Cross-Cultural Eduacation

The Jewish education

Another name used for the people is Children of Israel or Israelites, which refers to the fact that the people are descendants of Jacob, who was also called Israel.

It is important to note that being a Jew has nothing to do with what you believe or what you do. A person born to non-Jewish parents who has not undergone the formal process of conversion but who believes everything that Orthodox Jews believe and observes every law and custom of Judaism is still a non-Jew

One of the most important custom of every Jew is the prayer. It is duty of three main prayers (in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening). Great importance has the blessing, especially blessing bowed with eating. The Ten Commandment – basic moral commandment, where is contained testament of God, which God gave to Moses at the mountain Sinai and which is cut into two stone boards. First five commandments are about obligations of man to God, next five commandments says about relations between people (for example you must love and hold in reverence your parents, doesn’t allow murder, sexual misdeed …).

Religion regulation allow to Jews eat only meal which is marked as Kocher. It is for example meat of fish, cattle, sheep, goats and big game. Everything else is banned.

The next obligation of Jew is get married and have a baby. The best age of getting married is from 18 to 20 years old. In Jewish community boys and girls live separated, so they must rely on one man called “matchmaker”. Before marriage they must signed a treaty about next conditions and duties of man to woman, especially he must feed her, hold her in esteem, to promote her and so on. There are also written some measures – in that case man would die his wife (widow) should get a sum of money. Marriage can’t takes place on Shabbat, on feasts and during 3 days keeping chagrin. The most popular days are Sunday and Monday. After the ceremony they have 7 dinners.

In the family the boss is a father who takes care of finance and educating of children and mother is a keeper of the family fireplace. Good wife and mother is considered for God’s present and is item of reverence and acclaim.

One of the regulation is the circumcision of young boys. Usually it is performed eight day of his life. This ritual is placed into the synagogue, and during this performance the boy will get his Jewish name.

When someone dies his dead body is put to the ground at the cemetery. It is forbidden his remains burn or embalm – it is considered to be injurious and it borders with pantheism. The funeral takes place in day when man died. And he is buried without coffin.

Rhythm of their life is breaks by one feast called Shabbat. It is started in Eve of Friday and ends on Saturday in the evening. These days are dedicated to devotion and having a rest. This command is mentioned in the Holly Bible and is also one of the Ten Commandment. By keeping Shabbat people commemorate it was a God who blessed to seventh day and who set this day should be justified.

Vocabulary: PRAYER – modlitba BLESSING – požehnání COMMANDMENT – církevní přikázání THE TEN COMMANDMENT – desatero božích přikázání MOSES – Mojžíš OBLIGATION – povinnost HOLD IN REVEREBCE – úcta k MISDEED – přestupek REGULATION – přestupek BIG GAME – vysoká zvěř MATCHMAKER – dohazovač FEED – krmit, živit HOLD IN ESTEEM – ctít MEASURE – opatření CHAGRIN – žal CONSIDERED SB TO BE / FOR – považovat někoho za ACCLAIM – chvála EMBALM – balzamovat INJURIOUS – urážlivý PANTHEISM – pohanství BURY – pohřbít COFFIN – rakev DEVATION – bohoslužba STANOVIT – set JUSTIFY – vysvětit