In short...
Themes: Moses; the Jewish festival of Passover (Pesach); trusting in God; being a good leader.
Summary: This assembly, suitable for an act of collective worship, is particularly relevant at or around the time of the Jewish festival of Passover (Pesach). It can be used at other times of year to relate the events of The Exodus, an important story from the Bible. The festival of Passover commemorates how Moses took the Jewish people out of Egypt and towards the land that God had promised them. This year Passover begins on 12 April 2025.
Resources: the assembly framework to download / print; an image of Moses parting the Red Sea and an image of Moses on Mount Sinai to display full-size.
The video
Moses: Welcome! Please, join us! I’m making a campfire. The nights are cold in the desert and it’ll keep us warm. It’s also a good place for a story. A story about my life and the life of my people…
Many years ago, I and my people, the Israelites, lived in Egypt. But my people were forced by the Egyptians to live as slaves and were ruled over by a cruel king - the Pharaoh.
The Pharoah feared the Israelites might one day rise up against him, so he ordered that all the first-born sons of the Israelites be taken away.
As I was my parents first child, they feared I would be taken away too. So my mother placed me in a basket to float away on a river in the hope that I would escape this terrible fate.
As luck would have it, I was found by the Pharaoh’s daughter, who raised me as her own son and named me…Moses.
I grew up as an Egyptian, but I hated to see my people, the Israelites, treated so badly.
One day I saw an Egyptian beating Israelite men. I was angry and I felt I had to stop him. We fought…and the man died.I had no choice but to flee - so I ran away from Egypt…and found work far away as a shepherd. I thought I would never return, until one day I saw something amazing…a burning bush…and from it came the voice of God.
God: Moses, you must free your people and lead them to a new land, where they can live in peace.
Moses: I returned to Egypt and spoke to the Pharaoh, demanding the release of the Israelites. But the Pharaoh refused.
So God sent ten plagues! There were thunderstorms of hail and fire, locusts ate all the crops, and the sky fell dark for three days!
The last plague was the worst of all. On one night, the first-born son of every family in the land would die. But to spare the Israelites, God told us to paint a mark on our doors and that way our children would be safe.
After this final, terrible plague, the Pharaoh agreed to let us go…or so we thought. At the last minute, the Pharaoh changed his mind and gave chase with his army.
We fled, until we reached the shores of a great sea. It appeared we were trapped with no hope of escape.
But I had faith that God would help us, and so I held out my hand, and commanded the waves to part so we could cross safely.
But when the Pharaoh’s soldiers followed, the waves closed in again…
God had saved us from a life of slavery and we were finally free!
We travelled in the desert for some time until we reached a mountain - Mount Sinai - where we set up our tents.
Clouds gathered, and there was the sound of thunder, and I heard the voice of God calling to me to come to the top of the mountain.
God: Moses, I am giving you and your people commandments! Rules for you to live by so that you can be good to one another and live in peace. You must promise to follow these commandments and, in return, I will protect you and lead you to a new land.
Moses: I returned to my people carrying the commandments which were written on two stone tablets. These laws have helped us to live good lives under the guidance of God.
Now we are on a journey to find our new home. It has been long and hard, but with God’s protection and guidance I know we will find our promised land.
Moses: The Exodus
Moses - aged about 80 - relates the story of his life from the desert, where he and his people continue to search for the land promised to them by God.
The animation includes how the baby Moses is placed in a basket by his mother and floated on the River Nile; how he is rescued and brought up by an Egyptian princess; his anger at the treatment of the enslaved Jewish people; how he flees Egypt after killing an Egyptian.
It then relates the story of the burning bush and how Moses returns to Egypt to demand the release of the Jewish people; the plagues that God sends against the Egyptians; and how these events lead to Moses taking his people away from Egypt at the beginning of the Exodus.
Finally Moses relates the parting of the Red Sea and how he receives the 10 commandments on Mount Sinai. The animation ends with Moses and his people still in the desert, journeying towards their Promised Land.
Duration: 4' 30"
End of speech: '…I know we will find our Promised Land'.
Video questions
- Where are the Jewish people living at the time of Moses? (Egypt - where they are enslaved)
- Why does Moses' mother place him in a basket on the river? (To protect him from the Pharaoh's plan against first-born Jewish children)
- Why must Moses run away to another land? (Moses loses his temper and kills an Egyptian guard)
- What does Moses see in the desert? (A burning bush - the bush speaks as God, telling Moses to return to Egypt)
- What happens when the Pharaoh refuses to release the Egyptians? (God sends ten plagues against the Egyptians)
- How do the Jewish people escape the Egyptian chariots? (Moses parts the Red Sea part - allowing the Jewish people to continue on their way - then allows the water to flood over the Egyptian chariots)
Key links
Assembly framework (pdf) document
Download / print the assembly framework ready for use
Image: Moses parts the Red Sea. image
Click to display image full size
Image: Moses on Mount Sinai. image
Click to display image full size
Suggested assembly framework
1. Entry music
'Dayenu' is a traditional song that's sung during Passover. There are many different versions available online, from the very traditional through to a fun 'mash up' version by the Maccabeats.
2. Introduction
Tell the assembly: There is an ancient festival that is celebrated each year at about this time (you could give a specific date). Indeed, the festival is so ancient that when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem - an event Christians remember on Palm Sunday - he was actually there to celebrate this festival. It's the festival of Passover - or 'Pesach' in Hebrew - and it is celebrated by Jewish people all around the world. The festival commemorates a key event told in the Old Testament of the Bible - an event known as the Exodus. The Exodus describes how Jewish people were living in Egypt several thousand years ago, where they had been enslaved, and how they were led to freedom by a great leader, called Moses. We're going to watch a short animation, with Moses telling us about his life. And if you watch carefully you'll find out why the festival is called 'Passover'.
3. The video
Play the video. The duration is 4' 30" and the final words are: '…I know we will find our Promised Land.'
4. After the video - Time to talk
Ask everyone to turn to the person next to them and say two things they remember from the story of Moses.
Then lead a discussion about the story by asking some or all of the following questions:
- Where are the Jewish people living at the time of Moses? (Egypt - where they are enslaved)
- Why does Moses' mother place him in a basket on the river? (To protect him from the Pharaoh's plan against first-born Jewish children)
- Why must Moses flee Egypt? (Moses loses his temper and kills an Egyptian guard)
- What does Moses see in the desert? (A burning bush - the bush speaks as God, telling Moses to return to Egypt)
- What happens when the Pharaoh refuses to release the Egyptians? (God sends ten plagues against the Egyptians)
- How do the Jewish people escape the Egyptian chariots? (Moses parts the Red Sea - allowing the Jewish people to continue on their way - then allows the water to flood over the Egyptian chariots)
- Why do you think Moses proved such an effective leader of his people? (He listened to what God told him; he was brave and assertive; he stood up for his people and challenged authority; he trusted in God; etc)
- What do you think we can learn from Moses? How can we apply what we've heard about him to our own lives? (Gather responses)
5. Opportunity to sing
Suggestions from BBC collections below.
6. Opportunity for reflection
We've been thinking today about the festival of Passover…
We've heard about a great leader - Moses - and how he listened to God and bravely led the Jewish people out of Egypt…
There are times in all our lives when we are called upon to lead…
Sometimes it can be hard to do…because sometimes it takes courage to lead…
Think to yourself about a time when you've been a leader…
What happened…? How did you feel…? What will you need to do to be an even better leader next time…?
7. Opportunity for prayer
Use your usual form of address ('Dear God', 'Lord', 'Let us pray', etc) and:
Thank you for the ancient story of Moses…
How he stood up to the Pharaoh and led his people to freedom.
Thank you for the things that we can learn from Moses and his story.
Amen.
Suggested songs
'God is watching over you' (All about our school, no 7)
God is watching over you,
When you lay down to sleep,
When you wake he will keep
Always watching over you,
Now and forever more.God is watching over you,
When you lay down to sleep,
When you wake he will keep
Always watching over you,
Now and forever more.
Now and forever more.
The Lord's my shepherd - Come and Praise, no 56
'Celebration rap' (Come and Praise Beginning, no 7).
(1) Come and shout for joy!
(2) Come and shout for joy!
(1) Come and shout for joy
and clap your hands!
(2) Come and shout for joy
and clap your hands!
(1) Come and shout for joy
and clap your hands
and stamp your feet!
(2) Come and shout for joy
and clap your hands
and stamp your feet!
(1) Come and shout for joy
and clap your hands
and stamp your feet
and turn around!
(2) Come and shout for joy
and clap your hands
and stamp your feet
and turn around!
Related links
Moses: The Exodus - Transcript - a transcript of this the Moses story to download / print
BBC Teach: Celebrating Passover (Pesach) - a short film showing a Jewish family preparing for Passover
BBC Teach: Judaism - What makes a good leader? - this version of the Moses story is particularly suitable for KS1 pupils
BBC Teach: Moses and the 10 Commandments - Vlog #1 - this humorous version of the Moses story imagines Moses vlogging on Mount Sinai about the 10 Commandments