| Who do Jews believe the Torah was written by? | Moses |
| Who were the Hebrews? | the first followers of Judaism |
| which Egyptian Pharaoh enslaved Hebrews? | Pharaoh Rameses |
| How did Moses get his name? | Pharaoh Rameses decided there were too many Hebrew slaves so ordered all Hebrew sons to be killed.
Moses' mother was frightened and lied her son in a basket on the river Nile. Pharaoh's daughter found the basket, adopted the baby and named him Moses. |
| Why did Moses have to flee Egypt? | He saw a slave master beating a slave cruelly, he killed the slave master when trying to stop him.
Pharaoh ordered Moses' arrest but Moses escaped before they could arrest him. |
| Describe the exodus story | On Mount Sinai Moses saw a burning bush that didn't burn up. God's voice came from the bush telling him to return to Egypt and free Hebrews from slavery.
Moses did as told and asked Pharaoh to free the slaves to no avail, God sent the ten plagues.
After the tenth plague, Pharaoh agreed to let the Hebrews go. However, Pharaoh grew angry when they left and sent soldiers after them.
God parted the red sea for the Israelites to escape and it crashed down on the soldiers. |
| How did Hebrew people avoid the tenth plague? | They slathered lambs blood on their doors so the Angel of Death would pass over their homes. |
| What was the tenth plague? | Death of firstborn |
| What did the Israelites take with them when leaving Egypt? | Unleavened bread.
There was no time for their bread dough to rise, so it was baked quickly and came out flat. |
| Where is the Exodus story found? | Exodus 12:1-14 |
| What is the importance of Moses? | He freed the Jewish people from slavery
He received the Torah and Ten commandments from God, so from him Jews know how to live according to God’s will
He brought the Jews into the covenant with God
He is the only prophet who met God and spoke with him directly. Not through visions and dreams.
Moses’ story teaches us to trust God’s will. |
| What is Pesach? | Passover
The most popular Jewish festival |
| Why is passover celebrated? | to celebrate the exodus story |
| What is the Haggadah | a book read during the passover meal |
| Why do Jews spring clean their homes before passover? | To ensure the house is kept clear of chametz, food containing yeast |
| What is the name of the passover meal? | Seder |
| how does seder meal start | four glasses of wine are drunk to remind of god's four covenant to jews
youngest of the family then asks four questions, which the father answers |
| What foods can you find on a seder plate? | matzot - unleavened bread
hard boiled & burnt egg
bitter herbs
charoset - sweet paste
shank bone
karpas
parsley |
| what can you find on the seder table but not on the seder plate | salt water
a fifth cup of wine |
| what is the importance of passover | A time when Jews remember God’s love for his people in times of trouble, in the past and present.
Reminds them God has control over history
Reminds them God is active in human affairs
Reminds them God is with them even in suffering
Reminds Jews of their history and how Jews might be suffering more recently
Bread rises with yeast, we have a tendency to puff out/rise our chests when we feel self important. Eating matzot reminds Jews they are dependent on God.
Although they celebrate freedom they acknowledge the suffering of Egyptians. They demonstrate this by spilling a drop of wine at the mention of each one of the ten plagues. Passover is for celebrating the deliverance of the Israelites, not other’s suffering. |
