Topic: Global

Published date - Apr 2023

Some Jews wear little leather boxes called tefillin on the head and arm when they pray. Zack demonstrates how he ties his tefillin, and explains why he wears them.

Curriculum Mapping

Component 1 - The study of religions: beliefs, teaching and practices - Judaism - The synagogue and worship. Public acts of worship including: Synagogue services in both Orthodox and Reform synagogues; The significance of prayer, including the Amidah, the standing prayer.

Area of study 2 - Section 3: Living the Jewish Life -The nature and purpose of Jewish public acts of worship: the nature, features and purpose of Jewish public worship, including interpretations of Psalms 116:12–19; the nature, features and importance of synagogue services for the Jewish community and the individual.

Transcript

Judaism: Tefellin

Zack: These are Teffillin in sometimes called fill actuaries, which are small black leather boxes on leather straps. Kosher leather, of course. Inside these boxes, there were little scrolls containing words from the books of Deuteronomy and Exodus, written in Hebrew. Some Jews wear these on their arm and head when they pray at home in the morning. There are different ways to put them on, but this is how I do it. The first Teffillin was just one strap. Traditionally goes on my left arm, so it's close to my heart. Some Jews say that you can use your weaker arm. So it's the left if your right handed or the right if your left handed. I roll up my sleeve so I can wear that to fill in against my skin and place the box on my bicep. So it's about halfway down my upper arm and level with my heart. Then I say a blessing and wrap the strap three times around my upper arm. And then seven times around my forearm, then a few more times around my hand so I can hold it.

The head Teffillin. The one with two straps is placed just above my hairline, front and center. And the straps go behind my head. So the knot is just above the base of my skull. Now I can finish off tying the strap on my arm by wrapping it three times around my middle finger. The rest I can just wrap around my hand so it doesn't flap all over the place. The strap should be just tight enough that I can feel my pulse, but not too tight. This all goes back to a verse in the book of Deuteronomy, in which God says that his words are to be on your heart. Tie them on your hand as a sign. Put them at the front of a headband around your forehead. So many Jews do just that, while they pray to remind themselves of the importance of God's words in the Torah. In more orthodox communities. This is only done by men and boys. But in Reform Judaism, women can use them too. Although actually reform, Jews are less likely to use them when they pray. This is to symbolize that I worship God with my head and my heart, with all of me, my brains, my feelings and my actions.

Judaism: Tefillin

Video length - 3.19

An Anglican vicar often wears special robes called “vestments” during services, so we arranged a short fashion show to explain what each one is called!

Transcript

Holy Cribs – The Vicar’s Vestments

Shanice: Church of England vicars often wear a white collar to let people know who they are and what they do. This is called a clerical collar or a Roman collar, but most people just call it a dog collar because that's what it looks like. For church services, a vicar often wears special clothes called vestments, which make every service and occasion. Over her everyday clothes, the vicar wears a long black gown or coats called a cassock. This is a sort of uniform that vicars and priests have worn for centuries. Over that, she wears a white gown called a surplice, and that's a symbol of purity. Around her neck, she wears a long scarf called a stole, and that's to show that she is an ordained priest. In other words, she's done all the training, had some experience, and is blessed by God to serve his people. The vicar wears different colour stoles at different times of the year. Most of the time it's green. But she wears a purple one during Lent, which is the time leading up to Easter. And Advent, which is the time leading up to Christmas. On Easter Day and Christmas Day, she wears a white stole and she'll wear that for weddings and funerals as well. There's also a red or brightly coloured one to wear on a festival called Pentecost and at other special occasions. But she's most comfortable like this.

Christianity: The Vicar’s Vestments

Video length - 02.08

Shanice demonstrates what happens during Holy Communion and explains why sharing bread and wine in this special ceremony is so important to Christians.

Curriculum Mapping

Component 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teaching and practices - Christianity - The sacrament of Holy Communion/ Eucharist and its significance for Christians, including different ways it’s celebrated and different interpretations of its meaning

Area of Study 3 – Christianity - Section 3: Living the Christian Life - The role of the sacraments in Christian life and their practice in two denominations: the role of the sacraments/ordinance as a whole; the Eucharist in at least two denominations.

Component Group 1 - Christianity - Practices - Sacraments• The meaning of the word sacrament • The role and meaning of the sacraments •The role of Baptism and Eucharist in the life of a Christian •Common and divergent attitudes towards the practice and meaning of Baptism by different Christian denominations •Common and divergent attitudes towards the practice and meaning of the Eucharist by different Christian denominations •Common and divergent attitudes towards the Sacraments,including which practices are considered by different Christian denominations to be a sacrament •Different interpretations and emphases given to sources of wisdom and authority by different Christian denominations

2.2 Unit 2 PART A : Christianity - Core beliefs, teachings and practices - Practices Life’s Journey: Sacraments and key acts of worship:  Baptisms (Mark 1:9-11); Infant and Believers' Baptism; reasons and rituals  Eucharist/Communion (1 Corinthians 11:23-26): diverse Christian interpretations and associated practices

2.2 Unit 2 - PART A - Christianity - Core beliefs, teachings and practices -- Practices Life’s Journey: Sacraments and key acts of worship:  Baptisms (Mark 1:9-11); Infant and Believers' Baptism; reasons and rituals  Eucharist/Communion (1 Corinthians 11:23-26): diverse Christian interpretations and associated practices  Confirmation - preparation and ceremony (Acts 2: 1-13)  Significance of a religious wedding (Mark 10:7-9): matrimonial symbols and vows 2.1 Unit 1 PART A - Christianity - Core beliefs, teachings and practices - Practices - Church - Importance of prayer, communal and private - Matthew 6:5-13, Matthew 18:20

Transcript

Holy Cribs: Holy Communion

Shanice: The Christian church is divided up into different groups called denominations. There's the Roman Catholic Church, the Methodist Church, the Baptist Church, and the Presbyterian Church, just to name a few. I'm from the Church of England, also called the Anglican Church. All Christians follow the Bible's teachings. But one church might have slightly different understandings of it to another or worship in a different way. But all churches have a regular service when Christians will gather together to share bread and wine. In the Church of England, this is usually known as Holy Communion. But it can also be called the breaking of the bread, The Lord's Supper, Mass or Eucharist. We do this because Jesus told us to. It all goes back to the Last Supper, the last meal that Jesus ate with his disciples before he was crucified. He asked them to share the bread and wine as a way to remember him when he was gone. The bread represented his broken body and the deep red colour of the wine represented the blood he was to shed on the cross. In the Church of England, we use real wine, but other churches might use red grape juice instead. And we use wafers which are small round disks of white rice paper. But some churches use real bread or crackers. The priest will say special prayers over the bread and wine, asking God to bless them. In the Church of England, people usually go up to the front of the church where they stand or kneel at a rail in front of the altar. They are given a wafer or a small piece of bread from a special plate called a paten. Then each person is offered a large cup called a chalice, and they take a sip of wine. In other churches, like the Baptist church, everyone stays in their seats and the bread and wine or grape juice are passed along the rows from person to person. However it's done, the reasons for doing it are the same, to remember the sacrifice that Jesus made of himself on the cross. It's a reminder to Christians that they should be doing their best to live as Jesus would want them to.

Christianity: Holy Communion

Video length - 03.07

Watch Azeen practise and describe a rak’ah – the positions that Muslims perform during prayer.

Curriculum Mapping

Component 1: The study of religions: beliefs, teaching and practices – Beliefs and teachings - Islam - Salah and its significance: how and why Muslims pray including times, directions, ablution (wudu), movements (rak’ahs) and recitations; salah in the home and mosque and elsewhere; Friday prayer: Jummah; key differences in the practice of salah in Sunni and Shi’a Islam, and different Muslim views about the importance of prayer.

Area of Study 3 – Islam Section 1: Muslim Beliefs - Salah as one of the Five Pillars, including reference to Surah 15: 98–99 and 29: 45: the nature, history, significance and purpose of Salah for Sunni and Shi’a Muslims, including different ways of understanding them; how Salah is performed including ablution, times, directions, movements and recitations, in the home and mosque and Jummah prayer."

Component Group 1–Practices - Islam - Public acts of worship - Salah as direct communication with Allah - Component Group 1–Practices - Islam - Public acts of worship - Salah as direct communication with Allah. The importance of practices - Islam as a way of life, lived in total submission to Allah • The importance of the Five Pillars of Islam to Sunni Muslims • The meaning of the Five Pillars: •• Shahadah: sincerely reciting the Muslim profession of faith •• Salat: performing ritual prayers in the proper way five times each day •• Zakat/Zakah: paying an alms (or charity) tax to benefit the poor and the needy •• Sawm: fasting during the month of Ramadan •• Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca • The analogy of the house and pillars

2.1 Unit 1 PART A - Part A Islam - Core beliefs, teachings and practices - Practices - The Five Pillars of Sunni Islam -Prayer/ Salat  Adhan call to prayer, praying at mosque and Friday Jummah prayer (Qur'an 15:9899, 29:45)  Praying at home, private prayer (Du'ah)  The preparations and intention for prayer: wudu and niyyah  The significance and symbolism of the different prayer positions that make a rakat (sequence of prayer) Obligatory Acts  Shahadah: the Muslim profession of faith in Allah and the prophet Muhammad; occasions when the Shahadah is recited, e.g. aqiqah ceremony, conversion to Islam  Zakat: paying an alms (or charity) tax to benefit others, what zakat tax may be used for, and additional charity (saddaqah)  Sawm: Fasting during the month of Ramadan. How and why Muslims fast during Ramadan and rules about halal and haram diet (Qur'an 2:183)

2.3 Component 3 (Route A) - Option 3: Islam - The Five Pillars of Sunni Islam: practices in Britain and elsewhere - Salah: the practices of prayer in Islam in the mosque and at home, including Jummah prayer: Qur'an 15:98-99, Qur'an 29:45

Transcript

Holy Cribs – Prayer Positions

Azeen: Salah the duty to pray five times a day. We could do it anywhere as long as we've done a wudu and the place we're in is clean and we've got the space to do the movements I'm about to show you. In the prayer hall of a mosque. The carpet is often marked with rectangles for people to stand in or lines across a floor, so everyone has enough space to pray and do the movements without bumping into the people around them. At home I just use a prayer mat. When we pray, we must face the direction of the Ka'bah, which is a cube shaped holy building in the center Makkah in Saudi Arabia. This direction is called the qibla and in a mosque you could tell the qibla by facing the mihrab, which is an archway in the wall at the front of the prayer hall. We pray five times a day. And as well as saying the words in Arabic, we also show our devotion to Allah. First, I should have the intention to pray, which is called the niyyah. So I focus and get myself into the right frame of mind. Then I say Bismillah and the prayer begins. I raised my hands and then lowered them while I say Allahu Akbar. This is called takbir. I'll stand and this is called qiyam. Then I bow from the waist. This is called ruku. Then comes sujud or sajdah, when I kneel down and put my forehead on the floor. This is called prostration in English. I return to the kneeling position called jalsa. Then I prostrate again. And finish in the kneeling position. And that series of movements is called a raka'ah. I'll stand and do more rak'ah's and the number depends on which prayer I'm saying. Each of the positions goes a bit further in showing total submission to Allah. When the prayer is finished and I'm kneeling at the end of the final rak'ah I turn to my right and then my left to say, salam. Peace be with you. After the prayer in Arabic. I can also say my personal prayers in English. And this is called du'a.

Islam: Prayer Positions

Video length - 02.55

Before Muslims pray, they should always perform a special wash called wudu. Watch Azeen as he demonstrates and describes how he does it.

Curriculum Mapping

Area of Study 3 – Islam - Section 1: Muslim Beliefs - Salah as one of the Five Pillars, including reference to Surah 15: 98–99 and 29:45: the nature, history, significance and purpose of Salah for Sunni and Shi’a Muslims, including different ways of understanding them; how Salah is performed including ablution, times, directions, movements and recitations, in the home and mosque and Jummah prayer."

Component Group 1–Practices - Islam - Public acts of worship - Salah as direct communication with Allah. The importance of practices - Islam as a way of life, lived in total submission to Allah • The importance of the Five Pillars of Islam to Sunni Muslims • The meaning of the Five Pillars: •• Shahadah: sincerely reciting the Muslim profession of faith •• Salat: performing ritual prayers in the proper way five times each day •• Zakat/Zakah: paying an alms (or charity) tax to benefit the poor and the needy •• Sawm: fasting during the month of Ramadan •• Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca • The analogy of the house and pillars

Transcript

Holy Cribs - Wudu

Azeen: When Muslims pray, we do a special wash called wudu as a symbol that we are pure and ready to speak to Allah. We wash our hands, face and feet three times, but it's done in a particular way, in a particular order. We sit here in front of one of these taps because if possible, we prefer to do our wudu using running water so we're not washing ourselves in water that someone else might have washed in. First I say Bismillah, which is a short prayer in Arabic. In English it goes in the name of Allah, the compassionate, the merciful. I'll wash my hands thoroughly. First, the right three times. Then the left three times. I rinse out my mouth three times. I rinse my nose by snuffing water into my nostrils and blowing out three times. I wash my face three times, all of it from the bottom of my chin to my hairline. Starting with my right arm. I wash from the wrist to the elbow three times. And then I'll do the same with my left arm. I run my wet hands over my hair. Then wipe my ears inside and out. And then the back of my neck. Then I wash my right foot three times up to the ankle. And my left foot three times. Finally, I say the Shahadah, which is another short prayer in Arabic. In English it goes. I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. And now I'm ready to pray.

Islam: Preparing to Pray

Video length - 02.49

Published date - Oct 2022

The film follows Seren, a mixed-heritage British girl, as she discovers what being British means to her, and how the service contributions of Black, African, and Caribbean men and women are recognised in today’s multi-cultural society.

Seren meets with a group of young Black and British persons each with different heritages – Ghanian, Jamaican, Barbadian, Nigerian, Zimbabwean – to discuss whether Black people and those from the Commonwealth feel included in Remembrance Sunday, when we honour the service and sacrifice of persons past and present. They discuss their feelings before watching an interview with a Captain born in London with Ugandan and Rwandan heritage, discussing his identity and service.

Transcript

Seren: Hi, my name is Seren and I like drama, pizza and I'm mixed race because my mum is black and my dad is white. I live in Wales, which makes me Welsh, but I'm also British. But what does that actually mean? It can't all be about cricket, tea and the weather, so it has to be about the people, right? But what sort of person makes Britain what it is. Well, the people like me and you. I've been finding out about a charity called the Royal British Legion, which looks after people who have helped to keep everyone in Britain safe and make our lives better. Work that's called service because the people serve us all. It's the Royal British Legion that organises Armistice Day on the 11th of November and Remembrance Sunday. The days when we wear poppies to help us remember the sacrifices that people have made over the years to protect us, even dying to serve Britain. And for over 200 years, people from Africa and the Caribbean have been serving the country, helping to make Britain the country it is today. We usually remember the people who served in the Army, the Royal Air Force or Royal Navy, sometimes fighting, but more often doing humanitarian work, which means saving lives and making lives better. But there are lots of other people who serve. Paramedics driving ambulances. Firefighters rescuing people from burning buildings. Doctors, nurses and volunteers who go to places where there's been a natural disaster, like an earthquake or a pandemic. I've come to this youth club to talk to some people around my age and hear what they think about being black and British.

Lore: I would think of myself as British, but I feel like I want to embrace my culture more.

Shaun: I would see myself as British because I live here.

Kendra: I think of myself as British since I was born and raised here.

Seren: Do you guys know anyone in your family or community that has been in the forces or emergency services?

Lore: Yeah, um, back in Nigeria, my great granddad, before he passed away, he had he was in the Navy. He had a ship called the seal and he used it to transport troops.

Shaun: I haven't had anybody in my family during the war, but I feel like if I was to, it would be to protect my country.

Seren: My grandfather was actually in World War two. He fought for Britain. And, uh, quite a few members of my family are doctors. And my neighbours training to be a paramedic.

Dontay: My granddad, um, fought in the Army for a few years, and. Yeah.

Seren: Did you know that people with heritage like ours have fought for Britain for over 200 years?

Kendra: And I actually knew this since I was taught at our school.

Seren: I wasn't taught it at school.

Anashe: Me neither.

Seren: Why do you think that? Some were and some weren't.

Kendra: Um, maybe depending on like what part of England you live in or what part of the UK living. Um, the curriculums may be different and they may not be taught in like a history class.

Seren: Okay, so lean in. Can you see I'm going to show you an interview with someone who's in the British Army right now.

Captain Nasif Mugisha: Hi, my name is Nasif Mugisha and I'm a captain in the Royal Engineers, where I'm from in London. Not many people I know joined the Army at all. Um, no one in my family has joined the British Army. Some people were a bit awkward about it, I think, because their idea of what the army was was purely just about fighting. And from what you see in films, I describe my heritage as Black British. So my parents are from Uganda and Rwanda, two countries in East Africa. Um, but I myself was born here in the UK. Um, but I still do feel that those places are very much a big part of who I am as well. So I'm also a muslim and I'm a practising Muslim in the British Army. And that's something that is seen not really seen that much. And probably people think that it's something that's not necessarily compatible. Um, and what I found actually is being a muslim, um, and practicing my Islam in the British Army. I've actually not had any real difficulties or issues with it. I'd be lying if I said that I've never had people make prejudiced comments or even racist comments whilst I've been in the army, and that's something that is quite frustrating. But one thing that I've had from my experience of both working in the Army and working outside the Army, is that sadly, racism is something that still exists in our society and the army recruits from our society. So sometimes some of those people do slip through the net. And when I have raised it, or when I have dealt with it and addressed it, people have been really supportive. And the Army itself has really strong and robust policies, so it's not tolerated at all. I really understand how some a lot of young people don't feel British or even feel included by British society. I think that's something that I used to myself experience and feel that way. Um, and I get that because what we're told is the definition of British society, of Britishness is usually quite narrow and is usually things that are associated to do with basically just whiteness, um, or things that we've not experienced. And it's the idea that being British is basically not what we are. You know, this country was as much as it was built by, of course, white people, but also built by the work of, you know, for example, Bangladeshi textile workers, by Caribbean nurses, by Jamaican bus conductors, by people from all over the world of all different colours and races. Those people all contributed to the history and the success of this country. Then I realised that I 100% am part of this, and not just that. That I have just as much claim to what it is to be British. And that's why I, as a black British person, feel comfortable being in the Army, because here it's whether you look a certain way or sound a certain way. Ultimately, what matters when you're training, when you're on the battlefield, or when you're doing disaster relief, it's about how good you are and whether you can deliver. And the Army recognizes that. The reason why I think Remembrance Sunday is important is, well, as a serving soldier, it's really important to understand and remember the sacrifice that was made by people who wore this uniform or uniforms like this. And in the past, serving Britain. I recognize all those people that chipped in from all over the world to take a stand, to make those sacrifices when necessary.

Seren: So what do you guys think of the film?

Lore: The video rejected, um, stereotypes of the army because he didn't look like the usual soldier.

Ethan: It really changed my perspective of black people in the army because I thought that people normally would face really severe racism and it would be really hard for them. But, um, the way he explained it in the video, it seems like he still faces some challenges, but not as much as I thought he would.

Anashe: He inspires me to express my culture much more.

Seren: How do you guys feel about Remembrance Sunday? Do you feel a part of it?

Dontay: I don't feel that like I'm a part of it that much.

Anashe: I think that schools could be doing activities after school on that day.

Seren: Do you think that over 100 years ago, when the First World War ended, do you think that black people and people from the Commonwealth were thought about during remembrance?

Kendra: A long time ago, like, um, the society wasn't as inclusive or they were like they were more closed minded. So I don't think that we took, um, people that were in the British Isles or people from countries that were in the British Empire into consideration. Not so much in the past, but I think as, um, is coming to the future and more remembrance days are being done. Uh, more recognition is coming from black people and toward black people. For example, um, you can buy a black poppy on Remembrance Day, and that symbolizes the black soldiers and World War one.

Lore: I feel like they are for about some time, but like, not nearly as much as they should be.

Seren: Will you guys be silent for two minutes on Remembrance Sunday this year. And what will you be thinking about?

Anashe: Yes, I will, because I'll be thinking about the people that die for our country.

Seren: What will you remember? And what do you think about the idea of service and serving our country in some way? How could we all help to make our country a better, safer place for everyone?

The Royal British Legion: Black and British; Sacrifice and Service (KS2)

Video length - 08.49

Keystage(s) - 2

Published date - Oct 2022

The Royal British Legion: Black and British; Sacrifice and Service (KS3)

Video length - 09.49

Keystage(s) - 3