This Religion and worldviews video supports teachers delivering a lesson on the development of Jewish languages, focusing on biblical Hebrew and the impact of the Jewish diaspora. Children will explore how Biblical Hebrew is used in the Tanakh and considered holy by many Jewish people. The lesson examines how the diaspora, beginning with the Babylonian exile and continuing after the destruction of the temple in 70 CE, led to the spread of Jewish communities and influenced language, culture, and religious practice.

This video is part of Kapow Primary’s Religion and worldviews resources – language. It introduces children to the development of Yiddish, a language formed by Ashkenazi Jews in Central and Eastern Europe, blending Hebrew, Aramaic, and Germanic elements. The lesson also explores the revival of Ivrit, or Modern Hebrew, as a unifying language and now the official language of Israel. Teachers are supported to explain the cultural and religious significance of these languages and how they contribute to Jewish identity and heritage.

Religion and worldviews, key stage 2, Year 4, Does the language of scripture matter? Lesson 2: How has Biblical Hebrew evolved?