There are some Jewish Scout Groups and Jewish Scouts may find a place in one of them. But where there is no large Jewish community, it is very possible that a Jewish boy may want to join your Group and it is important that he is welcomed and his needs met.

Jews base their religious practice on the Law of God, the “Torah” found in the five Books of Moses — Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Although the stories in the early part of Genesis tell of the Creation of the world, the history of Judaism as such really begins with Abraham more than 3,000 years ago, who first recognized that there was only one Supreme Being. It was Abraham’s trust in one God that was really the birth of Judaism. It was further developed when Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt towards the promised land. This was somewhere around 1300 BC. Two events from that time are much in the center of Jewish faith today. The first was the final plague on the people of Egypt, which persuaded Pharaoh to release the Israelites – the spirit of death killed the first-born of every Egyptian family. But it passed over the homes of the Israelites because their door posts were marked with the blood of a lamb. And the other event was the giving of the Ten commandments to Moses. Judaism was then, and still is today, based on a firm belief and active trust in God and in obedience to the rules of life contained in the Ten Commandments.

Jewish Scouts will want to keep the Sabbath, their holy day, which runs from sunset of Friday to sunset on Saturday. During these hours no work is done and families gather for a special meal on Friday to welcome the Sabbath, thanking God for his providence. They will go to worship in the Synagogue on the Sabbath. They will also keep the Passover, a festival remembering the spirit of death passing over the Israelite homes in Egypt. That is around mid April – it moves with the day of the new moon. And they will want to keep “Rosh Hashanah” (New Year) and “Yom Kippur (‘day of Atonement), very devotional festival around September. Jews do not eat pork and for festivals and holy days use special pots, pans and dishes for their festival food. Jewish Scouts will join in a Scout’s Own and most normal Scout activities.

Courtesy of – The Mac Scouter’s Big “A Scout is Reverent” resource book

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