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THE

INCREDIBLE

STORY OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE

THE SYNAGOGUE
Looking at buildings

The synagogue is the Jewish place of worship. The word "synagogue" derives from the Greek, meaning to assemble. The Hebrew term is Bet Knesset, "house of assembly" denoting the three-fold function of the synagogue as house of prayer, study and meeting. The synagogue has always been a community building with a social function rather than a sacred shrine.

In the Middle Ages in Christian Europe synagogues were located within the forced ghetto or more open Jewish Quarter, termed "the Jewry" in England, where formal ghettos were never instituted. English Jews nevertheless often chose to live in proximity to the Royal castle, being subject to the arbitrary protection of the Crown.

THE ORIGIN OF THE SYNAGOGUE

The plan and arrangement of the synagogue, and much of its symbolism, derives from the Biblical Temple (Bet HaMikdash) built by King Solomon in Jerusalem, the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Israel. The site is now occupied by the magnificent Islamic Dome of the Rock and El Aksa mosques and is holy to Jews and Muslims alike. This First Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in the year 586 Before the Common Era (BCE) and a Second Temple was erected after the return of the Jews from exile in Babylon. The Second Temple was also destroyed, this time by the Romans in the year 70 of the Common Era (CE)

Although it is likely that Jewish communities beyond Israel (e.g. in Babylon, Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt and Rome) had their own places of worship, the synagogue as we know it today really evolved after the fall of Jerusalem. It was conceived of as a Mikdash Me'at -"a little holy place" [Ezekiel 11:16] which would serve as a temporary place of worship until such time as the Temple itself would be rebuilt.

GO TO SITE FOR DETAIL

• Tabernacle, Temple and Synagogue
• Plan, Furnishings and Liturgy
• Courtyard and Vestibule
• The Prayer Hall
• The Bimah or Tevah
• Music
• The Women’s Section
• Seating
• Lighting
• Architectural Form
• Architectural Style
• Art and Symbolism
• Associated Buildings
• Jewish Burial Grounds
• Further Reading

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
A TEMPLE, SYNAGOGUE, AND A SHUL?
JewishBoston By Rabbi Moshe Waldoks

Essentially, these names are almost synonyms today. However, it is useful to take a look at their historical evolution.

Traditionally, Jewish congregations were known as kehillot kodesh, or Holy Assemblies (in single form, a kahal kodesh). They were also referred to as batei knesset, or Houses of Assembly. The Greek translation συναγωγή (synagoguē) means “assembly.” Today, the Knesset (Parliament) is the Israeli legislative assembly.

While the beth hamikdash (the ancient Jerusalem Temple) existed, the role of synagogues may have been quite different from today. We do know that they existed in Palestine, Babylonia, and elsewhere; we know that the Torah was read in them on a regular basis and tefilot, prayers or psalms, were recited as part of the service.

When the Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE, the synagogue became more vitally central to the establishment of Jewish communities all over the world.

Synagogues were also called batei tefila, or Houses of Prayer, and batei midrash, or Houses of Study. In Eastern and Central Europe, this led to the synagogue being called a shul, the Yiddish word for school.

When the Reform movement emerged as a lay movement in the first decade of the 19th century, the first “temple” was established in Hamburg, Germany. The use of the name “temple” was intentional. It was a statement about the traditional belief in the restoration of the ancient Temple in messianic times.

These Jewish reformers believed that Jewish continuity in the modern civil state was to be maintained by avoiding any whiff of “dual loyalty.” Could Jews be good German citizens and still hope and pray for the restoration of Jerusalem and the Holy Temple? Would it be a contradiction to the essence of their newly acquired status as emancipated Jews with rights of citizenship?

The establishment of the Hamburg Temple was thus a statement that Hamburg was their Jerusalem, and that their temple was a replacement for the ancient Temple that had stood there before.

This trend continued for well over a hundred years. Since the late 1920s, Reform ideology has moved a long way from those days in Hamburg. The name “temple,” however, remained, and in the 1950s and ’60s spread to the Conservative movement as well.

For the Conservatives, the appellation “temple” referred to the concept of the synagogue being a mikdash me’at, a “diminutive temple,” fulfilling the rabbinic prescription of replacing the ancient temple rites with tefilot and Torah readings and teachings. Conservative Judaism also revised its allegiance to the traditional prayers for the restoration of the ancient Temple and its offerings. They saw these as phenomena to remember but not to be revived in the messianic age.

So today there is really no substantive difference between calling a Jewish congregation a temple, a kehilla or a shul. Whatever one calls our congregations, all of them are striving to transform themselves into centers of Jewish identity, Jewish solidarity and Jewish learning; all of them are committed to the creation and maintenance of caring and compassionate communities.

SYNAGOGUE
The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica

Synagogue, also spelled synagog , in Judaism, a community house of worship that serves as a place not only for liturgical services but also for assembly and study. Its traditional functions are reflected in three Hebrew synonyms for synagogue: bet ha-tefilla (“house of prayer”), bet ha-kneset (“house of assembly”), and bet ha-midrash (“house of study”). The term synagogue is of Greek origin (synagein, “to bring together”) and means “a place of assembly.” The Yiddish word shul (from German Schule, “school”) is also used to refer to the synagogue, and in modern times the word temple is common among some Reform and Conservative congregations.

The oldest dated evidence of a synagogue is from the 3rd century bce, but synagogues doubtless have an older history. Some scholars think that the destruction of Solomon’s Temple in 586 bce gave rise to synagogues after private homes were temporarily used for public worship and religious instruction.

Other scholars trace the origin of synagogues to the Jewish custom of having representatives of communities outside Jerusalem pray together during the two-week period when priestly representatives of their community attended ritual sacrifices in the Temple of Jerusalem.

The other focus of observance is the synagogue. The origins of this institution are obscure, and a number of hypotheses have been proposed to account for the appearance of this lay-oriented form of worship. According to various ancient sources, during the period of the Second Temple—following the return from Babylon and continuing until the Temple’s destruction in 70 ce—various...

Whatever their origin, synagogues flourished side by side with the ancient Temple cult and existed long before Jewish sacrifice and the established priesthood were terminated with the destruction of the Second Temple by Titus in 70 ce. Thereafter synagogues took on an even greater importance as the unchallenged focal point of Jewish religious life.

Literature of the 1st century refers to numerous synagogues not only in Palestine but also in Rome, Greece, Egypt, Babylonia, and Asia Minor. By the middle of that century, all sizable Jewish communities had a synagogue where regular morning, afternoon, and evening services were held, with special liturgies on the Sabbath and on religious festivals.

Modern synagogues carry on the same basic functions associated with ancient synagogues but have added social, recreational, and philanthropic programs as the times demand. They are essentially democratic institutions established by a community of Jews who seek God through prayer and sacred studies. Since the liturgy has no sacrifice, no priesthood is required for public worship. Because each synagogue is autonomous, its erection, its maintenance, and its rabbi and officials reflect the desires of the local community.

There is no standard synagogue architecture. A typical synagogue contains an ark (where the scrolls of the Law are kept), an “eternal light” burning before the ark, two candelabra, pews, and a raised platform (bimah), from which scriptural passages are read and from which, often, services are conducted. The segregation of men and women, a practice that is still observed in Orthodox synagogues, has been abandoned by Reform and Conservative congregations. A ritual bath (mikvah) is sometimes located on the premises.

The synagogue is the center of the Jewish religious community: a place of prayer, study and education, social and charitable work, as well as a social center.

THE SYNAGOGUE
Jewish Virtual Library

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Throughout this site, I have used the word "synagogue," but there are actually several different terms for a Jewish "House of Worship," and you can tell a lot about people by the terms they use.

The Hebrew term is beit k'nesset (literally, House of Assembly), although you will rarely hear this term used in conversation in English.

The Orthodox and Chasidim typically use the word "shul," which is Yiddish. The word is derived from a German word meaning "school," and emphasizes the synagogue's role as a place of study.

Conservative Jews usually use the word "synagogue," which is actually a Greek translation of Beit K'nesset and means "place of assembly" (it's related to the word "synod").

Reform Jews use the word "temple," because they consider every one of their meeting places to be equivalent to, or a replacement for, The Temple.

The use of the word "temple" to describe modern houses of prayer offends some traditional Jews, because it trivializes the importance of The Temple. The word "shul," on the other hand, is unfamiliar to many modern Jews. When in doubt, the word "synagogue" is the best bet, because everyone knows what it means, and I've never known anyone to be offended by it.

FUNCTIONS OF A SYNAGOGUE

At a minimum, a synagogue is a beit tefilah, a house of prayer. It is the place where Jews come together for community prayer services. Jews can satisfy the obligations of daily prayer by praying anywhere; however, there are certain prayers that can only be said in the presence of a minyan (a quorum of 10 adult men), and tradition teaches that there is more merit to praying with a group than there is in praying alone. The sanctity of the synagogue for this purpose is second only to The Temple. In fact, in rabbinical literature, the synagogue is sometimes referred to as the "little Temple."

A synagogue is usually also a beit midrash, a house of study. Contrary to popular belief, Jewish education does not end at the age of bar mitzvah. For the observant Jew, the study of sacred texts is a life-long task. Thus, a synagogue normally has a well-stocked library of sacred Jewish texts for members of the community to study. It is also the place where children receive their basic religious education.

Most synagogues also have a social hall for religious and non-religious activities. The synagogue often functions as a sort of town hall where matters of importance to the community can be discussed.

In addition, the synagogue functions as a social welfare agency, collecting and dispensing money and other items for the aid of the poor and needy within the community.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

Synagogues are generally run by a board of directors composed of lay people. They manage and maintain the synagogue and its activities, and hire a rabbi for the community. It is worth noting that a synagogue can exist without a rabbi: religious services can be, and often are, conducted by lay people in whole or in part. It is not unusual for a synagogue to be without a rabbi, at least temporarily. However, the rabbi is a valuable member of the community, providing leadership, guidance and education.

Synagogues do not pass around collection plates during services, as many churches do. This is largely because Jews are not permitted to carry money on holidays and sabbaths. Instead, synagogues are financed through membership dues paid annually, through voluntary donations, and through the purchase of reserved seats for services on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (the holidays when the synagogue is most crowded). It is important to note, however, that you do not have to be a member of a synagogue in order to worship there. If you plan to worship at a synagogue regularly and you have the financial means, you should certainly pay your dues to cover your fair share of the synagogue's costs, but no synagogue checks membership cards at the door (except possibly on the High Holidays mentioned above, if there aren't enough seats for everyone).

Synagogues are, for the most part, independent community organizations. In the United States, at least, individual synagogues do not answer to any central authority. There are central organizations for the various movements of Judaism, and synagogues are often affiliated with these organizations, but these organizations have no real power over individual synagogues.

RITUAL ITEMS IN THE SYNAGOGUE

The portion of the synagogue where prayer services are performed is commonly called the sanctuary. Synagogues in the United States are generally designed so that the front of the sanctuary is on the side towards Jerusalem, which is the direction that we are supposed to face when reciting certain prayers.

Probably the most important feature of the sanctuary is the Ark. The name "Ark" is an acrostic of the Hebrew words Aron Kodesh, which means "holy cabinet." The word has no relation to Noah's Ark, which is the word "teyvat" in Hebrew. The Ark is a cabinet or recession in the wall, which holds the Torah scrolls. The Ark is generally placed in the front of the room; that is, on the side towards Jerusalem. The Ark has doors as well as an inner curtain called a parokhet. This curtain is in imitation of the curtain in the Sanctuary in The Temple, and is named for it. During certain prayers, the doors and/or curtain of the Ark may be opened or closed. Opening or closing the doors or curtain is performed by a member of the congregation, and is considered an honor.

In front of and slightly above the Ark, you will find the ner tamid, the Eternal Lamp. This lamp symbolizes the commandment to keep a light burning in the Tabernacle outside of the curtain surrounding the Ark of the Covenant. (Ex. 27:20-21).

In addition to the ner tamid, you may find a menorah (candelabrum) in many synagogues, symbolizing the menorah in the Temple. The menorah in the synagogue will generally have six or eight branches instead of the Temple menorah's seven, because exact duplication of the Temple's ritual items is improper.

In the center of the room or in the front you will find a pedestal called the bimah. The Torah scrolls are placed on the bimah when they are read. The bimah is also sometimes used as a podium for leading services. There is an additional, lower lectern in some synagogues called an amud.

In Orthodox synagogues, you will also find a separate section where the women sit. This may be on an upper floor balcony, or in the back of the room, or on the side of the room, separated from the men's section by a wall or curtain called a mechitzah. Men are not permitted to pray in the presence of women.

NON-JEWS VISITING A SYNAGOGUE

Non-Jews are always welcome to attend services in a synagogue, so long as they behave as proper guests. Proselytizing and "witnessing" to the congregation are not proper guest behavior. Would you walk into a stranger's house and criticize the decor? But we always welcome non-Jews who come to synagogue out of genuine curiosity, interest in the service or simply to join a friend in celebration of a Jewish event.

When going to a synagogue, you should dress as you would for church or a mosque: nicely, formally, and modestly. A man should wear a yarmulke (skullcap) if Jewish men in the congregation do so; yarmulkes are available at the entrance for those who do not have one. In some synagogues, married women should also wear a head covering. A piece of lace sometimes called a "chapel hat" is generally provided for this purpose in synagogues where this is required. Non-Jews should not, however, wear a tallit (prayer shawl) or tefillin, because these items are signs of our obligation to observe Jewish law.

If you are in an Orthodox synagogue, be careful to sit in the right section: men and women are seated separately in an Orthodox synagogue.

During services, non-Jews can follow along with the English, which is normally printed side-by-side with the Hebrew in the prayerbook. You may join in with as much or as little of the prayer service as you feel comfortable participating in. You may wish to review Jewish Liturgy before attending the service, to gain a better understanding of what is going on.

Non-Jews should stand whenever the Ark is open and when the Torah is carried to or from the Ark, as a sign of respect for the Torah and for G-d. At any other time where worshippers stand, non-Jews may stand or sit.

THE TEMPLE

When we speak of The Temple, we speak of the place in Jerusalem that was the center of Jewish religion from the time of Solomon to its destruction by the Romans in 70 C.E. This was the one and only place where sacrifices and certain other religious rituals were performed. It was partially destroyed at the time of the Babylonian Exile and rebuilt. The rebuilt temple was known as the Second Temple. The famous Wailing Wall is the western retaining wall of that Temple, and is as close to the site of the original Sanctuary as Jews can go today. The site of The Temple is currently occupied by a Muslim Mosque, the Dome of the Rock.

Traditional Jews believe that The Temple will be rebuilt when the Moshiach (Messiah) comes. They eagerly await that day and pray for it continually.

Modern Reform Jews, on the other hand, reject the idea of rebuilding the Temple and resuming sacrifices. They call their houses of prayer "temples," believing that such houses of worship are the only temples we need, the only temples we will ever have, and are equivalent to the Temple in Jerusalem. This idea is very offensive to some traditional Jews, which is why you should be very careful when using the word Temple to describe a Jewish place of worship.

SHTIEBEL
Wikipedia

A shtiebel (Yiddish: שטיבל‎ shtibl, pl. shtiblekh or shtiebels, meaning "little house" or "little room") is a place used for communal Jewish prayer. In contrast to a formal synagogue, a shtiebel is far smaller and approached more casually. It is typically as small as a room in a private home or a place of business which is set aside for the express purpose of prayer, or it may be as large as a small-sized synagogue. It may or may not offer the communal services of a synagogue.

Traditional shtiebels are not only a place for prayer, but also a place for community gathering. Due to the prominence of a Hasidic rebbe, the shtiebel served as a medium for being near to him. A shtiebel would be host to the Seudah Shlishit, the ritual third meal of the Sabbath.The shtiebel attracted newcomers through the inviting atmosphere it created by allowing prayer, eating, drinking, and community activities.[1]

Shtiebels were common in Jewish communities in Eastern Europe before the Holocaust. The shtiebel was distinctly characteristic of Hasidic Judaism and played a central and critical role in the life of the Hasidim.[1] It continues to exist in contemporary Israel and the United States.

The shtiebel was cost effective and assisted in the spread of Hasidism through a grassroots movement where individuals previously exposed to Hasidism could establish one in their local community. This characteristic of the shtiebel allowed for Hasidism to reach more communities on the local and regional level throughout the 18th and 19th Century.[1]

In Israel, minyans are held in storefront shtiebelekh in major business areas around the clock; whenever ten men show up, a new minyan begins. The Zichron Moshe shtiebel in the Zikhron Moshe neighborhood of Jerusalem (near Geula) is located in a proper synagogue, with many rooms for round-the-clock minyans. This shtiebel is well known as the locale of Friday-night mussar talks which Rabbi Sholom Schwadron, the "Maggid of Jerusalem," delivered for more than 40 years.

LINKS

For more detail see ‘Synagogue’ in ‘The Book of Jewish Knowledge’ pp431 et seq by Nathan Ausubel

The Ancient Synagogue in Israel & the Diaspora. Dana Murray

List of Synagogues     Wikipedia

Synagogues of the World     Jewish Virtual Library

Synagogues   Dominique Jurassé

THE SYNAGOGUE, SHTIEBEL