Year 6- Judaism -Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur

Across the school, we have been learning about Judaism this week. Year 6 have been focusing on some key Jewish festivals and traditions in the Hebrew Calendar, the meaning behind them and how they are celebrated. We started off by learning about Rosh Hashanah; this is a special festival which celebrates Jewish New Year. It literally means 'head of the year'. Rosh Hashanah is a celebration of the creation of the world and marks making a fresh start. It is a time for people to reflect on the past year and to ask for forgiveness for anything wrong they feel they have done. They can also think about their priorities in life and what it important to them.

During our lesson, some of Year 6 acted a role play of a day in the lives of Jewish people who were celebrating Rosh Hashanah. Following this we said a traditional Jewish blessing that is said when eating some of the traditional foods eaten such as apples dipped in honey to symbolise a ‘sweet new year’ ahead.

This week we have also been learning about the most solemn day in the Hebrew Calendar:  Yom Kippur, which comes ten days after the beginning of Rosh Hashanah. Yom Kippur is called the Day of Atonement because atonement is when you try to put right something that you might have done wrong.

The 10 days of the Days of Awe - or The Days of Repentance - is also a chance to put things right with others. For example, making friends and apologising if you have had an argument with someone. We learnt about how Jewish people mark this occasion and found out that often adults and some older children would fast over a day or wear white as a symbol of purity. Following this, we imagined what it would be like to take part in this, writing a diary entry whilst in role.