YEAR 7 King’s Ely Junior students visited the Beth Shalom Reform Synagogue in Cambridge on January 25th as part of their Religious Studies topic on Judaism.
Pupils and staff met people from the local Jewish community and learned more about their practices and their worship. One of the ladies at the church showed the children the Torah and was able to read/sing a passage to them in Hebrew. They were also able to see the three Torah Scrolls held there and understand how they are used in services.
Students also visited The C3 Church in Cambridge, which is a new community-led building with a strong emphasis on helping people of all ages in a variety of ways.
Head of Religious Studies at King’s Ely Junior, Linda Hill, said: “While we were at the C3 Church, we saw them set up for the Foodbank and prepare for the Friday free lunch. Members of the public can drop into the coffee bar and seek advice and help for all kinds of problems. The students also saw the set-up they have for worship, which is contemporary in style of music and presentation, and provided a contrast with experience some of the children have in church.
“These visits helped Year 7 pupils to understand that within each religion there are different denominations who share core beliefs, but who practice their faith in slightly different ways.”