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      The Jewish people and the covenant

      Lesson details

      Learning outcome

      I can explain why the covenant with Abraham is important to most Jews.

      Key learning points

      1. The word covenant means a solemn promise.
      2. Jewish people believe God made a covenant with Abraham.
      3. The covenant story is the beginning of the relationship between God and the Jewish people.

      Keywords

      • Covenant - a solemn promise

      • Descendant - someone related to you who lives after you

      • Torah - a Jewish holy text containing books of the law

      • Genesis - the first book of the Torah

      Common misconception

      The covenant is ancient and has no meaning for today.

      Jews today still remember the covenant with Abraham.

      Teacher tip

      Explore Jewish patriarchs - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. These stories explain Jewish identity, covenant and promised land. Joseph's story explains the move to Egypt. Many Jews prefer God’s name to be written: G_d. This convention is followed for Jewish voices. You may wish to point this out to pupils.

      Licence

      This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2026), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0
      except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions
      (Collection 2).

      Lesson video

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      Prior knowledge starter quiz

      5 Questions

      Q1.
      What is the special symbol of Judaism?

      Cross
      Correct answer: Star of David
      Crescent moon

      Q2.
      What is the Torah?

      Correct answer: a holy book of Jewish teachings
      a kind of food
      a building for prayer

      Q3.
      Where do Jewish people go to worship?

      church
      Correct answer: synagogue
      gurdwara

      Q4.
      Which Jewish holiday remembers the story of Moses and the Exodus?

      Correct answer: Passover
      Ramadan
      Easter

      Q5.
      Which of these are characters in the Jewish scriptures?

      Muhammad, Ali, Fatima
      Correct answer: Noah, David, Daniel
      Vishnu, Rama, Lakshmi

      4 Questions

      Q1.
      What is a covenant?

      a type of celebration
      Correct answer: a solemn promise made by God
      a rule for how to pray

      Q2.
      Why was Abraham surprised about God’s promise?

      Correct answer: he had no children
      he did not want to move
      he lived in Egypt

      Q3.
      The covenant is ancient and has no meaning for today.

      True – it only matters to people in the past.
      True – because it was made before Joseph was born.
      Correct answer: False – Jews today still see the covenant as important.

      Q4.
      Joseph was given a special by his father, which made his brothers jealous.

      Correct Answer: coat, Coat

      To help you plan your 3 religious education lesson on: The Jewish people and the covenant, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...