Think about… Noah

1. Think about… Noah 1) What covenant was made between God and Noah? 2) How was the covenant sealed? What was the symbol of this covenant? 3) Why is this covenant important? What does it tell us about God and his chosen people?

2. Abraham • God speaks to Abraham and asks him to leave • Abraham leaves and goes to a new land • When Abrahams older God makes a covenant with him • Abraham keeps his promise • Later asked to sacrifice his son • God changes his mind.

3. Moses • Life story of Moses- where he grew up • How he lead the Israelites from slavery • What happened to the Israelites after they crossed the Red Sea?

4. The Ten Commandments 1) Worship no other gods 2) Do not misuse my name 3) Keep the Sabbath day holy ________________________________________ 4) Respect your father and mother 5) Do not kill 6) Do not commit adultery (have an affair) 7) Do not steal 8) Do not lie 9) Do not be jealous of your neighbour's wife 10) Do not be jealous of your neighbours belongings

5. Are the Ten Commandments relevant today?

6. Jewish Festival - Passover Passover or Pesach as it is sometimes called is a Jewish festival celebrated in Spring time. The main part of the Passover celebration is the meal. This is called the Seder. The special order of the Seder meal is written down in the Hagadah, this tells the story of the Exodus. The celebration is called ‘pass over’ because it reminds the Jews of the last of the ten plagues, when the angel of death passed over the Jews and killed the Egyptians first born

7. Task • Draw each item you would find on the Seder plate and write next to it what it symbolises. Things to include • Parsley • Bitter Herbs • Charoset • Saltwater • Matzot • Wine • Egg • Bone For each of them write: This is______ it symbolises_______

8. What do we mean by pillars? • A pillar is something which supports a building, and stops it falling down. • The 5 Pillars of Islam are 5 things which a Muslim would do to show they were committed to the religion of Islam

9. The First Pillar of Islam is Shahada, a declaration of faith which is a statement of what the person believes. To become a Muslim, a person must say the Shahada. This is where a Muslim says that: “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger.” The Shahada is said in the call to prayer five times per day. Also a Muslim father whispers the words of the Shahada into the ear of their new born baby. Muslims, who know that they are going to die, try to make the Shahada their last breath. The Shahada is important because by saying this, a person becomes a Muslim and is entered into the Islamic faith. They are showing their dedication to Allah stating that he is the only one true God.

10. The Second Pillar of Islam is Salah which is prayer. Muslims are required to pray five times a day. Salat al-fajr: dawn, before sunrise, Salat al-zuhr: midday, after the sun passes its highest, Salat al-'asr: the late part of the afternoon, Salat al-maghrib: just after sunset, Salat al-'isha: between sunset and midnight. All Muslims try to do this. Muslim children as young as seven are encouraged to pray. Muslims must also wash themselves before prayer and facing in the direction of Mecca while praying. • Salah is important to Muslims because they are showing their dedication to Allah. Washing before prayer is a sign of respect and a Muslim can communicate, praise, worship and confide in Allah.

11. The Third Pillar of Islam is Zakat which is giving a fixed proportion of one’s wealth to charity. Zakat does not refer to charitable gifts given out of kindness or generosity, but to the systematic giving of 2.5% of one's wealth each year to benefit the poor. Muslims are required to give away a percentage of their earnings to those less fortunate, regardless of their religion. • Zakat is important to Muslims because they are obeying God and helping the poor. It also helps a person acknowledge that everything comes from God on loan and that we do not really own anything ourselves and since we cannot take anything with us when we die we need not cling to it.

12. The Fourth Pillar of Islam is Saum: which is fasting during the month of Ramadam. It is a month of fasting. Everyday from before sunrise until sunset, Muslims abstain (stay away from) from: food, drink, smoking, lying, cheating andswearing. The sane, adult and healthy Muslim has to fast.The elderly, the pregnant, the sick and the young (younger than 12 yrs old) do not have to fast as this could be dangerous. • Saum is important to Muslims because during this time, Muslims reflect on their behaviour and strive to purify their thoughts. So they may acquire self-control. It shows obedience to God, they become more awareness of the suffering of the sick, poor and hungry. They are showing that they are following the example of the Prophet Muhammad and show obedience to God by following his command.

13. The Fifth Pillar of Islam is Hajj which is a pilgrimage (journey) to Mecca. If it is financially possible and if they are physically able, Muslims are required to travel to Mecca once in their lifetime. Mecca is important as it was here that the Prophet Muhammad was born and where the Qur’an was revealed to Muhammad. • Hajj is important to Muslims because it makes them feel real importance of life here on earth, and the afterlife, by stripping away all markers of social status, wealth, and pride. In the Hajj all are truly equal. The Hajjis or pilgrims wear simple white clothes called Ihram. During the Hajj the Pilgrims perform acts of worship and they renew their sense of purpose in the world. Mecca is a place that is holy to all Muslims. It is so holy that no non-Muslim is allowed to enter. They become closer to Allah and follow in the Prophet Muhammad’s footprints.