Topic: Founders

Come and join us for Vaisakhi – the Indian spring harvest festival, which has been celebrated for centuries. Vaisakhi is of special importance in Sikhi as it marks the day the Khalsa was established by Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1699.

Our film highlights the vibrant traditions and practices associated with Vaisakhi, from the Nishan Sahib Seva – the service of cleaning and putting up a new Nishan Sahib (flag), and the sharing of langar (community meals) to the recitation of prayers and music that fill the air. The celebrations of Vaisakhi showcase the spirit of togetherness, faith, and cultural pride. With beautiful illustrations and live action combined, we hope that we can get you excited for the festival of Vaisakhi!

Transcript

Vaisakhi Transcript

Contributor 1: Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Jaya Narrator: Every spring all over the world, Sikhs like me celebrate the festival of Vaisakhi. It's been a harvest festival in India for thousands of years. But for Sikhs it has an extra special meaning because it's also where the Khalsa began. Khalsa means the pure ones and it's what we call the community of Sikhs who have fully committed themselves to Sikhi. This is our temple where we worship and get together as a community. It's called a Gurdwara, which means House of the Guru because the Guru Granth Sahib Ji is here. Our living Guru, in the form of a book on the days leading up to Vaisakhi an Akhand Path will be held. This is when the Guru Granth Sahib Ji is read out loud from beginning to end. It takes 48 hours to read all 1,430 pages, so different readers take turns. On the day itself. Everyone goes to the Gurdwara in the morning for prayers and to hear the Guru Granth Sahib Ji being read.

Contributor 1: Vaisakhi to me means coming together as a whole community to celebrate the birth of the Khalsa. Celebrating togetherness and oneness. No matter what faith you are, what creed you are, what gender you are. We all come together as one.

Contributor 2: Vaisakhi to me is also a good time to reflect, to be grateful for all that we have.

Jaya Narrator: Vaisakhi is celebrated on the first day of the Sikh month of the Vaisakh, which falls on the 13th or 14th of April.

Contributor 3: Vaisakhi is signing up to the code and conduct of the Sikhs, and the storytelling that goes on in these days reminds you of the sets of values that created the Sikh faith.

Jaya Narrator: At Vaisakhi we remember an important event in our history. In 1699, the Sikh community didn't feel much like celebrating the harvest festival. They were facing vicious persecution from the Emperor Aurangzeb just for being Sikhs. 23 years earlier. Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth guru and leader of the Sikh people, had been beheaded on the emperor's orders. Many people had decided that rather than share the fate of their guru, they would abandon Sikhi altogether. Now the Sikh community was in danger of falling apart, and it was up to Guru Gobind Rajij, the son of Guru Tegh Bahadur to do something about it. In the weeks leading up to Vaisakhi, word went out that the guru was asking every single Sikh to attend a special celebration in the town of Anandpur. And on the day, tens of thousands of people gathered in front of Kashgar Fort, where a large tent had been put up. Guru Gobind Rajij walked out in front of the crowd. He was an impressive sight in his saffron robes, his hair tied neatly in a turban. He held a sword above his head and it flashed in the sunlight. The crowd fell silent, waiting for their guru to speak. Who among you is willing to die for God and for their guru? Who will give their head to my sword? What did he mean? Eventually a man made his way up to the front. It was Daya Ram, a young man from a well-to-do family. The guru welcomed him like a brother and took him into the tent. Then a hush descended as the crowd strained to hear what was going on. There was a swish of a sword and a sickening thud. The guru emerged alone from the tent and waved his sword for all to see. Shock ran through the crowd like a wave. The blade was covered in blood. Had the guru beheaded Daya Ram. Who else is willing to give their life for God and for me? This time everyone remained absolutely still frightened to move. But then another man stepped forward. A farmer called Dharam Das. As before, he was welcomed by the guru and led inside the tent. Everyone held their breath, a swish, a thud, and the guru re-emerged, brandishing his bloodstained sword. Panic began to spread. My sword is still hungry. Who else is willing to give their head to serve me? Unbelievably, three more men volunteered. A tailor called Mokham Chand. A barber called Sahib Chand. And a water carrier called Himmat Rai. One at a time, the guru took them into the tent and then came out alone, his blade sticky with congealing blood. The crowd was in confusion. No one could understand what was happening. But then the guru threw back the flaps of the tent and all five men walked out alive and well. They were wearing turbans and saffron robes like the guru, and they were all smiling. Five men from very different backgrounds, standing shoulder to shoulder with the guru. Five men who were willing to die for their guru if necessary. The crowd cheered. The guru announced that they would be known as the Panj Piare, the beloved five. He invited them to drink holy water called Amrit, and then he anointed them, sprinkling the Amrit on their heads and eyes. They were the first members of the Khalsa, the Pure Ones. Sikhs who were truly committed to Sikki. The guru asked the Panj Piare to baptise him with Amrit in the same way. And then the crowd rushed forward, all eager to join the Khalsa. Each person was given a new name, Singh, which means lion for men and Kaur, which means princess or leader for women. Guru Gobind Rajij became Guru Gobind Singh Ji and new life was breathed into the Sikh people as they stood proudly together. They were more than a match for the Emperor. The Panj Piare are represented at our celebrations by members of the Khalsa, sometimes called the Khalsa Panth, which means the way of the Pure Ones.

Contributor 4: So the Panj Piare, they're the first Sikhs to be initiated into the Khalsa Panth. So Guru Gobind Singh Ji, who was the 10th guru of the Sikh religion, he felt it was necessary to create a distinct identity for the Sikhs in which they were clearly recognised and could follow a code of conduct which helps them in their daily life.

Contributor 5: The underpin of love and compassion and humility, of telling the truth and living a very simple lifestyle and being content with what you have.

Contributor 6: So Khalsa is someone who actually fights for the justice, someone who fights for the righteousness. Someone who is not biased. He would not take the side of his own religion or his own people. He would fight for righteousness. That is Khalsa.

Jaya Narrator: Vaisakhi is a popular time of year for people to join the Khalsa, which they do in the same way as the Panj Piare and the guru did by going through the Amrit ceremony or Amrit Sanchar.

Contributor 7: I was fortunate to take the Amrit Sanchar ceremony two years ago, when I felt it was the right time in my life to commit to the Guru's teachings and way of life. The Amrit Sanchar ceremony is open to all regardless of your faith, your background, your age, your colour. It's open to everybody. Through that ceremony, essentially, you're saying that you give your head, you will live a disciplined life, and ultimately you'll believe in the force of one. In treating humans together, humanity together, but also how you will conduct yourself and with others around you. Also, at that time, the Sikhs are given the five symbols of the Sikh faith. The Kesh, which is the long uncut hair, the Kara, which is the steel bangle, the Kirpan which is the sword that you may see worn on the outside, the Kachera, which is the the shorts that are worn as undergarments. And finally the Kangha, which is used to keep your your hair tied up as well.

Jaya Narrator: Every Gurdwara has a flag outside, like this one called a Nishan Sahib, which symbolises that everyone is welcome at the Gurdwara for food and help. At Vaisakhi it's taken down and a new one is put up in a ceremony called the Nishan Sahib Seva.

Contributor 5: Today is also particularly special because as you can see behind me, we are going to be doing the Nishan Sahib Seva. So the Nishan Sahib is our flag and the Nishan Sahib can be seen in every Gurudwara. Wherever you go in the world, there will always be a Nissan Sahib up and this time of year it's taken down and we clean it. We redress it, if you like. So that because the colours fade with the weathering over the year. So new bright robes are put onto the Nissan Sahib and everybody loves joining in, in that process. Especially children that like to see it all being done.

Jaya Narrator: All Gurdwaras have a Langar a dining hall that serves free vegetarian food so everyone eats together. And then celebrations often continue long into the night.

Contributor 7: It's springtime in India. It's about actually, you know, the start of a new beginning. It's a time for people to come together. The Sikh faith congregation around the world comes together to reflect on the values of the Sikh faith. But then also, I think it's an opportunity for us all to come together and think about how we want to lead our lives as well, and what was set out by the gurus initially, then how we want to take that forward in our daily lives as well.

Vaisakhi

Video length - 11.06

Published date - Apr 2025

Keystage(s) - 3 and 4

Join Maria and Jayne as they explore the key similarities and differences between Roman Catholic and Protestant branches of Christianity. Through a conversational format they discuss these denominations and their shared beliefs and unique practices, offering insights into the historical, theological, and cultural distinctions that shape their faiths.

The film delves into topics such as the structure of church leadership, styles of worship, sacraments, and the role of tradition versus scripture. It examines rituals like baptism and communion, contrasting Catholic beliefs in transubstantiation with Protestant symbolism. It also touches on theological concepts like salvation, confession, and the afterlife, presenting perspectives on purgatory, saints, and direct prayer.

The film highlights both common ground and diversity within Christianity, encouraging viewers to appreciate the richness of its traditions. Perfect for students and anyone interested in the history and practices of Christian faith.

Transcript

Understanding Denominations: Christianity

Hi. I'm a Christian and so am I. But we come from different denominations of Christianity. A denomination is a branch or group within a religion. I'm a Roman Catholic and I'm a Protestant. We both believe that Jesus is the Son of God, who died and rose again and then went to heaven. Jesus left his apostles, his messengers, to spread his teaching and made Peter their leader. And we believe that's when the Catholic Church started. The word Catholic comes from the Greek word katholikos, which means universal because the church was for everyone. But in the year 1054, the Great Schism happened. The church split into the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, so called because it was based in Rome, and it became more and more powerful throughout Europe. Then in 1382, a professor at Oxford University, John Wycliffe, argued that it was time for the church to be reformed. But the Reformation Formation didn't really get going until 1517, when a German priest called Martin Luther started a protest against the Roman Catholics and the Protestant Church was born. Or the Protestant churches were born because there are different denominations within Protestantism, right? Yeah. In fact, I wouldn't usually call myself a Protestant. I'd call myself a Baptist, which is the Protestant denomination which I belong to. But there are also Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Quakers. There are lots of them. I get it. So what are the main differences between Roman Catholics and Protestants? Well, let's start with the church itself. The building, I mean, take a look. Roman Catholic churches usually have a lot of decoration and other stuff. The most common symbol we use is the crucifix. Jesus on the cross. It's a reminder of the sacrifice Jesus made for us when he was crucified. Protestant churches tend to be plainer. Our symbol is an empty cross. Sometimes called a Latin cross. It reminds us that Jesus rose from the dead.

A Roman Catholic church is led by a priest. Only men can be priests and they can't get married or have children. They usually wear a white dog collar and put on long robes called vestments during services. We tend to call our church leaders ministers or pastors because we believe in the priesthood of all believers, that the leader of the church is no different to the rest of us. Most Protestant denominations have male and female pastors. They can get married, and they don't usually wear dog collars or vestments, although some do. The priesthood is something special in the Roman Catholic Church, especially the Pope. We believe that the Apostle Peter was the first pope, and the blessing he was given by Jesus has been passed down from man to man until we get to the present day Pope who leads the church. It's called the apostolic succession. We don't have a single leader. There's the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Church of England. But other Protestant churches have their own leaders. The Roman Catholic Church's authority comes from the Bible and 2000 years of tradition. In Protestant churches, authority comes just from the Bible. We both believe in the Bible, which is a collection of 66 books written by different authors over about 1500 years. Reading the Bible and learning from it is really important to Protestants. The main focus of our services is a sermon, a talk given by the pastor to help explain the Bible's teachings. The Roman Catholic Bible has 73 books. The Protestants removed seven of them. Bible study is less important to us. We tend to concentrate on the sacraments, which are seven special ceremonies that were given the stamp of approval by Jesus. Baptism. Confirmation. Eucharist. Confession. Anointing of the sick, holy matrimony, and holy orders. Most Protestants would say there are only two sacraments Baptism and Holy Communion, but we do them differently. Baptism is a ritual wash symbolising the removal of sin and the start of a new life. Yeah, although we would say it's more than just a symbol, it's important that people get baptised so that they can become part of the church as soon as possible, whether they're babies or adults. We do it by sprinkling them with holy water from a big basin, like this, called a font. We have believers baptism, which means we only baptise people who can decide for themselves if that's what they want. Jesus was baptised in the river Jordan, so most Protestant churches will imitate that with baptism by full immersion, which means they go completely underwater in a baptismal pool or baptistry. Like this.

Celebrating the Eucharist, which we do during a service called mass, is central to Roman Catholic life. We're more likely to call it Holy Communion, the Lord's Supper, or breaking of the bread. It's when we share bread and wine to symbolise the body and blood of Jesus. He asked his followers to remember his death on the cross in this way. But again, we would say it's more than just a symbol. Roman Catholics believe that while the outward form of the bread and wine stays the same, their essence becomes the body and blood of Jesus who is there again at the mass. The belief is traditionally called transubstantiation. People usually come up to the front of the church to receive the bread and wine from the priest. Although wafers are often used instead of bread, in Protestant churches, it's more usual for everyone to stay in their seats and for the bread and wine to be passed along the rows. The bread is usually actual bread, but a lot of churches use red grape juice instead of wine. You don't believe the bread and wine changed in any way? No, mostly some Protestants believe that the bread and wine are changed in a spiritual way. That they are blessed by God and become holy. But we don't believe that they are Jesus's body and blood. One of the sacraments you don't have is confession. We sit with the priest and tell him our sins, the things we've done wrong, and he forgives us on behalf of God and gives us a penance, which is something we do to show that we're sorry. We usually give him prayers to say. We can go to our pastors for advice, but we pray directly to God for forgiveness. We can pray directly to God as well, but our priests act like go betweens for us.

You also pray to Mary, the mother of Jesus and the saints, don't you? That's right. Saints are people who lived really holy lives. People we can be sure are in heaven. And do the saints answer your prayers? No. It's still God who answers the prayers. It's a bit like asking a friend to pray for you, but a saint has the advantage of already being in heaven and closer to God. It's why we have pictures and statues of saints and the Virgin Mary, which you won't find in a Protestant church. We only pray to God. Our worship tends to be very traditional classical music and prayers from a book. Up until the 1960s. It was all in Latin. But since then our worship has been in the language of the worshippers. Although some churches still like to use the Latin Mass, Protestant worship has always been in the worshippers language, and we tend to have a more modern style of music. Many churches even have their own bands to lead the singing. The mass follows a written pattern called a liturgy, and it's been the same for centuries. Our worship is a bit looser, although our service will still have a structure with singing, prayers and a sermon. You don't use a prayer book? No. Although I should explain the Church of England here, which is a special case. It all started with Henry VIII, famous for having six wives. Exactly. Until the 1530s. England was a Roman Catholic country. But Henry VIII wanted to divorce his first wife and marry his mistress. The Pope said no. So Henry told the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer, to create a Church of England that wasn't under the pope's authority. This developed into a church with Protestant beliefs, but a lot of Catholic traditions. So many of them still use prayer books and more formal styles of worship. And they have priests. Yeah, but men and women can be Church of England priests and they can get married. Okay, so what happens when we die? Salvation. We're saved from hell and go to heaven to be with God. It's not quite that simple for Roman Catholics. We believe that salvation is a lifelong process. We're saved by our faith in God and the good works we do. Protestants believe that salvation is by faith alone. You've probably heard us talking about being born again, yeah? Well, we believe that once you've accepted Jesus as your Savior, that's it. You're going to heaven. It's a once in a lifetime thing, so you don't have to do any good works. We don't have to. But we believe that once a person is saved, the Holy Spirit will help them to become a better person. So they'll be doing good things for other people anyway. Roman Catholics believe that after death, really good people go straight to heaven and really bad people go straight to hell. But we also believe in a place called purgatory, which is where most people go to be purified of their sins before moving on to heaven. Protestants just believe in heaven and hell. We've got this life to get saved, and then we go to one or the other for eternity. But in the here and now, would you say we have more in common than differences? I don't know. What do you think?

Understanding Denominations: Christianity

Video length - 09.50

Published date - Jan 2025

Keystage(s) - 3 and 4

Holy Cribs: The Gurdwara

Arvinda Singh, a young Sikh, gives TrueTube a tour of his Gurdwara, the Sri Guru Singh Sabha in Southall. He shows us the prayer hall, the dining hall and even the Guru Granth Sahib’s bedroom!

Curriculum Mapping

Component 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teaching and practices - Sikhism - The nature of God linked with the worship of God in Sikhism. The Mool Mantra and how Sikhs pray and meditate mainly at home. Worship in the gurdwara The features of the gurdwara and its role in the Sikh community. To study the building’s design and function and identify the main features, external and internal. Worship in the Gurdwara - This covers how Sikhs show their respect when they are in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib. The Langar -This covers the practice of eating together. It links the topics about equality, sewa and the gurdwara together.

Area of study 2 - Section 3: Living the Sikh Life - Sikhism - Features of the gurdwara: the nature, history and purpose of the design of the Gurdwara as the ‘Door/Gate of the Guru’, including Rahit Maryada Chapters 4–6; how and why objects of devotion are used within the gurdwara: Guru Granth Sahib, Takht, Chanani, Chaur, the langar hall, four doors, and the Nishan Sahib; divergent understandings of the importance of these features in Sikh life today. The gurdwara: the role and importance of the gurdwara within the Sikh community including reference to Guru Granth Sahib 1391; activities that take place within the gurdwara and why; the nature and importance of visiting Sikh historical gurdwaras: the Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar (the Golden Temple); divergent understandings of the importance of making such visits including reference to Guru Granth Sahib 4. Langar: the history of langar including Guru Granth Sahib 967; the nature and purposes of langar; the significance of langar for Sikhs today, especially as an expression of sewa.

2.1 Unit 1 PART A - Sikhism - Core beliefs, teachings and practices - Practices Worship  Features of the gurdwara  Role of Guru Granth Sahib in worship  Features of service; role of granthi and epilogue  Distribution of karah prashad  Role of langar in the gurdwara – concept of equality and selfless service (Guru Granth Sahib 349).

Component 3 (Route A) -Option 5: Sikhism - Practices: The gurdwara: practices in Britain and elsewhere ➢ The importance and the role of Bhatra and Ramgarhia gurdwaras in Britain as places of worship, social and community functions ➢ Religious features: artefacts, Guru Granth Sahib, langar (as an expression of sewa - selfless service to others) and associated practices Worship ➢ The role and importance of prayer in the home ➢ Significance of the practice of meditating on the name of God

Transcript

Holy Cribs: Gurdwara

Arvinda: Sat sri akal ji! Welcome to Sri Guru Singh Sabha Southall! My name is Arvinda Singh and I'm a Sikh. Our religion is often called Sikhism, but we like to call it Sikhi. This is the Gurdwara. This is our holy building where we come to worship Waheguru, which is the name of God. I'm going to give you a tour now. Just before we go inside, I want to show you the Nishan Sahib. This is a special flag in front of every Gurdwara. This is usually yellow or orange in colour and has a blue symbol on it called the Khanda.

Right then. Come on in.

The first thing we do is cover our heads. A lot of Sikhs, especially men, wear a dastar or a turban, but everyone else wears a headscarf such as these. We also take our shoes off and put them in the shoe rack. The last thing we do is wash our hands. This is a sign of respect, but we will need clean hands later because there will be food. The word Gurdwara means door to the Guru in Punjabi, it is where we come to pay our respects to Waheguru and our holy book the Guru Granth Sahib ji. We cover our hair, take our shoes off and wash our hands as a sign of respect. The main part of the Gurdwara where we listen to the Guru Granth Sahib ji is called the diwan hall or the prayer hall. But we'll need to be very quiet. The Guru Granth Sahib ji is treated like royalty, it sits at the front on a raised platform called the takht, which means throne. The canopy above it is called a palki. And the cushion it rests on is called a manji sahib. When we come here, we always pay our respects to the Guru Granth Sahib ji. We walk down to the front, bow and maybe give an offering. It's usually money, but it can be food or a new cloth to wrap the Guru Granth Sahib ji in when it isn't being read. Some people like to walk clockwise around the takht as a symbol that the Guru Granth Sahib ji, is a centre part of their lives. Then being careful not to turn our backs to the Guru until we are a little distance away, we go and sit down. Everyone sits on the floor as a sign of equality. Men sit on one side, usually the right, women on the other side. This is so that we are concentrating on Waheguru and the words of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji and not on each other. Services can go on for hours, so people often come and go as they like. There's no particular day for worship. The Gurdwara is open every day, but it gets crowded on a Sunday when most people are off work. Mostly we sit and listen to the words of the Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The person reading it is called a granthi. The granthi isn't a priest and can be any man or woman who can read Gurmukhi. That's the Punjabi alphabet and it was used to write the Guru Granth Sahib Ji, because Sikhi began in Punjab in the north of India.

As the granthi reads, he or she waves a fan made of hair or feathers called a chauri. In India, important people will be fanned to keep them cool and to keep flies off them. It became a symbol of respect even when it isn't hot. So now it's done for the Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Every day the granthi gives a special reading called a hukam. He or she opens the Guru to whichever page it falls open and reads the words. The idea is that this isn't random. Waheguru chooses which words are most suitable for people to hear. Sometimes we have musicians called ragis who sing hymns called bhajans. And often these words come from the Guru Granth Sahib ji. Singing hymns like this is called kirtan. The drums are called tabla, and the keyboard is called a vaja or harmonium in English and works by pumping air through it by hand.

Arvinda At the end of the service, everyone stands to say a special prayer together called the Ardas. There's always a big bowl of karah parshad. This is a sweet porridge made with lots of sugar and butter. It is a symbol of Waheguru ji's blessings as everybody shares from the same bowl. And it's very delicious.

Gurdwaras are often very beautifully decorated. This symbol the Khanda, was the one on the Nishan Sahib outside. And this is Gurmukhi writing. It says Ik Onkar, which means there is only one God. And those are the very first words of the Guru Granth Sahib ji. Those words were written by Guru Nanak dev ji. He was the very first leader of the Sikhs beginning in the year 1500, and he was given the title Guru, which means teacher, Sikh means pupil. There were ten Gurus in all who led the Sikhs, one after the other for about 200 years. Then the last Guru, Guru Gobind Singh ji, said that after his death, the writings of the first five Gurus and the ninth Guru would become the 11th and final Guru, the Guru Granth Sahib ji, which is why we give it so much respect. The Guru Granth Sahib even has its own room with a bed where it's kept overnight when it isn't being read. Gurdwaras have other rooms that could be used for community activities like this library. And every Gurdwara has one of these: a Langar or a dining hall. Anyone and everyone can share a free meal here. This is another symbol of equality. Back in the day in India, upper class people wouldn't mix with working class people and definitely wouldn't eat with them. So Guru Nanak dev ji started the Langar to encourage equality. The food here is always vegetarian so that everyone, no matter what their religion or if they just don't eat meat, can share the same meal. The people cooking food, serving it and washing up the plates are all volunteers. We call it seva, doing work to help other people. So next time you're passing by a Gurdwara, make sure to put a headscarf on and come and enjoy a free meal. Thank you for coming to the Gurdwara. Goodbye.

Holy Cribs: The Gurdwara

Video length - 07.18

Published date - Apr 2023

Keystage(s) - 2, 3 and 4

Downloadable resources

Moses and the 10 Commandments – Vlog #1 – The Bible story of Moses and the 10 Commandments is retold – with a twist.

Moses and the Jewish people are on their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land when Moses goes to speak with God near the summit of Mount Sinai. Afterwards Moses relates what happened in his most recent vlog to his channel. He says that God gave him ten commandments – or rules to live by – written on stone tablets. Moses describes each of the commandments in turn and goes on to reveal that God actually gave him 613 commandments so there are still another 603 to vlog about!

Suitable for teaching KS1 / KS2.

For teachers’ notes and more: https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/school-radio/assemblies-ks1-ks2-moses-10-ten-commandments-vlog-1/zjqbf82

This film is from the the assemblies collection on BBC Teach: https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/school-radio/primary-school-assemblies-collective-worship-ks1-ks2/zmsnm39

As this film is embedded you will not be able to download it.

The TrueTube team made this film for BBC Teach, so for more resources go to BBC Teach: https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach

The Bible Stories series was commissioned by BBC Teach and produced by CTVC/TrueTube.

Curriculum Mapping

Component 1 - The study of religions: beliefs, teaching and practices - Judaism - Key beliefs: The Covenant and the mitzvot The Covenant at Sinai and its importance, including the role of Moses and the Ten Commandments, Exodus 20:1-17.

Area of Study 3 – Judaism - Section 1: Jewish Beliefs - The Covenant at Sinai: the nature and history of the Covenant at Sinai (the Ten Commandments), including Exodus 20; the role and significance of Moses in the Covenant at Sinai; divergent understandings of how and why the Decalogue is important in Jewish life today.

Component Group 1 - Judaism - Beliefs and teachings - The Covenant at Sinai • The concept of Covenant •The significance of the Covenant at Sinai (the Ten Commandments) • The role of Moses within Judaism • Issues related to the Covenant at Sinai, including the nature of the promises made by G-d to the Israelites and their significance for modern Judaism • Common and divergent emphases placed on the Covenant at Sinai by different Jewish groups •Different interpretations and emphases given to sources of wisdom and authority by different Jewish groups

2.1 Unit 1 - PART A - Judaism - Core beliefs, teachings and practices - Worship in the home and synagogue  The importance of the synagogue: internal features- aron hakodesh (ark), ner tamid, bimah, Torah, Ten Commandments, seating

Component 3 - Study of a World Faith - Option 4: Judaism - Covenant ➢ The meaning and significance of the Abrahamic Covenant: Genesis 12:1-3, 17:6-8, 17:11-14 including the importance of the ‘Promised Land’ ➢ The meaning and significance of the Covenant with Moses at Sinai: Exodus 3:11-15 including the continuing importance of the idea of a ‘Promised Land’ ➢ Importance of the Ten Commandments: Exodus 20:2-14

Moses and the 10 Commandments – Vlog #1

Video length - 04.57

Published date - Dec 2021

Keystage(s) - 1 and 2

Holy Books: The Qur’an – An imam, a student and a calligrapher who works in Arabic share their thoughts about the Qur’an – where it came from, why it’s important and how they use it in their everyday lives.

A film by Kim Roden

Created in collaboration with the Advocacy Academy

Holy Books: The Qur’an

Video length - 10.04

Published date - Apr 2018

Keystage(s) - 3 and 4

Downloadable resources

Mary’s Lullaby – If you’re the sentimental type, grab a hanky right now. Here’s a dramatic reconstruction of the Nativity to the accompaniment of a specially composed song. Happy Christmas!

Video footage courtesy of BigBook Media.

The song was written by Jessica Toogood and you can read the lyrics here.

Mary’s Lullaby

Video length - 03.14

Published date - Dec 2014

Keystage(s) - 2, 3, 4 and 5

Downloadable resources

The Resurrection – In the last of three films telling the Easter story, we see the events of Jesus’ burial and resurrection. The voiceover was written and performed by Thomas Hanigan and Daniel Flynn who won TrueTube’s Jesus Christ Voiceover Star competition in 2014.

The Resurrection

Video length - 01.48

Published date - Jul 2014

Keystage(s) - 2, 3, 4 and 5

The Crucifixion – In the second of three films telling the Easter story, we see the events of Jesus’ trial and crucifixion. The voiceover was written and performed by Mia Stoop who won TrueTube’s Jesus Christ Voiceover Star competition in 2014.

The Crucifixion

Video length - 02.15

Published date - Jul 2014

Keystage(s) - 2, 3, 4 and 5

The Last Supper – In the first of three films telling the Easter story, we see the events of Palm Sunday, the Last Supper and Jesus’ arrest. The voiceover was written and performed by Amelia Weaver who won TrueTube’s Jesus Christ Voiceover Star competition in 2014.

The Last Supper

Video length - 02.09

Published date - Jul 2014

Keystage(s) - 2, 3, 4 and 5

Downloadable resources

Bethlehem Bureaucrat – Joseph and his bride-to-be Mary went to Bethlehem to register in a census, but the Bible is strangely silent about what happened when Joseph faced the bureaucrats with his story. This film attempts to fill in the gap.