244 Early World Civilizations: Supplemental Guide 14A | Judaism
Show image 14A-10: Seder plate
At a Seder, the food we eat is very important. Each food put on
the Seder plate has a special meaning to help us remember the
story of Moses and the Hebrews escaping from Egypt.
Show image 14A-11: Matzoh
Passover lasts for one week and each day we eat matzoh, or
fl at bread. That is because when the Jewish people fl ed Egypt so
quickly, they did not have time to wait for their bread to rise.^10 All
they had to eat was fl at bread. See what I mean about each food
at our Seder having a special meaning?
Passover is a really important holiday for my people, but we
have lots of other holidays as well.
Show image 14A-12: Honey and apple at Rosh Hashanah^11
We also celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which
happens during late summer or autumn. We eat sweet foods such
as apples and honey to represent our wish for a sweet year ahead.
That is when we thank God for the creation of the world.^12 Show image 14A-13: Menorah^13
During another Jewish holiday called Hanukkah [HAH-noo-kuh],
meaning the Festival of Lights, Jewish people all around the world
light nine-branched candlesticks called menorahs. They light the
menorahs to remember the past, a time when they rebelled against
the rulers who had conquered them. These rulers told the Jewish
people that they could no longer pray to God. The story goes
that when the Jewish people went to the temple, they only found
a small jar of oil with which to relight the lamp; however, the oil
lasted miraculously for eight days until they were able to get more.
Show image 14A-14: The Ten Commandments
Another of our holidays, Yom Kippur, is a time when we ask
God to forgive our sins.^14 We try to live our lives by the Ten
Commandments, 15 special laws given to Moses by God. They tell
us that there is only one God and that we are to respect him by
treating others respectfully.14 our bad behavior
15 [Point to the illustration.]
11 What do you see in this picture?
12 What do you think it means to wish
for a sweet year?
13 What do you see in this picture?
[Have students count the candles
and then point out the Star of
David.]
10 [Explain to students that when you
make bread, you normally have to
wait for it to rise before you can put
it in the oven and bake it. This is
what makes bread round and fl uff y.
But the Jewish people did not have
enough time to let the bread rise,
so the bread was baked fl at.]