.places,ideas,beliefs,etc.)thatareapartoftheiridentities.Discussioncanincludewhytheychosecertainthingsandwhytheirindividualresponsesaresimilartoanddifferentfromtheirclassmates’responses.

SupportingQuestion1

Thefirstsupportingquestion—“WhoweretheancientHebrews?”—helpsstudentsunderstandthehistoricalandtheologicalfoundationsofHebrewandJudaicidentity.TheformativeperformancetaskhasstudentscreateagraphicorganizeridentifyinganddescribingmajorfiguresandbeliefsinHebrewhistory.ThefirstfeaturedsourceforthisquestionisabriefvideoclipfromTED-Edonworldreligions.Thepertinentportionrelatingtotheinquiryisindicatedbelow.FeaturedSourceBisadetailedtimelineofJewishhistoryfromtheJewishVirtualLibrary.InFeaturedSourceC,anarticleexcerptfromPBS,studentswillgetabriefoverviewofJewishhistoryinconsiderationastohowitintersectswithreligionandidentity.


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SupportingQuestion2

Forthesecondsupportingquestion—“WhataretheprinciplesofJudaism?”—studentsbuildontheirhistoricalknowledgeoftheancientHebrewswithfurtherexplorationofJewishtheology.TheformativeperformancetaskhasstudentsaddprinciplesofJudaismtotheirgraphicorganizerfromthefirstperformancetask.Inadditiontotheprevioustask’ssources,thefeaturedsourceshelpexplainthebeliefsystem.However,teachersshouldkeepinmindthatdespitecommonprinciples,thereisnotawell-defineddogmaofJudaismasthereisinotherreligions.ThefirstfeaturedsourceforthisquestionistheThirteenPrinciplesofBelief,articulatedbyMaimonides,aninfluentialMedieval-erarabbi.ThesecondfeaturedsourceisanarticlefromtheBBC,whichdiscussesvariousaspectsofJudaicbelief.ThefinalfeaturedsourcealsocomesfromtheBBC,whichprovidesmoreinsightintohowJudaismviewsvariousconceptsandissues,bothinhistoricalandcontemporarycontexts.

SupportingQuestion3

Thethirdsupportingquestion—“HowdothebeliefsandhistoryofJudaismconnecttoIsrael?”—asksstudentstoconsidertheroleofplaceinone’sidentity,specificallyhowJudaism’shistoryandtheologyisconnectedtoIsrael,inparticularJerusalem.Studentswrite1-2paragraphsdescribinghowIsraelconnectstothebeliefsandhistoryofJudaismandtheHebrewpeople.Inadditiontothepreviousfeaturedsources,theresourcesforthistaskfurtherilluminatethewaysinwhichIsraelisaconsiderablefeatureinJewishhistoryandidentity.Thefirstfeaturedsourceforthisquestionisaninteractivewebsitethatgraphicallyshowsgeographyscaledtochosendata.Forthistask,studentsfocusonarepresentationofJewishpopulations.FeaturedSourceB,avideofromadocumentaryseriesthroughPBS,discussestheimportanceofJerusalemtothethreeAbrahamicreligions.ThelastFeaturedSource,thelyricstotheIsraeliNationalAnthem,furtheremphasizestheimportanceofplacewithinJudaism.

SupportingQuestion4

Forthefourthsupportingquestion—“HowdoreligiouspracticesvaryamongdifferentpopulationswithinJudaism?”—studentsconsiderhowreligiouspracticesmayvaryacrossdifferentculturalandgeographiccontexts.TheformativetaskasksstudentstomakeaclaimsupportedbyevidenceaboutthewaysJudaismispracticedamongdifferentpopulations.ThefeaturedsourcesfocusonPassover,however,teacherscanchooseotherholidaysorpractices,aswellasusethistaskasaresearchopportunity.FeaturedSourceAisadescriptionofthecommonfeaturesofPassovercelebrations,whilealsodiscussingdifferencesamongcultures.ThesecondfeaturedsourceisanimagegalleryofPassovertraditionsfromavarietyofgeographiclocations.

SummativePerformanceTask

Atthispointintheinquiry,studentshaveexaminedvariousfactorsthatimpactagroup’sidentityusingJudaismasacasestudy.Studentsshouldbeexpectedtodemonstratethebreadthoftheirunderstandingsandtheirabilitiestouseevidencefrommultiplesourcestosupporttheirclaims.Inthistask,studentsconstructevidence-based


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argumentsusingmultiplesourcestoanswerthecompellingquestion:“Whatdefinesapeople?”Itisimportanttonotethatstudents’argumentscouldtakeavarietyofforms,includingadetailedoutline,poster,oressay.

Students’argumentswilllikelyvary,butcouldincludeanyofthefollowing:

• ThetraditionsfromasharedhistorycreateacommonidentityamongthosewhopracticeJudaism.• Thoughtheyshareacommonhistory,whatunitespractitionersofJudaismisthereligioussymbolism

rootedinmeaningsandmoralfoundations.• ConnectiontoIsraeliscentraltoJewishidentity,asitisrootedinreligiousmeaningandhistory.• PracticesamongadherentsofJudaismhavebecomereflectiveofmanydifferentgeographicandcultural

contexts,transcendinganysingledefinition.

Toextendtheirarguments,teachersmayhavestudentsconductaSocraticdialogueaddressingthecompellingquestion.

StudentshavetheopportunitytoTakeInformedActionbydrawingontheirunderstandingsofthevariousfactorsthatcanimpactidentity.Tounderstand,studentsdeterminethefactorsthatcontributetotheirlocalcommunity’sidentity.Toassess,studentsidentifywaysthatthesefactorsvaryamongindividualswithintheircommunity.Toact,studentscreateaschool-widedisplaythatcelebratesthesimilaritiesanddifferences.


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SupportingQuestion1FeaturedSource SourceA:JohnBellaimey,video,“Thefivemajorworldreligions,”TED-Ed,n.d.

Seeportion,2:20-4:20Accessedfrom:http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-five-major-world-religions-john-bellaimey#digdeeper


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SupportingQuestion1FeaturedSource SourceB:“TimelinefortheHistoryofJudaism,”interactivetimeline,JewishVirtualLibrary,2016.

Accessedfrom:http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/timeline.html


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SupportingQuestion1FeaturedSource SourceC:“Religion:ThreeReligions,OneGod,”articleexcerpt,PBS,2002.

Threeoftheworld'smajorreligions--themonotheisttraditionsofJudaism,Christianity,andIslam--wereallbornintheMiddleEastandareallinextricablylinkedtooneanother.ChristianitywasbornfromwithintheJewishtradition,andIslamdevelopedfrombothChristianityandJudaism.Whiletherehavebeendifferencesamongthesereligions,therewasarichculturalinterchangebetweenJews,Christians,andMuslimsthattookplaceinIslamicSpainandotherplacesovercenturies.JudaismAbriefhistoryofJudaismJudaismistheoldestsurvivingmonotheisticreligion,arisingintheeasternMediterraneaninthesecondmillenniumB.C.E.AbrahamistraditionallyconsideredtobethefirstJewandtohavemadeacovenantwithGod.BecauseJudaism,Christianity,andIslamallrecognizeAbrahamastheirfirstprophet,theyarealsocalledtheAbrahamicreligions.WhiletherewasalwaysasmallcommunityofJewsinhistoricPalestine,in73C.E.theRomanEmpiredispersedtheJewsafteraninsurrectionagainstRomanauthority.MostJewsthenlivedinDiaspora,asminoritiesintheircommunities,untilthefoundingofthestateofIsraelin1948.WhenJewsfromallovertheworldcametosettleinmodernIsrael,theyfoundthatvarioussubcultureshaddevelopedindifferentareaswithdistinctivehistories,languages,religiouspractices,customs,andcuisine.JewishculturalgroupsJewsfromGermanyandEasternEuropewereknownasAshkenazim(from"Ashkenazic"theHebrewwordforGermany).Yiddish,afusionofGermanandHebrew,wasthespokenlanguageoftheAshkenazi.InEurope,Jewshadtendedtobesegregated--voluntarilyornot--fromtheChristianpopulation.Fromthelate19thandthroughfirsthalfofthe20thcentury,manyAshkenaziJewscametoPalestinetoescapethepersecutionanddiscriminationtheyfacedbecauseoftheirreligion.SephardicJewstracetheirancestrytotheIberianPeninsula(modern-daySpainandPortugal;"Sephardic"comesfromtheHebrewwordforSpain).TheyoncespokeLadino,amixtureofHebrewandSpanish.MizrahiJews(fromtheHebrewwordforEastern,alsosometimescalledOrientalJews)tracetheirorigintoNorthAfricaandAsia.MizrahiandSephardicJewishcommunitiestendedtobeintegratedintotheirrespectivesocieties.JudaisminIsraelandAmericaThereisgreatdifferenceofopinionamongIsraeliJewsovertheroleJewishreligiouslawshouldplayinthestate.Untilrecently,OrthodoxJudaismwastheonlyformofthereligionformallyandlegallyrecognizedinIsrael.AlthoughlessconservativebranchesofJudaismnowhavepartialrecognition,Orthodoxyremainsdominantpoliticallyandlegally.ManyIsraeliJewsdescribethemselvesintermsoftheirdegreeofobservanceofJewishlaw.Abouthalfcallthemselvessecular;about15to20percentseethemselvesasOrthodoxorultra-Orthodox;andtherestdescribethemselvesastraditionallyobservant,butnotasstrictastheOrthodox.IntheUnitedStates,debateoverthenecessityofobservingJewishlawhasledtothedevelopmentofthreemajormovements.OrthodoxJewsbelievethatJewishlawisunchangingandmandatory.ConservativeJewsarguethatGod'slawschangeandevolveovertime.ReformandReconstructionistJewsbelievethatthese


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lawsaremerelyguidelinesthatindividualscanchoosetofollowornot.Inaddition,therearemanyJewsintheUnitedStateswhoaresecularoratheist.Forthem,theirJudaismisacultureratherthanareligion.WhatJewsbelieveJewsbelieveinonegodandhisprophets,withspecialrespectforMosesastheprophettowhomGodgavethelaw.JewishlawisembodiedintheTorah(alsoknownasthePentateuch)andtheTalmud(collectedcommentaryontheTorahcompletedinthefifth-centuryC.E.).Judaismismoreconcernedwithactionsthandogma.Inotherwords,observanceofrulesregulatinghumanbehaviorhasbeenofmoreconcernthandebatesoverbeliefsintheJewishtradition.AccordingtoOrthodoxJudaism,Jewishlaw,orhalakhah,includes613commandmentsgivenbyGodintheTorah,aswellasrulesandpracticeselaboratedbyscholarsandcustom.Jewishlawcoversmatterssuchasprayerandritual,diet,rulesregulatingpersonalstatus(marriage,divorce,birth,death,inheritance,etc.),andobservanceofholidays(likeYomKippur,theDayofAtonement;andPassover,thefeastcelebratingtheexodusoftheJewsfromslaveryinEgypt).Accessedfrom:http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mideast/themes/religion/


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SupportingQuestion2FeaturedSource SourceA:“Maimonides:ThirteenArticlesofFaith,”MedievalSourcebook,FordhamUniversity,c.

1170C.E.

Maimonides,inhiscommentaryontheMishnah,compileswhathereferstoastheShloshah-AsarIkkarim,theThirteenArticlesofFaith,compiledfromJudaism's613commandmentsfoundintheTorah.TheThirteenArticlesofJewishfaithareasfollows:

1. BeliefintheexistenceoftheCreator,beHeBlessed,whoisperfectineverymannerofexistenceandisthePrimaryCauseofallthatexists.

2. ThebeliefinG-d'sabsoluteandunparalleledunity.3. ThebeliefinG-d'snoncorporeality,northatHewillbeaffectedbyanyphysicaloccurrences,suchas

movement,orrest,ordwelling.4. ThebeliefinG-d'seternity.5. TheimperativetoworshipHimexclusivelyandnoforeignfalsegods.6. ThebeliefthatG-dcommunicateswithmanthroughprophecy.7. ThebeliefthattheprophecyofMosesourteacherhaspriority.8. ThebeliefinthedivineoriginoftheTorah.9. ThebeliefintheimmutabilityoftheTorah.10. Thebeliefindivineomniscienceandprovidence.11. Thebeliefindivinerewardandretribution.12. ThebeliefinthearrivaloftheMessiahandthemessianicera.13. Thebeliefintheresurrectionofthedead.

ItisthecustomofmanycongregationstorecitetheThirteenArticles,inaslightlymorepoeticform,beginningwiththewordsAniMaamin-"Ibelieve"-everydayafterthemorningprayersinthesynagogue.InhiscommentaryontheMishnah(Sanhedrin,chap.10),Maimonidesreferstothesethirteenprinciplesoffaithas"thefundamentaltruthsofourreligionanditsveryfoundations."Accessedfrom:http://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/halsall/source/rambam13.asp


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SupportingQuestion2FeaturedSource SourceB:“JewishBeliefs,”article,BBC,2014.

JewishfaithandGodTherelationshipwithGodJewsbelievethatthereisasingleGodwhonotonlycreatedtheuniverse,butwithwhomeveryJewcanhaveanindividualandpersonalrelationship.TheybelievethatGodcontinuestoworkintheworld,affectingeverythingthatpeopledo.TheJewishrelationshipwithGodisacovenantrelationship.InexchangeforthemanygooddeedsthatGodhasdoneandcontinuestodofortheJewishPeople...

• TheJewskeepGod'slaws• TheJewsseektobringholinessintoeveryaspectoftheirlives.

JudaismisthefaithofaCommunityJewsbelievethatGodappointedtheJewstobehischosenpeopleinordertosetanexampleofholinessandethicalbehaviourtotheworld.JewishlifeisverymuchthelifeofacommunityandtherearemanyactivitiesthatJewsmustdoasacommunity.

• Forexample,theJewishprayerbookusesWEandOURinprayerswheresomeotherfaithswoulduseIandMINE.

JewsalsofeelpartofaglobalcommunitywithaclosebondJewishpeopleallovertheworld.AlotofJewishreligiouslifeisbasedaroundthehomeandfamilyactivities.JudaismisafamilyfaithJudaismisverymuchafamilyfaithandtheceremoniesstartearly,whenaJewishboybabyiscircumcisedateightdaysold,followingtheinstructionsthatGodgavetoAbrahamaround4,000yearsago.ManyJewishreligiouscustomsrevolvearoundthehome.OneexampleistheSabbathmeal,whenfamiliesjointogethertowelcomeinthespecialday.WhoisaJew?JewsbelievethataJewissomeonewhoisthechildofaJewishmother;althoughsomegroupsalsoacceptchildrenofJewishfathersasJewish.AJewtraditionallycan'tlosethetechnical'status'ofbeingaJewbyadoptinganotherfaith,buttheydolosethereligiouselementoftheirJewishidentity.Someonewhoisn'tbornaJewcanconverttoJudaism,butitisnoteasytodoso.JudaismmeanslivingthefaithAlmosteverythingaJewishpersondoescanbecomeanactofworship.BecauseJewshavemadeabargainwithGodtokeephislaws,keepingthatbargainanddoingthingsinthewaythatpleasesGodisanactofworship.AndJewsdon'tonlyseektoobeytheletterofthelaw-theparticulardetailsofeachoftheJewishlaws-butthespiritofit,too.AreligiousJewtriestobringholinessintoeverythingtheydo,bydoingitasanactthatpraisesGod,andhonourseverythingGodhasdone.Forsuchapersonthewholeoftheirlifebecomesanactofworship.


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Beingpartofacommunitythatfollowsparticularcustomsandruleshelpskeepagroupofpeopletogether,andit'snoticeablethattheJewishgroupsthathavebeenmostsuccessfulatavoidingassimilationarethosethatobeytherulesmoststrictly-sometimescalledultra-orthodoxJews.Note:Jewsdon'tlikeandrarelyusethewordultra-orthodox.Apreferableadjectiveisharedi,andthepluralnounisharedim.It'swhatyoudothatcounts...JudaismisafaithofactionandJewsbelievepeopleshouldbejudgednotsomuchbytheintellectualcontentoftheirbeliefs,butbythewaytheylivetheirfaith-byhowmuchtheycontributetotheoverallholinessoftheworld.TheJewishviewofGodAsummaryofwhatJewsbelieveaboutGod

• Godexists• ThereisonlyoneGod• Therearenoothergods• Godcan'tbesubdividedintodifferentpersons(unliketheChristianviewofGod)• JewsshouldworshiponlytheoneGod• GodisTranscendent:

• Godisaboveandbeyondallearthlythings.• Goddoesn'thaveabody

• WhichmeansthatGodisneitherfemalenormale.• Godcreatedtheuniversewithouthelp• Godisomnipresent:

• Godiseverywhere,allthetime.• Godisomnipotent:

• Godcandoanythingatall.• Godisbeyondtime:

• Godhasalwaysexisted• Godwillalwaysexist.

• Godisjust,butGodisalsomerciful• Godpunishesthebad• Godrewardsthegood• Godisforgivingtowardsthosewhomessthingsup.

• Godispersonalandaccessible.• Godisinterestedineachindividual• Godlistenstoeachindividual• Godsometimesspeakstoindividuals,butinunexpectedways.

TheJewsbroughtnewideasaboutGodTheJewishideaofGodisparticularlyimportanttotheworldbecauseitwastheJewswhodevelopedtwonewideasaboutGod:

• ThereisonlyoneGod


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• Godchoosestobehaveinawaythatisbothjustandfair.BeforeJudaism,peoplebelievedinlotsofgods,andthosegodsbehavednobetterthanhumanbeingswithsupernaturalpowers.TheJewsfoundthemselveswithaGodwhowasethicalandgood.GodintheBibleButhowdoJewsknowthisaboutGod?Theydon'tknowit,theybelieveit,whichisdifferent.However,manyreligiouspeopleoftentalkaboutGodinawaythatsoundsasiftheyknowaboutGodinthesamewaythattheyknowwhattheyhadforbreakfast.

• Forinstance,religiouspeopleoftensaytheyarequitecertainaboutGod-bywhichtheymeanthattheyhaveaninnercertainty.

• AndmanypeoplehaveexperiencesthattheybelieveweretimeswhentheywereintouchwithGod.ThebestevidenceforwhatGodislikecomesfromwhattheBiblesays,andfromparticularindividuals'experiencesofGod.GodintheBibleQuiteearlyinhisrelationshipwiththeJews,Godmakesitclearthathewillnotletthemencounterhisreallikenessinthewaythattheyencountereachother.TheresultisthattheJewshaveworkoutwhatGodislikefromwhathesaysandwhathedoes.ThestoryisinExodus33andfollowsthestoryofthe10commandments,andtheGoldenCalf.MoseshasspentmuchtimetalkingwithGod,andthetwoofthemareclearlyquiteclose...

TheLORDwouldspeaktoMosesfacetoface,asamanspeakswithhisfriend.Exodus33

Butaftergettingthe10commandmentsMoseswantstoseeGod,sothathecanknowwhatheisreallylike.Godsaysno...

youcannotseemyface,fornoonemayseemeandlive.ThentheLORDsaid,Thereisaplacenearmewhereyoumaystandonarock.Whenmyglorypassesby,IwillputyouinacleftintherockandcoveryouwithmyhanduntilIhavepassedby.ThenIwillremovemyhandandyouwillseemyback;butmyfacemustnotbeseen.Exodus33

TwosidesofGodJewscombinetwodifferentsoundingideasofGodintheirbeliefs:

• Godisanall-powerfulbeingwhoisquitebeyondhumanabilitytounderstandorimagine.• Godisrightherewithus,caringabouteachindividualasaparentdoestheirchild.

AgreatdealofJewishstudydealswiththecreativepoweroftwoapparentlyincompatibleideasofGod.


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SupportingQuestion2FeaturedSource SourceC:“Judaism,”database,BBC–Bitesize,2016.

Accessedfrom:http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/topics/ztrqxnb


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SupportingQuestion3FeaturedSource SourceA:SHOW-MappingWorlds,interactivewebsite,2007.

Select“Judaism”toshowaproportionalrepresentationofthepopulationofthosewhoareidentifiedasJews,accordingtodatafromtheCIAFactbook.Accessedfrom:http://show.mappingworlds.com/world/


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SupportingQuestion3FeaturedSource SourceB:“Jerusalem:SacredandContentious,”video,SacredJourneyswithBruceFeiler

Collection,2014.

Accessedfrom:http://ket.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/sj14-soc-jerusalem/jerusalem-sacred-and-contentious/


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SupportingQuestion3FeaturedSource SourceC:NaftaliHerzImber,poem,Hatikvah,c.1880s.AccessedfromJewishVirtualLibrary,

“NationalAnthem,”2016.

“ThetitleoftheIsraelinationalanthemisHatikvah,whichmeans“TheHope”inHebrew.ItwaswritteninPalestineintheearly1880'sbyNaftaliHerzImber,aGalicianJew,andthensettomusic.HatikvaisabouttheundyinghopeoftheJewishpeople,throughthelongyearsofexile,thattheywouldsomedayreturntoindependenceintheirhomeland.”Textofpoeminanthem:IntheJewishheartAJewishspiritstillsings,AndtheeyeslookeastTowardZion.Ourhopeisnotlost,Ourhopeoftwothousandyears,Tobeafreenationinourland,InthelandofZionandJerusalemAccessedfrom:https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/History/hatikva.html


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Whyisthisholidaydifferentfromotherholidays?OneveryJewishholidaywerememberthestory

associatedwiththeholiday.OnPassover,however,weuseourfivesensestorecreatetheexperienceoftheIsraelites’passagefromslaverytofreedom,sothatthewords“whenwewerefreedfromEgypt”becomerealtous. Wedothisattheritualserviceofprayers,stories,andspecialfoodsknownastheseder,whichmeans“order,”asinorderofevents.Thesederusuallyhas15partsassetforthintheHagaddah.Hagaddahmeans“telling,”andthesederisthetellingoftheExodusstory(Exodus1:8-15:21).Itisimportantforeachgenerationtopassdownthestorytothenext.Manyfamiliespassdownspecialtraditionsaswell,bothseriousandfunny.Sectionssuchasthefourquestionsandthehidingoftheafikomenaredesignedtokeepthechildrenentertained.Theafikomenisthemiddleofthreepiecesofmatzah.Whydowehavethreepiecesofmatzah?AteachJewishholidaywearesupposedtohavetwowholeloavesofbread.OnPassoverweaddathird,brokenone—thebreadofaffliction. Althoughtherearedifferentwaystohaveaseder,almosteveryoneincludesthesamemainelements.Youwillnoticeapreponderanceoffours—fourquestions,foursons,fourcupsofwine.ThatisbecauseinExodus,GodpromisesfourtimestoredeemtheIsraelites. Thefoursons:Foursonsaskabouttheseder—thewiseson,theangryson,thesimple-mindedson,andthesonwhocannotask.Thisistoensurethateveryone,eventhosewhodon’tknowenoughtoask,gettohearthehistoricaltale. Fourcupsofwine:Duringthesederadultsaresupposedtodrinkfourfullcupsofwine.ManyJewsaddafifthcupofwineatthesedertoremembertheoppressionthatstillexistsintheworld,andwepraythattheoppressedwillsoonbefree.SomeJewsaddanewcup,onefilledwithwater,tohonorMiriam,Moses’oldersister,whohelpedsavehimwhenhewasababybyputtinghiminabasketintheriverforPharaoh’sdaughtertofind.ItissaidthatwhereverMiriamwent,awellofpurewaterwasfound. Recitingtheplagues:Aswerecitetheplagueswetakeadropofwineoutofourcupwithourpinkiesbecauseinmidrash,arabbinicstory,theangelsareseencelebratingthesafepassageoftheIsraelitesbutGod,crying,mournsalsofortheEgyptianswhodiedfollowingPharaoh’sorders.Wedonotcelebrateattheexpenseofthoseinnocentswhoaresuffering. Thinkingofothersandsocialchangearethemesthataremadecurrentbynewadditionstotheseder.Somefamiliesincludeanorangeonthesederplate,whichclearlydoesnotbelongthere,representingallwhofeelleftoutofsociety. Sedersindifferentpartsoftheworldshareagreatmanythings,buttheyalsodiffer.Forexample,JewsfromEasternEurope(Ashkenazim)donoteatricenorincludelampintheholidaymeal,whileJewsfromArabicandAfricancountries(Sephardim)includericeandservelambtorememberthefirstnightoftheExodus.DuringPassoverwearenotallowedthefivemaingrains:wheat,barley,oats,rye,andspelt,andallliquidscontaininggrainalcohol.Bread,leavenedcakes,cookies,biscuits,crackers,cereals,beer,andwhiskeyarenotpermittedforthoseobservingthelawsofPassover.Cannedandboxeditemsneedtohavea“kosherforPassover”labeltobeconsideredkosher.Ifitgetsconfusing—anditisformanyofus—askarabbi. ThemessageofPassoverandthesederisauniversalandagelessone:Freedommakeseverything—notjustasinglenight—different.

SupportingQuestion4FeaturedSource SourceA:RabbiShiraStern,article,“Passover:ACelebrationofFreedom,”inCelebratePassover:

WithMatzah,MarorandMemories,2010.


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SupportingQuestion4FeaturedSource SourceB:CatherineLyons,article,“Top5PassoverTraditionsFromAroundTheWorld,”

HuffingtonPost,May25,2011.

Accessarticleandimages:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/08/top-5-passover-traditions_n_184209.html

6th Grade Religion Inquiry What Defines a People? · 6th Grade Religion Inquiry ... Three of the world's major religions -- the monotheist traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and

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