Five Faiths Project
JUDAISM
Voices of Faith
I. The Story of Passover (transcript)
Summary
This story provides background information and recounts the narrative of Moses and the exodus from Egypt as recorded in the Torah. The story tells of the birth of Moses, the important roles of his sister Miriam and his brother Aaron and the captivity and release of the Hebrew people.
Research Option
Find the sections of Exodus in the Torah from which this storyteller drew information for this story. What, if anything, did the storyteller leave out? How did the storyteller make this story interesting and engaging?
Where is Egypt? The Nile River? The wilderness? Where is the Promised Land the storyteller describes? The final story on this recording offers insights into the annual celebration of the Jewish Passover.
Discussion Questions
This story is central to the Jewish faith tradition. What qualities does Moses possess in this story? How does he demonstrate his commitment to God and to the Hebrews? Remind students that the Pharaoh was often considered to be a kind of god among the Egyptians. How does God establish himself as the one true God in this story? Jewish people remember the Passover in an annual celebration. What happens in this story that can be described as a Passover? When do Jews celebrate Passover? Why might it be important to remember this time?
II. The Story of the Nigun (transcript)
Summary
In this story, students hear of the Shabbat. The storyteller was not raised in a family which observed the weekly Shabbat ritual, but tells a folk tale about a man named Moishe. Moishe goes to the village to purchase all the things needed for Sabbath. On his way home, he is distracted by his desire for a wordless song, called the Nigun, that he hears off in the distance.
Research Option
The storyteller refers to challah as one of the items given to the gypsies in order to learn the Nigun. What is “challah?” Recipes for challah are readily available, students may be encouraged to make challah to share with the class. Encourage students to research the uses of the three items Moishe had purchased in town within the ritual of Shabbat. Refer to the Jewish poster: the Kiddush Cup is used in the Shabbat.
Discussion Questions
What three items did Moishe purchase in the village? The song which Moishe brings back to his home becomes a symbol of the mysteries of God. Why might it be acceptable to his family to sing a song without words as a way to open the Shabbat? How does a wordless song reinforce the Jewish understanding of God as mysterious? How does this story reinforce the importance of song as a part of the Jewish tradition?
III. The Story of the Rabbi of Nemirov and the Litvak (transcript)
Summary
This story introduces the role of the rabbi in the community. The people of the community look to the rabbi for leadership, and they ponder where the rabbi is at all times and what he does with his time. Note that the rabbi is a wise and learned man, a scholar. Also note that the rabbi is somewhat elusive. He is not easily found or understood.
Research Option
Encourage students to create a working understanding of the role of the rabbi in the Jewish community. See the glossary included in this material, as well as other sources for additional information.
Discussion Questions
What hints does this story give to the role and function of the rabbi within Jewish culture? In the story, the Litvak can remember and picture a page of the Torah without seeing it. Ask students to consider what pages they know so well that they can imagine them in great detail without seeing them again. How does the Litvak misunderstand what the rabbi is doing? Why would the rabbi pretend to be a poor peasant when he comes to the house? Why would he sell them the wood, rather than merely give it to them? What does the Litvak mean when he says at the end of the story that the rabbi is “in heaven, if not higher?” How does this story reinforce the Jewish commitment to charity?
IV. A Passover Story (transcript)
Summary
This storyteller recounts her childhood experience of the annual celebration of Passover.
Research Option
Using the first selection on the CD, add history to this story by listening to the story of Moses and the Exodus.
Discussion Questions
At its center, this story is a coming of age story, the memory of a little girl beginning to participate in an important ritual. How does the child prepare? How does she feel about being allowed to participate? What preparations does the family make for the Passover seder? How does this story enrich students’ understanding of the first story on the CD. Within the homes of students, what preparations are made for special events? Are they similar to the preparations Helena’s family makes for Passover?