Deborah’s religion
The afternoon sun is a big, red ball hanging low in the sky. Many of the
people in the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo, in Israel, are hurrying home. It is
Friday, and soon the sun will set. From then until the sun goes down on
Saturday, it will be the Sabbath.
Deborah watches as her mother lights the Sabbath candles. The soft glow
makes the room seem warm and cozy. Deborah’s father blesses the family’s
wine and bread. Then they sit down to their Sabbath supper.
On Saturday, Deborah’s father does not go to work.
The Sabbath is a time of rest, in honor of the day God rested after He
finished making the world. In the morning, Deborah and her parents go to
a temple, or synagogue, to worship.
In the synagogue, men read lessons from the Bible and say prayers. Many
of the prayers are sung by a man called a cantor. A large scroll, called
the Torah, is carried through the synagogue. The Laws of God are written
on this scroll. At the front of the synagogue, seven candles flicker in
a candleholder with seven branches. This is a Menorah, a symbol of
Deborah’s religion. The seven branches stand for the first seven days
when God made everything.
Deborah believes in one God who made everything and who rules
everything. She loves and respects God, tries to obey His laws, and to
be good and kind. She believes that someday God will send a Messiah, a
man who will end all of the world’s troubles.
Deborah is a Jew. Her religion is called Judaism. It is the religion of
the country of Israel, where she lives. It is also the religion of
millions of Jewish people in all parts of the world.
