Jewish Celebrations

Lesson 1: Facts and Figures

The first lesson in this series provides your class with opportunities to think about what they already know about Judaism and refreshes their knowledge of some of the key facts, such as the name of the Jewish holy book, where Jews go to worship, and who leads worship services. It also explores how many people around the world follow Judaism and where the Jewish faith is most prevalent.

Lesson 2: Passover KS2

The festival of Passover is an opportunity for Jews to retell the story of the Ten Plagues of Egypt and be thankful that God protected their people. Jewish people celebrate how their ancestors were freed from slavery by Moses.

This lesson looks at the festival of Passover, going back thousands of years to the time the Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians. Your class will read the story of Moses and the Ten Plagues of Egypt, before looking at how and why Jews celebrate Passover today.

The PDF lesson slides show the children a Sedar plate and the included items. The children are given the opportunity to discuss the reasons each item is included and its significance.

Lesson 3: Sukkot

Now that your class is familiar with the story of Moses leading the Israelites to freedom, your class will find out what happened to them once they reached the safety of the desert. This will lead on to explore the festival of Sukkot which reminds Jews of the time the Israelites wandered in the desert with only God for provision and protection.

During their independent activity, the children will explore and recreate a sukkah, either as a labelled drawing or by creating one in an outdoor space.

Lesson 4: Purim

Your class will read the story of Esther, Mordecai, King Xerxes and the evil Haman during this lesson to help them understand the festival of Purim. They will find out how Esther's bravery saved the Jewish people from extermination and explore how Jews celebrate this fun and lively festival today.

Invite the children to create their own masks which could be worn during the festival of Purim. Or, challenge the children to order the story of Esther's bravery using the provided printable resources.

Lesson 5: Hanukkah KS2

This Hanukkah KS2 lesson starts by challenging your class to think about what they would do if someone was forcing them to do something they knew wasn't right. This leads them to explore the story of the Maccabees and how a miracle formed the basis of the festival of Hanukkah. They will learn how Jews celebrate Hanukkah today - there is even the opportunity to play dreidel!

Lesson 6: Rosh Hashanah KS2

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year festival. Your class will explore why this festival is important to Jews and how it is celebrated at home and in the synagogue. You can even have a Rosh Hashanah party of your own, eating traditional foods, such as apples dipped in honey!

Encourage your class to embrace the spirit of the Days of Awe in Rosh Hashanah and reflect on misdeeds. They can think about who they might ask for forgiveness from and what they might have learnt from this experience.