AQA · GCSE · Religious Studies
Course version: 8062 · Version from Sept 2018
Students should study the influence of the beliefs, teachings and…
Full specification wording
Judaism: Students should study the influence of the beliefs, teachings and practices studied on individuals, communities and societies.
Understanding Jewish theology is only part of your study; you must also analyse how these beliefs, teachings, and practices actively influence everyday life.
- Point 3 of 5
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Understanding Jewish theology is only part of your study; you must also analyse how these beliefs, teachings, and practices actively influence everyday life. This influence must be examined across three distinct levels: the individual, the local community, and wider society. For example, the belief in Shabbat influences an individual to rest and reflect spiritually. At the community level, it brings families and synagogue congregations together for shared meals and worship. On a societal level, Jewish practices like Tzedakah (charity) and Tikkun Olam (healing the world) drive broader social justice initiatives, influencing how Jewish populations interact with and support the wider secular society through charitable organisations.
What earns the marks
- Explain how specific Jewish beliefs, such as the oneness of God, shape the daily prayers and personal spirituality of an individual Jew.
- Analyse the role of practices like Shabbat or dietary laws (Kashrut) in building and sustaining a cohesive Jewish community.
- Evaluate the impact of Jewish ethical teachings, such as Tikkun Olam, on wider societal issues like environmentalism or social justice.
- Differentiate between the personal impact of a teaching (such as individual repentance during Yom Kippur) and its collective impact (such as communal atonement).
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Describing a belief or practice without explaining its actual impact.
Put it right: Link the definition of a belief to how it changes a person's behaviour or mindset.
Focusing only on the individual and ignoring the community.
Put it right: Ensure you can explain how practices like synagogue worship foster community cohesion.
Confusing community impact with societal impact.
Put it right: Use 'community' for the local Jewish congregation and 'society' for the broader national or global population.
Exam tips
- When asked to explain a belief, always include a sentence starting with 'This influences a Jewish person to...' to ensure you cover the impact.
- In 12-mark questions, contrast how a teaching might be applied differently by an individual compared to how it is approached by the wider community.
- Prepare specific examples of Jewish charities (like World Jewish Relief) to demonstrate the influence of teachings on wider society.
Try the lesson
The start of the Judaism: Students should study the influence of the beliefs, teachings and practices studied on individuals, communities and societies. lesson, made from teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
How does the Jewish belief in the principle of Tzedakah (righteousness and charity) most directly influence the actions of an individual?
Listen
Understanding Jewish theology is only part of your study; you must also analyse how these beliefs, teachings, and practices actively influence everyday life. This influence must be examined across three distinct levels: the individual, the local community, and wider society. For example, the belief in Shabbat influences an individual to rest and reflect spiritually. At the community level, it brings families and synagogue congregations together for shared meals and worship. On a societal level, Jewish practices like Tzedakah (charity) and Tikkun Olam (healing the world) drive broader social justice initiatives, influencing how Jewish populations interact with and support the wider secular society through charitable organisations. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Explain how specific Jewish beliefs, such as the oneness of God, shape the daily prayers and personal spirituality of an individual Jew. Analyse the role of practices like Shabbat or dietary laws (Kashrut) in building and sustaining a cohesive Jewish community. Evaluate the impact of Jewish ethical teachings, such as Tikkun Olam, on wider societal issues like environmentalism or social justice. Differentiate between the personal impact of a teaching (such as individual repentance during Yom Kippur) and its collective impact (such as communal atonement). A common slip: Describing a belief or practice without explaining its actual impact. Instead, link the definition of a belief to how it changes a person's behaviour or mindset. Exam tip: When asked to explain a belief, always include a sentence starting with 'This influences a Jewish person to... to ensure you cover the impact.
See it
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Influence and impact
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Community cohesion
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Social justice (Tikkun Olam)
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
Personal devotion
Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.
See every definition
- Influence and impact
- The effect of the beliefs, teachings and practices studied on individuals, communities and societies, examined across three distinct levels.
- Community cohesion
- The bringing together of families and synagogue congregations for shared meals and worship, as at the community level with Shabbat.
- Social justice (Tikkun Olam)
- Healing the world, a practice that drives broader social justice initiatives and influences how Jewish populations support the wider secular society.
- Personal devotion
- The shaping of the daily prayers and personal spirituality of an individual Jew by specific beliefs such as the oneness of God.
Label the diagram
Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.
1Box 1
2Box 2
3Box 3
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