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JUDAISM 101
With Avi Friedmann
Join Avi throughout year 11 for a monthly get-together, talk and discussion on an exciting and intriguing range of topics at the heart of Jewish thought
Course Introduction
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- Fun with friends
- Goodfood 🍕
- History and philosophy
- Religion and culture
- Holocaust theology
- History of Zionism
- Meeting monthly
Overview
Designed to fit around your busy year 11 schedule, this course comprises 9 sessions of seventy-five minutes each. The course will be taught on select evenings and requires student participation, but no homework or independent study. Each session will explore a different topic, will include group discussion and a pizza dinner.
1. Understanding Biblical Theology & and Introduction to Biblical Criticism
Wednesday 10 September 2025, 18:15-19:30
In this first session we’ll explore fundamental Biblical principles and take a first look at Biblical Criticism as a literary technique for understanding Scripture, before we examine questions of authenticity, sources of authority and archaeological cultural evidences.
2. Mapping Rabbinic Tradition and Jewish Culture
Sunday 12 October 2025, 17:15-18:30
Together we will explore the historic significance of major events in the story of the Jewish people and seek to uncover how Jewish life developed from a tapestry of influences and teachings that have shaped Jewish culture and traditions.
This session will be held on Succot and will include a visit to my Succah J
3. An Introduction to Jewish philosophy
Wednesday 5 November 2025, 18:15-19:30
As an introduction to Jewish philosophy, we’ll study Pharisee reconstructionism and Maimonides with his far- reaching contribution to Jewish thought; considering external influences, the impact of Talmudic philosophy and on to modern developments since Enlightenment ideas have seeped into the fabric of Jewish culture and beliefs.
4. An Introduction to Kabbalah
Tuesday 16 December 2025, 18:15-19:30
From ‘walking with God’ to ‘the Fear of Heaven’, we will investigate the closed and mysterious world of Jewish mysticism in its most vibrant form. We will explore Jewish occult teachings, including concepts such as the ‘ner choshech’, ‘ein sof’ and the ‘sefirot’, with context for celebrating these teachings in daily life.
This session will be held in my home to celebrate Chanuka J
5. Hasidism: The Jewish search for Enlightenment
Wednesday 21 January 2026, 18:15-19:30
Together we’ll uncover the roots of Hasidism from where we’ll gain perspective in how the teachings of the dynastic leaders have contributed to Jewish ideas about holiness and the Divine in our daily lives; and consider the historical context of the rise of such ideologies in response to a collective despair.
6. The rise of Reform and the Modern Jewish Movements
Wednesday 25 February 2026, 18:15-19:30
In this session we’ll explore the development of ideologies and the clash of cilivisations that occurred throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries as Jews experienced emancipation across Western Europe. Entering cities and professions, they were challenged to reassess their Jewish values, leading to the rise of the modern Jewish movements. We’ll investigate their histories and ideologies with a specific focus on the birth and development of the Reform movement, and various responses from within the traditional camp.
7. Holocaust Theology
Tuesday 24 March 2026, 18:15-19:30
A consideration of the range of theodicies arising from the challenge to the question: ‘Was God in Auschwitz?’ We’ll consider a spectrum of ideas from Rubenstein’s assertion that “God is dead” through Maybaum’s theory of vicarious atonement, to Berkovits’s ‘Hidden Face’ philosophy. We will also explore responses and contributions of survivors who frame the debate, including Elie Wiesel and Edith Eger.
8. The History of Zionism
Sunday 19 April 2026, 17:15-18:30
Through the evolution of enlightenment values and the development of national political and economic ideologies, Zionism arose primarily as a political response to increasing prejudice encountered by emancipated Jews in the cities they first had thought would bring them freedom; while simultaneously, Eastern Europe’s shtetls remained subject to Pogroms. We will chart the progress of the Zionist ‘dream’ from conception through the pioneering actions of the early Olim to realisation of the modern Jewish state.
9. Internalising Jewish teachings for a better you
Wednesday 27 May 2026, 18:15-19:30
Why to be a Jew means to compete against yourself.
In this final session we will explore the deeper meaning of great Jewish axioms that have guided great Jewish thinkers and doers to contribute disproportionately to human progress. Learn the values and teachings at the heart of good living, seeing the message of Judaism as a guiding moral code, enhanced by years of tradition and belonging.
Overview
Are you ready to sit GCSEs next summer?
Do you want to get outstanding grades in your GCSEs?
Never really been shown how to revise properly, though?
Do you struggle with organising your time?
Wish you could tell what’s important and not to revise?
Don’t know what an assessment objective is?
Well, we’ve got something for you. Avi’s How to GCSE course is designed to accompany you through year 11 from November to your exam sittings in May and June. You will gain insight and valuable, usable tools for revision, exam preparation and exam sittings. While we will work together on your preparation for all GCSE exams, our we will provide a specific focus to Biology, Chemistry, Physics and English, Language and Literature (all for GCSE and iGCSE, across all boards and specifications). Together with Avi, you will devise, implement, and utilise a personalised study schedule that will enable you to manage your workload across all your subjects, right up to the exams.
Finally, a way to find out how to actually learn, study, revise, prepare for, and sit a GCSE, in real time to track your own progress and ensure your success!
Course Format:
Running online via Zoom, this course comprises twenty-eight online seminars of 75 minutes in length, and seven 1:1 tutorials of 20-30 minutes. Online seminars are held on Mondays on regular weeks at 19:20-20:30 or at 18:20-19:30, and during school holidays in the mornings at 10:20-11:30. Seminars run weekly (including in school holidays) from November to May (with two breaks, as per the schedule below).
In late October Avi will meet online with you 1:1 to help you identify and outline your strengths, weaknesses, and objectives across your GCSE subjects. From there, our weekly sessions will take you on a journey through the component parts of the GCSE specifications to gain an understanding of how to build strategies to approach the exams most eeectively. Once you have studied the exam requirements and various eeective response structures for the three science and two English subjects, you will review course content before a final phase focus on the exams themselves.
Throughout this time, you will continue to meet with Avi every few weeks to review your progress and flag focus points and achievements to help you sail through to the exams with confidence and readiness.
Get to know your instructor
£85/h
Religious Studies
GCSE
Avi Friedmann, seasoned tutor and examiner at James Howard Education with over two decades of experience, has consistently guided students to GCSE success. His proven methodologies will not only teach your child what to learn but also how to memorise and truly understand the secrets for exam triumph
Book 1:1 lesson
£85/h
Avi Friedmann, seasoned tutor and examiner at James Howard Education with over two decades of experience, has consistently guided students to GCSE success…
Details & Pricing
Winter Sale
- 30%
Course Price
£ 299
- Fully refundable before start of course on 10th September
- Nine sessions of 75 minutes
- Well-spaced breaks from schoolwork for fun with friends
- Pizza dinner included
- Fascinating topics
- Elucidating discussions
- Celebrate Succot and Chanuka together
Course content
How to Revise I
Monday, 3 November
Course orientation and outline, introduction to revision strategies and mapping subject targets and trajectories.
Setting deliverable objectives
Monday, 10 November
Understanding strategy, planning and delivery of targets; realistic workloads and visualising outcomes.
Revision Strategies
Monday, 17 November
Learn dieerent ways to study, memorise and revise key facts and techniques for exams; identify those that work for you
Understand the Exams: Introduction
Monday, 24 November
Explore the structure and functions of the course specifications, and learn how to decode them to understand exam requirements
Understand the Exams: Biology I
Monday, 1 December
This is the first of two sessions in which we will deconstruct the Biology exam format and learn how to meet requirements for the various exam response types
What you will gain from the course
Course details:
Comprehensive Understanding
Gain in-depth understanding of study, memorisation and revision mechanisms, to help you deliver assessment objectives under exam conditions
Proficiency in Subject Matter
Master science and English subjects through a rigorous approach to comprehension and memorisation of key facts and terminology
Application of Knowledge
Learn how to apply the skills learned, in revision and in composition of exam responses that meet requirements and help you to seamlessly collect marks as you work your way through each paper
Analytical Skills
Develop analytical prowess through critical thinking, problem-solving, and application of knowledge in diverse ways, fostering a positive and critical approach to examined work
Why choose us?
With 20 years of GCSE teaching and examiner experience, Avi has brought his expertise to this unique course that will guide you through year 11 and your GCSE experience with tools, resources, guidance and support to help you learn how to manage your workload efficiently and to ensure you can work effectively, while measuring your progress towards successful academic outcomes.
The course is designed to cater to a diverse range of learning styles, ensuring that every student can find a path to success. Whether you prefer self-paced learning or interactive sessions, our course adapts to your needs.
This course is taught across 30 weeks, over three terms (October to May) in year 11 so your child will have their first 1:1 orientation session in October 2025 and sit exams in May-June 2026. Sessions are held online weekly on Mondays, including during school and public holidays (with two breaks). 1:1 tutorials are individually scheduled and are held monthly.
Students will gain
- Comprehensive Subject Management and Progress Tracking: Students will receive guidance on managing the breadth of all their GCSE subjects and systematically tracking their progress throughout Year 11 to ensure steady improvement.
- Effective Revision Planning and Implementation: We’ll provide revision schedules, guided strategies and implementation support to help students develop a practical and efficient approach to studying for all subjects
- Specialised Content for Core Subjects: The course includes complete structured guidance for English Language, English Literature, and all three sciences; ensuring students are fully prepared with the necessary content knowledge
- Enhanced Learning and Exam Preparation Tools: Students will have guided access to memorisation techniques, effective note-taking, answer templates, and carefully curated exam resources
- Expert Support and Motivation: Motivation tips, expert examiner advice and mentoring focused on perseverance and endurance will boost confidence and resilience throughout your GCSE journey
What our students say about us
Harry
Rafi
Gabriel
Jack
Jacob
James
Jay
Nicky
Sam
