The Rites and Rituals activity

Answer this quiz to test your knowledge about Jewish rites!

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  Instructions

  Rationale: Rites and rituals have existed since the beginning of time in all cultures. They are defined as rituals or ceremonies that surround milestone events in a person’s life such as birth, coming of age, {...}

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  Circumcision

  The Brit milah ritual is performed eight days after the birth of a boy. Circumcision brings the child into the covenant with Abraham, who is traditionally considered the first Jew. The mother hands over the {...}

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  Zeved habat or naming of a girl

  After the birth of a Jewish girl, her name is announced, often at the synagogue, during a ceremony. This ceremony is sometimes called Brit Bat (bringing the girl onto the covenant) or Britah (feminine version of {...}

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  Pidyon Haben (Redeeming of the Elder Son)

  The mitzvah (commandment) of Pidyon Haben, the redeeming of the eldest son, is held when the newborn is at least 31 days old. It consists of “redeeming him from a Cohen”. (Numbers 18:15) Although this mitzvah {...}

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  Mikvah

  A mikvah is a pool of water supplied by a natural source such as a river or lake. It is used for Jewish purification ceremonies. The mikvah is used for various rituals: conversion, marriage, or after menstruation {...}

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  The Bar Mitzvah / Bat Mitzvah

  The Bar-Mitzvah for boys and the Bat-Mitzvah for girls represent the public celebration of the coming of age. These terms mean: “son/daughter of the commandment” and refer to both the ceremony and the person {...}

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  Funeral / Burial

  When a Jew dies, Jews recite prayers ending with the Shema, the main text of the Jewish liturgy. As far as possible, it is customary not to leave a person who is dying alone. Once dead, the person is washed and {...}

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  Marriage

  Jewish weddings can be celebrated in any place. However, in some communities the synagogue is preferred. The ceremony is presided over by a Rabbi or other officiate with the couple standing under a wedding canopy {...}

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  Mezuzah

  A Mezuzah is a parchment inscribed by hand with verses from the Torah in Hebrew. It is affixed to the door frames of Jewish homes. In Deuteronomy 6:9, God tells the Jewish people to attach the commandments to the {...}

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  Tefillin

  Tefillin (from the Hebrew “tefillah”: prayer), or phylacteries, are two small square black leather boxes containing scrolls of parchment made of animal skin, attached with leather ribbons, that contain verses {...}

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  Pesach Seder

  The Seder is a ritual celebrated on the first and second night of the festival of Pesach (which falls in March or April). Families and friends gather around the table to read the Haggadah, the story of the Jewish {...}

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  Shabbat

  The Sabbath is the weekly day of rest for Jews. This day begins at sundown on Friday and lasts until sundown on Saturday. Sabbath symbolises the seventh day after the creation of the universe, when G-d decided {...}

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  Chanukah

  Also known as the Festival of Lights, this celebration lasts eight days and occurs in late November or December. The most important Hanukkah ritual is the candle lighting in a special candle holder, called a {...}

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  Purim

  The festival of Purim is often considered the Jewish equivalent of the carnival. This early spring festival recalls how Queen Esther saved the Jews of Persia from annihilation, as described in the biblical Book of {...}

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  Aliyah

  Aliyah has a double meaning for Jews. lt can mean the act of being called forward to read the Torah in the synagogue, and aliyah can also refer to a Jewish person’s move to lsrael. Aliyah (plural, aliyot) is {...}

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