Try some test questions, return to the revision home page or back to Judaism
(a) (i) Give the name of the four religious items numbered in the diagram. [4]
(ii) Explain what you might learn about Jewish beliefs from two of these items. [4]
(b) Explain why a synagogue might be important for a Jew today [7]
(c) 'The synagogue is not a religious building, it is only a meeting place for Jews.'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]
(a) (i) Describe a Bar Mitzvah ceremony.
(ii) What could you learn about Jewish belief and practice from a Bar Mitzvah ceremony? [8]
(b) Explain how becoming Bar Mitzvah might affect the life of a Jewish teenager. [7]
(c) 'Brit Milah is a more important ceremony than becoming Bar Mitzvah.'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]
(a) (i) State the names of three books of the Torah [4]
(ii) Explain how and why the Torah is used in synagogue services. [4]
(b) Explain the ways in which the teachings of the Torah might affect the daily life of a Jew. [7]
(c) 'The Jewish food laws are no longer necessary.'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]
(a) Describe the Western Wall and explain its importance for Jews. [8]
(b) Explain how a visit to Yad Vashem might change the life of a Jew. [7]
(c) 'All Jews should visit Jerusalem.' [5]
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]
(a) Describe two ways in which Jews may celebrate the Sabbath in the home and explain the importance of these celebrations. [8]
(b) How might celebrating the Sabbath together affect the life of a Jewish family? [7]
(c) 'Religion is more about faith than about special meals.'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]
(a) Describe and explain the meaning of four religious items you might find inside our outside a Jewish home. [8]
(b) How and why do these religious items affect the life of a Jewish family? [7]
(c) 'Most Jews think their homes are more important to their religious life than the synagogue!'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]
(a) Describe how and why Jews celebrate Pesach. [8]
(b) Why might the celebration of Pesach be important to Jewish children? [7]
(c) 'Celebrating Festivals is the best part of being a Jew!'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]
(a) Describe and explain the main features of a Jewish marriage ceremony. [8]
(b) Why might it be important for a Jewish couple to have a religious as well as a civil wedding? [7]
(c) 'Religion is more important than love when choosing whom to marry.'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]
(a) Describe and explain a typical day in the life of a rabbi. [8]
(b) How might a rabbi give practical help to Jews trying to follow the law on their family life? [7]
(c) 'Rabbis have always been men. No woman can be a proper rabbi.'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]
(a) Explain why the State of Israel is important to many Jews. [8]
(b) Explain how and why the Holocaust is still remembered by Jews today. [7]
(c) 'You should live for today and forget about the past!'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]
(a) How and why might a Jewish family celebrate Shabbat at home? [8]
(b) Explain why being a Jew might affect a person's choice of job. [7]
(c) 'Your religion should fit into your life; you should not have to change your life to fit your religion!'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]
(a) Describe and explain the importance of three rites which take place after a Jew has died. [8]
(b) Explain why their faith might help Jews cope with the death of a member of their family. [7]
(c) 'Religion can never explain why people suffer; it just helps you cope with the pain.'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]
(a) What is a kibbutz, and why are kibbutzim important for some Jews? [8]
(b) How and why might 'green' (ecological) issues affect the life of a Jew? [7]
(c) 'It is more important to recycle your bottles and newspapers than to attend the synagogue every week.'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]
(a) Explain how and why Jews show respect for the Torah scrolls in the synagogue on Shabbat. [8]
(b) How might a Jewish family follow the teachings of the Torah during the rest of the week? [7]
(c) 'Judaism could not exist without the Torah.'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]
(a) Describe how and explain why Jews celebrate Sukkot. [8] See sample answer
(b) How might celebrating festivals strengthen Jewish family life? [7]
(c) 'Festivals are just for little children!'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]
(a) Describe the special clothes that some Jews use for prayer and explain why they are worn. [8]
(b) Explain how praying every day might help Jews in their daily lives. [7]
(c) 'Prayer should be in your own words; there is no need to follow a prayer book.'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]
(a) Describe the ceremonies Jewish families use to welcome the birth of a baby boy, and explain why these ceremonies are important for Jews. [8]
(b) Explain how a couple's Jewish faith might affect the way they bring up their children. [7]
(c) 'Parents should not try to make their children keep to the old-fashioned ways of the past.'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]
(a) Describe the special rules Jews have about food (Kashrut) and explain why they are important. [8]
(b) Explain how keeping Jewish laws at home might strengthen Jewish family life. [7]
(c) 'Giving people rules is a good way of showing people that you care.'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]
(a) Explain what is meant by Zionism and why Jews might have different opinions about it. [8]
(b) Explain how a visit to Yad Vashem might affect the life of a Jew. [7]
(c) 'People who belong to the same religion should all have exactly the same beliefs.'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]
(a) Describe how and explain why Jews keep the festival of Rosh Hashanah. [8]
(b) Explain how Yom Kippur might affect the life of a Jew. [7]
(c) 'If G-d is good, we will be forgiven however badly we behave.'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]
(a) Describe how and explain why Jews have a special meal at Pesach (Passover). [8]
(b) Explain how celebrating Pesach (Passover) might strengthen the faith of a Jewish community. [7]
(c) 'At Pesach (Passover), looking forward to the future is just as important as remembering the past.'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. [5]
(a) Describe the inside of a synagogue, and explain the importance of this design. [8]
(b) Explain how having special religious objects at home might affect the life of a Jew. [7]
(c) 'You cannot worship G-d properly at home because there are too many distractions.'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]
(a) Describe how and explain why a Jewish boy becomes Bar Mitzvah. [8]
(b) Explain how the faith of a Jewish family might affect the way in which they treat each other. [7]
(c) 'Keeping the Jewish law is more important for men than for women.'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. [5]
(a) Describe what is in the Torah and the Talmud, and explain the reasons why many Jews give these books respect. [8]
(b) Explain how Jews might try to obey the mitzvot (laws) about food in their daily lives. [7]
(c) 'The Jewish holy books are too old to have anything useful to say to modern people.'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Judaism in your answer. [5]
(a) Describe and explain what Jews believe about the promises G-d has made to them. [8]
(b) Explain how believing in G-d as creator might affect the way in which Jews treat the environment. [7]
(c) 'Jews should fit in with their non-Jewish neighbours; they should not try to be different.'
Do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer and show that you have thought about different points of view. [5]