Judaism Step-by-step

Festivals 5 - General

Questions about Festivals in general

There is always a question on festivals, so it is worth preparing some general points to use. Note the following:

Festivals continue a tradition that has been going for 3500 years
They are family times, often taking place in the home
They are opportunities for the community to come together
They provide a fun and child-friendly element to religion
They remind Jews of important events and/or qualities of God
Festivals are a good way to learn the history and beliefs of a religion
Observance of festivals is a good discipline and brings out qualities like hospitality
Festivals give a clear structure to the year

Have a go at some of the following questions:

1997 Q2

(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]

1998 Q5

(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]

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