Jewish Festivals and Family Life - KS2 RE Unit - 6 Outstanding Lessons

This KS2 RE unit explores how Jewish festivals and family life show what matters to Jewish people. It is suitable for the How do festivals and family life show what
matters to Jewish people? unit. Across six fully planned lessons, pupils learn about Shabbat, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Pesach through case studies, symbols, stories and reflective activities. The unit supports pupils in understanding Jewish values such as rest, gratitude, forgiveness and freedom, with clear links to the KS2 RE curriculum.
Try lesson one here.

What’s Included
✔ 6 lesson plans
✔ 6 PowerPoint presentations
✔ 30 worksheets and exemplars
✔ Case studies (Orthodox, Progressive, Ashkenazi, Sephardi)
✔ Seder plate template
✔ Word banks and sentence starters
✔ Signs for starter activities
✔ Card activities and templates
✔ Bible story summaries (Jonah, Exodus)
✔ Footsteps worksheet

Lesson Overview
★ Lesson 1 – Shabbat: Describe how families welcome Shabbat using candles, challah and blessings, and compare Orthodox and Progressive traditions.
★ Lesson 2 – Shabbat in the UK: Explore diversity in Jewish life today and write a short report on how families prepare for Shabbat.
★ Lesson 3 – Rosh Hashanah: Learn the meanings of symbols such as the shofar, apples and honey, and round challah through case studies and matching games.
★ Lesson 4 – Yom Kippur: Understand key practices including fasting, reading Jonah and Tashlich, and explain why forgiveness matters.
★ Lesson 5 – Pesach Story: Follow the Exodus journey using footprints, symbolic objects and conscience alley to explore the value of freedom.
★ Lesson 6 – Pesach Today: Create a Seder plate and explain how its symbols help Jewish families remember the importance of freedom.

Why It’s Useful
✔ Differentiated for mixed‑ability KS2 classes
✔ Clear links to National Curriculum RE aims
✔ Fully resourced for 30–60 minute lessons
✔ Printable and editable materials
✔ Strong focus on values, reflection and understanding diversity

Ideal for KS2 RE units on Judaism, festival studies, values education, cross‑curricular reflection work or as part of a wider topic on community and belonging.

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