Liturgy & Prayers Quiz

From the morning Shema to the evening Shema, prayer provides structure for the Jewish day. How much do you know about liturgy and prayers for regular days, Shabbat, and holidays?

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Question 1. On Yom Kippur, we read a long medieval poem that describes in gruesome detail the deaths of famous rabbis during ancient Roman persecutions. What is this prayer called?
 Avodah
 Shaharit
 Kaparot
 Martyrology

 

Question 2. What is the first paragraph of the Aleinu prayer about?
 A specifically Jewish obligation to praise God
 Universal recognition of God by all people
 Invoking collective recognition of God
 Refraining from saying God’s name in vain

 

Question 3. Tehines are special prayers for which group of people?
 Those younger than bar or bat mitzvah age
 Women
 Yeshiva students
 Orthodox Jews

 

Question 4. True or false: Jewish law mandates that one must pray three times a day--at 10 AM, 1 PM, and 5 PM.
 True
 False

 

Question 5. What is the morning service called?
 Shaharit
 Minhah
 Maariv
 Havdalah

 

Question 6. True or false: In the Conservative Siddur Sim Shalom, two parallel openings of the Amidah prayer appear, one with the traditional reference to the patriarchs, and another including the matriarchs as well.
 True
 False

 

Question 7. Which of these is not a normal movement used during Jewish prayer?
 Taking three steps back, then three steps forward
 Bending the knees and bowing
 Folding the hands together, pointed upwards
 Swaying from side to side

 

Question 8. Except on Mondays and Thursdays, Tahanun (the supplication prayer) begins with a reference to which biblical figure?
 Moses
 King David
 King Solomon
 Joseph

 

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