Judaism & the Importance of the Family (Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B): Revision Note

Jewish teachings on the importance and purpose of the family

• For Jews, the family is an important institution

• Based on the teachings of Moses, the foundations of the Jewish family are

  • Kavod or honour and respect: Treating each other with respect and dignity within and outside the home

  • Chesed or loving-kindness: Kindness, or love between people

  • Shalom bayit or 'peace of the home': Creating peace and stability within the home, including marital reconciliation

• Procreation is a central purpose of a Jewish family

  • In the Torah, God gave humans the command to 'be fruitful and multiply' (Genesis 1:22)

  • Children are seen as a gift from God, as the book of Psalms says

• Preserving the faith is another important purpose of a Jewish family

  • Through marriage and having a family, the Jewish faith is preserved and passed on to the next generation

  • Orthodox Jews consider anyone whose mother is Jewish to be Jewish

  • Liberal Jews say that a father can pass on 'being Jewish' too

  • Traditionally, some Jews have been anxious about marrying non-Jews or Gentiles, known as ‘marrying out’ They are concerned that intermarriage between a Jew and non-Jew would mean that the faith would be less likely to be passed on

    • However, these attitudes are less prevalent in modern Judaism and intermarriage is more common

• Raising children and educating them in the faith is a third key purpose of a Jewish family

  • Parents have a responsibility to share their faith with children and teach them about Jewish beliefs, prayers and traditions 

  • The family home is an important place where children learn about their faith. They may take part in various rituals at home, such as celebrating the Shabbat or keeping kashrut

  • Through participating in rituals such as brit milah (male circumcision) and simchat bat (female naming ceremonies) the child becomes more closely connected with their faith  

  • Parents should encourage their children to attend synagogue and heder, where teachers will help them learn about the Torah and Talmud

    • Some children even learn Hebrew so that they can read and understand the scriptures more fully

  • The Torah commands that children should be taught the commandments. Deuteronomy states:

Divergent Jewish responses to different family types

• There are many different types of families in society today

• Nuclear – this is two parents (man and woman) with children

  • Jews see the nuclear family as very important because marriage is the intended state for men and women, and children are seen as a blessing from God

  • It is through the family that the Jewish faith and tradition is passed on

• Extended family - this is parents and other generations including children, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins

  • All generations of the family are honoured and respected by Jews of all traditions

  • One of the mitzvot is ‘Honour your mother and father’ (Exodus 20:12) and the younger generations should show great respect for the older generations

• Single parent family - this is one parent with children

  • While single-parent families are not the preferred type of family for traditional Jews, most Jews will try to make them feel welcome in the synagogue and supported by the community

  • There are many reasons why a parent brings up a child alone, such as the death of their partner

  • If the reason is divorce, then Liberal and Reform Jews would be more accepting than Orthodox Jews, who are less in favour of divorce

  • Many Jews would say that there is no problem with bringing up a child as a single parent, as long as the child is happy and loved and raised within the Jewish faith

• Same-sex parents - this is two parents of the same sex and their children

  • A same-sex family would be accepted by most Liberal and Reform Jews, who support same-sex marriage and may even conduct same-sex wedding ceremonies in the synagogue

  • Same-sex families may meet with resistance from Orthodox Jews who take the more traditional view that marriage should be between a man and a woman, as God commanded Adam and Eve in the Torah

• Blended family - Stepfamilies who have joined together through marriage

  • Although a divorce should be a last resort, once it has been completed Jewish law allows a divorcee to remarry (with some restrictions) and therefore a blended family would be acceptable to most Jews