All education programmes must be booked in advance. For more information on educational activities at the Jewish Museum please contact our education officers on +44 (0)20 7284 7384 or education@jewishmuseum.org.uk.

TOTALLY TORAH

KS3: QCA Unit 8C: Beliefs and practice.

KS3: 3c: Investigate and explain why people belong to faith communities and explain the reasons for diversity in religion.

KS3: 3f: Authority: different sources of authority and how they inform believers’ lives.

KS3: 3g: Religion and science: Issues of truth, explanation, meaning and purpose.

• What is the Torah and what are its origins?
• How do different streams of Judaism view the Torah?
• See a variety of Torah scrolls and a synagogue Ark in the gallery.
• Handle Torah decorations and accessories from the museum’s collection.
• Explore the Hebrew alphabet by writing with a quill and ink like a scribe.
• Design your own metal Torah breastplate.
• Discover objects which contain small parts of the Torah such as tefillin and mezuzah.
• Focus on the Ten Commandments (optional).

CHANGE AND RESPONSIBILITY: BAR/BAT MITZVAH

KS3: 3j: Rights and responsibilities: What religions and beliefs say about human rights and responsibilities, social justice and citizenship.

KS3: QCA Unit 9A: Where are we going? Why is Bar/Bat Mitzvah important? How do rites of passage reveal main beliefs in religion?

KS3: (History) QCA Unit 19: Rights and responsibilities.

• Consider the rights and responsibilities which come with age and changing school.
• When do you become and ‘adult’ according to Judaism?
• How do Jewish boys and girls mark this occasion?
• What social responsibilities are expected of Jewish people?

WHAT TO WEAR?

KS3: QCA Unit 8C: Beliefs and practice.

KS3: 1h: Interpret a variety of forms of religious and spiritual expression.

• Why do some Jews dress ‘differently’?
• Learn about the spiritual significance of and try on items of traditional and ritual Jewish clothing.
• Design your own kippah (skullcap) or tie your own tzitzit (fringes).
• How would you represent your identity through visual adornment? (Creative activity)

SHABBAT SHALOM

KS3: QCA Unit 8C: Beliefs and practice.

KS3: QCA Unit 9B: Where did the universe come from?

KS3: 3f: Authority: Different sources of authority and how they inform believers’ lives.

KS3: 3h: Expressions of spirituality: How and why experiences are expressed in a variety of forms.

• Investigate the concept of a day of rest and how it links to the Jewish view of creation.
• What is a lunar calendar?
• Discover Sabbath rituals and their symbolism in our gallery and through role play.
• Do all streams of Judaism mark the day in the same way?
• Related object handling, creative or practical activities.

A TASTE OF JUDAISM

KS3: QCA Unit 8C: Beliefs and practice.

KS3: 1h: Interpret a variety of forms of religious and spiritual expression.

• Why is food an important reflection of religious practice and Jewish culture?
• What makes food ‘kosher’?
• What is a ‘hechsher’?
• Design a kosher meal for a Jewish family.
• Are these rules still relevant today? Explore different opinions…
• Find out about/make traditional or festival foods. (optional)

FESTIVAL FOCUS - Adaptable for different festivals.

KS3: QCA Unit 8C: Beliefs and practice.

KS3: 1h: Interpret a variety of forms of religious and spiritual expression.

• Learn/re-enact/‘hot seat’ a story from Jewish history (if relevant to your chosen festival topic).
• Discover in our gallery how Jewish people celebrate the festival today.
• Explore and handle related objects from the museum’s collection.
• Make/taste foods connected to the festival (if relevant).
• Related creative or practical activities. (inc. mock ‘seder’ for Passover).

HOME AND SYNAGOGUE - full day session (half-day workshop also offered for either home or synagogue)

KS3: QCA Unit 8C: Beliefs and practice.

KS3: 1h: Interpret a variety of forms of religious and spiritual expression.

• Explore the items you would find in a synagogue (am).
• Explore the items you would find in a Jewish home (pm).
• Related object handling from the museum’s collections.
• Related creative activities.

ETHICS AND VALUES

KS3: 3f: Authority: Different sources of authority and how they inform believers’ lives.

KS3: 3i: Ethics and relationships: Questions and influences that inform ethical and moral choices.

• Find out what Judaism has to say on topics such as animal welfare, charity etc.
• Do all Jewish people agree? Ask the Rabbis in our gallery…
• Engage in debate!

THEN AND NOW - History and citizenship links

• Pre-visit: Find out where your family originates from… (Just a couple of questions to research!)
• How and why did so many Jewish immigrants come to live in London between 1880 and 1914?
• What was life like for immigrants in the east End of London ~100 years ago compared to life now?
• Step back in time and meet the Jablonsky family from the East End…
• Handle trade and home related objects used by Jewish Londoners in the past.
• Who are the immigrant groups in London today?
• Should anyone be able to move to England if they want to?
• Recommended: Post workshop, the class could go on a walking tour of the East End. Suggested follow up work: A study investigating how your schools local area has changed over a long period of time.

WITNESS THE WITNESS
Set within a carefully structured education programme, a Holocaust survivor interacts with students enabling them to hear personal testimony, ask questions and contemplate meaning.

BE TOUCHED BY HISTORY
Use artefacts, documents, photographs and maps as tools for examining evidence and developing skills such as interpretation, analysis and empathy.

THE LAST GOODBYE (Resource book also available to purchase)
Trace the tragic separation of children from their families in order to find safety in Britain in 1938 and 1939. Explore concepts such as prejudice, propaganda, scapegoating, fear, loss, separation and rescue. Draw links with contemporary areas of conflict and refugee experiences.

ONE SUITCASE
Either in conjunction with the Last Goodbye programme or as a separate session, this programme focuses on the stories of individual Kindertransport refugees who will meet students and tell their story, reflecting on the impact of the experience on their life.

CITIZEN TO CITIZEN
Use passports, refugee documentation and testimony from Holocaust survivors to stimulate discussion and debate about human rights, identity and democracy. In conjunction with a filmed encounter with Holocaust survivor Leon Greenman OBE.