A synagogue (from Greek: συναγωγή, transliterated synagogē, "assembly"; בית כנסת beit knesset, "house of assembly"; שול or בית תפילה beit tefila, "house of prayer", shul; אסנוגה, esnoga) is a Jewish house of prayer. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut " Who is a Jew? " (Mihu Yehudi? ?מיהו יהודי is a basic question about Jewish identity. This article focuses on the Etymology of the word Jew. Biblical and Middle Eastern origins The Jews in their land The Jewish ethnonym in Secular Jewish culture embraces several related phenomena above all it is the Culture of secular communities of Jewish people but it can also include Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Although Jews and religious leaders share a core of monotheistic principles Judaism has no formal statement of principles of faith such as a Creed or Catechism In Judaism, the name of God is more than a distinguishing title See also Old testament, Septuagint, Targum, Peshitta The Tanakh (תַּנַ"ךְ (taˈnax or; also Tenakh or Tenak is term " Torah " ( Hebrew: תּוֹרָה "teaching" or "instruction" sometimes translated as "Law" most commonly refers to Nevi'im (נְבִיאִים "Prophets" is the second of the three major sections in the Hebrew Bible, the Tanakh, between the Ketuvim (כְּתוּבִים "writings" is the third and final section of the Tanakh ( Hebrew Bible) after Torah and Nevi'im This article is about commandments in Judaism For the Jewish rite of passage see Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah Mitzvah ( Hebrew: מצוה See also Mitzvah See also Biblical law in Christianity The 613 Mitzvot ("commandments" (also " 613 Mitzvos The Talmud ( Hebrew: he תַּלְמוּד is a record of Rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs and history Halakha ( הלכה; alternative transliterations include Halocho and Halacha) is the collective body of Jewish Religious law For the Gregorian dates of Jewish Holidays see Jewish holidays 2000-2050. Jewish services ( Hebrew: תפלה, tefillah; plural תפלות, tefillos or tefillot; Yinglish: davening Tzedakah ( צדקה) is a Hebrew word commonly translated as charity, though it is based on a root meaning Justice Jewish ethics stands at the intersection of Judaism and the Western philosophical tradition of Ethics. Kabbalah (קַבָּלָה lit "receiving" is a discipline and school of thought discussing the mystical aspect of Judaism. Minhag ( Hebrew: מנהג "custom" pl minhagim) is an accepted tradition or group of traditions in Judaism. Midrash ( Hebrew: מדרש plural midrashim, lit "to repeat" is a Hebrew term referring to the not exact but comparative ( homiletic See also Judaism by country Jewish ethnic divisions refers to a number of distinct communities within the world's ethnically Jewish population Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim ( Hebrew: אַשְׁכֲּנָזִים, ˌaʃkəˈnazim sing Sephardi Jews ( Hebrew: ספרדי, Standard Səfardi Tiberian Səp̄arədî; plural Mizrahi Jews or Mizrahim, ( also referred to as Edot HaMizrach (Communities of the East are Jews descended Jewish population refers to the number of Jews in the world Precise figures are difficult to calculate because the definition of " Who is a Jew " remains a Jewish population centers have shifted tremendously over time due to the constant streams of Jewish refugees created by expulsions persecution and officially sanctioned killing This article deals with the practice of Judaism and the living arrangement of Jewish people in the listed countries The History of the Jews in the Land of Israel begins with the ancient Israelites (also known as Hebrews) who settled in the Land of Israel. The history of the Jews in the United States has been influenced by waves of immigration primarily from Europe inspired by the social and economic opportunities of the United Iraqi Jews are Jews born in Iraq or of Iraqi heritage The history of the Jews in Iraq is documented from the time of the Babylonian captivity c Spanish Jews once constituted one of the largest and most prosperous Jewish communities under Muslim and Christian rule in Spain, before they The history of the Jews in Portugal is directly related to Sephardi history a Jewish ethnic division that represents communities who have originated The history of the Jews in Poland dates back over a Millennium. Jews have lived in Germany, or " Ashkenaz " at least since the early 4th century, through both periods of tolerance and spasms of The Jewish community of Bosnia and Herzegovina has a rich and varied history surviving World War II and the Yugoslav Wars, after having The history of the Jews in the Americas dates back to Christopher Columbus and his first cross- Atlantic voyage on August 3, 1492 The history of the Jews of Argentina harks back to the days of the Spanish Inquisition and Portuguese Inquisition when Jews fleeing persecution settled in what A Brazilian Jew ( Portuguese: Judeu Brasileiro) is a Brazilian person of full partial or predominantly Jew ancestry or a Jew-born person residing in Brazil Jewish immigration to Latin America began with seven sailors arriving in Christopher Columbus 's crew Jewish Cubans, Cuban Jews, or Cubans of Jewish heritage, have lived on the island of Cuba for centuries Jews have been present in El Salvador since the early 19th Century. Jews have lived in Mexico since the times of the Inquisition. Jewish Nicaraguans or Nicaraguan Jews (Judío Nicaragüense are Nicaraguans of Jewish Ancestry who were born in or have immigrated to Nicaragua The History of the Jews in Venezuela dates to the middle of the 17th century when records suggest that groups of Marranos (Spanish and Portuguese descendants of baptized The Jewish community in France presently numbers around 600000 according to the World Jewish Congress and 500000 according to the Appel Unifié Juif de France and is The first written records of Jewish settlement in England date from the time of the Norman Conquest, mentioning Jews who arrived with William the Conqueror Canada has the world's fourth-largest Jewish population According to the Canada 2001 Census, there are an estimated 351000 Jews currently living in Canada The history of the Jews in Australia began with the transportation of a number of Jewish Convicts aboard the First Fleet in 1788 when History of the Jews in Hungary concerns the Jews of Hungary and of Hungarian origins Indian Jews are a religious minority of India. Judaism was one of the first non- Dharmic religions to arrive in India in recorded history Jews {ref|name|§}} have lived in the geographic area of Asia Minor (modern Turkey) for more than 2400 years There have been organized Jewish communities in Greece for more than two thousand years Since Biblical times the Jewish people have had close ties with Africa beginning with Abraham 's sojourns in Egypt, and later the Israelite captivity under The beginnings of Jewish history in Iran date back to late biblical times Jews and Judaism in China' have had a long history Jewish settlers are documented in China as early as the 7th or 8th century CE, but may The history of Jews in the territory of the present-day Republic of Macedonia began in Roman times when Jews first arrived in the region in the The history of Jews in Romania concerns the Jews of Romania and of Romanian origins from their first mention on what is nowadays Romanian territory By type List of Jewish historians List of Jewish scientists and philosophers List of Jewish nobility Crypto-Judaism is the secret adherence to Judaism while publicly professing to be of another faith people who practice crypto-Judaism are referred to as "crypto-Jews" Rabbi (pronunciation, although in English usually) in Judaism, means a religious ‘teacher’ or more literally ‘my great one’ when addressing any master Orthodox Judaism is the formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized Conservative Judaism (also known as Masorti Judaism in Israel and Europe) is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently subjected to vandalism and the insertion of personal opinions Reconstructionist Judaism is a modern American-based Jewish movement based on the ideas of the late Mordecai Kaplan (1881 – 1983 Karaite Judaism or Karaism (ˈkærəˌaɪt ˈkærəˌɪzəm) is a Jewish movement NOTE The word sect should not be used without defining it first and Humanistic Judaism is a movement within Judaism that emphasizes Jewish culture and history—rather than belief in God—as the sources of Jewish identity Jewish Renewal is a recent movement in Judaism which endeavors to reinvigorate modern Judaism with mystical, Hasidic, Musical and Alternative Judaism or Agnostic Judaism refers to a variety of groups whose members while identifying as Jews in some fashion nevertheless do not practice Rabbinical The Jewish languages are a set of Languages that developed in various Jewish communities around the world more notably in Europe, West Asia, and Yiddish (yi [[wiktייִדיש ייִדיש]] yidish or yi [[wiktאידיש אידיש]] idish, literally "Jewish" is a nonterritorial High Judæo-Persian dialects are a subgroup of Persian dialects spoken by the Jews of Iran Judæo-Aramaic is a collective term used to describe several Hebrew -influenced Aramaic and Neo-Aramaic Languages History The Judæo-Arabic languages are a collection of Arabic dialects spoken by Jews living or formerly living in the Arab world; the term also refers to Jewish history is the History of the Jewish people, faith, and culture. This is a timeline of the development of Judaism and the Jewish people. Jewish leadership has evolved over time Since the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE there has been no single body that has a leadership The history of Ancient Israel and Judah is known to us from classical sources including Judaism 's Tanakh or Hebrew Bible (known Etymology The Hebrew name given in Scripture for the building is Beit HaMikdash or "The Holy House" and only the Temple in Jerusalem is referred to by this name The Babylonian captivity, Babylonian exile, is the name typically given to the deportation and exile of the Jews of the ancient Kingdom of Judah to Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the See also Religious significance of Jerusalem Since the 10th century BCE Jerusalem in Judaism has been the holiest city, focus and spiritual centre of This is a partial timeline of major events in the History of Jerusalem:; 1800 BCE: The Jebusites build the wall Jebus ( Jerusalem The Hasmoneans (/hæzməˡniən/ חשמונאים Hashmonaiym, Audio were the ruling dynasty of the Hasmonean Kingdom ( 140 &ndash 37 BCE The Sanhedrin (סנהדרין συνέδριον ''synedrion'', "sitting together" hence " assembly " or "council" was an assembly Schisms among the Jews are cultural as well as religious They have happened as a product of historical accident geography and Theology. The word Pharisees ( lat. pharisæ|us, - i) comes from the Hebrew פרושים perushim from פרוש parush, meaning "separated" This article discusses the traditional views of the two religions and may not be applicable all adherents of each The historical interaction of Judaism and Islam started in the 7th century CE with the origin and spread of Islam in the Arabian peninsula. The Jewish diaspora ( Hebrew: Tefutzah, "scattered" or Galut גלות "exile" Yiddish: tfutses) the presence The History of Jews in the Middle Ages (approximately 500 CE to 1750 CE can be divided into two categories Also not to be confused with Subbotniks or Sabbatarians. Note Most Sabbateans during and after Sabbatai Zevi were Jews Hasidic Judaism (also Chasidic, etc from the Hebrew: he '''''חסידות''''', Chassidus, meaning "piety" from the Hebrew Haskalah ( Hebrew: השכלה "enlightenment" "education" from sekhel " Intellect " "mind") the Jewish Enlightenment Jewish question Jewish emancipation was the abolition of discriminatory laws as applied especially to Jews in Europe in the nineteenth century the recognition of Jews The Holocaust (from the Greek el ''ὁλόκαυστον'' (el-Latn holókauston holos, "completely" and kaustos, "burnt" also known as Aliyah ( refers to Jewish Immigration to the Land of Israel (and since its establishment in 1948 the State of Israel) For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. The State of Israel (מדינת ישראל Medinat Yisrael) was established in 1948 after nearly two thousand For other uses see Israel (disambiguation The Land of Israel ( Hebrew: אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל Eretz Yisrael) is Note This article is about the movement See Orthodox outreach, Reform outreach, and Conservative outreach for more information about the rabbis See also Antisemitism, History of antisemitism, New antisemitism The persecution of Jews has occurred many times in Jewish history. Antisemitism (alternatively spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism; also rarely known as judeophobia) is the Prejudice against or hostility The history of antisemitism, hostile actions or discrimination against Jews as a religious or ethnic group goes back many centuries Jewish political movements refer to the organized efforts of Jews to build their own political parties or otherwise represent their interest in politics outside of History of Zionism|Timeline of Zionism|World Zionist Organization|Zionist political violence Zionism is an international political movement that originally supported the Labor Zionism ( Labour Zionism, ציונות סוציאליסטית tsionut sotsialistit) can be described as the major stream of the Left wing of the Revisionist Zionism is a nationalist faction within the Zionist movement Religious Zionism, or the Religious Zionist Movement (a branch of which is also called Mizrachi) is an ideology that combines Zionism and religious The General Zionists (ציונים כלליים Tzionim Klalim) were centrists within the Zionist movement and a political party in Israel World Agudath Israel (The World Jewish Union usually known as the Aguda, was established in the early twentieth century as the political arm of Ashkenazi Torah Judaism Jewish feminism is a movement that seeks to improve the religious legal and social status of women within Judaism and to open up new opportunities for religious experience Politics of Israel takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic Republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Israel is Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Transliteration is the practice of Transcribing a Word or text written in one Writing system into another writing system or system of rules for such practice PLEASE TAKE NOTE************
Synagogues usually have a large hall for prayer (the main sanctuary), smaller rooms for study and sometimes a social hall and offices. Some have a separate room for Torah study, called the Beit midrash — בית מדרש ("House of Study"). Torah study is the study by Jewish people of the Torah, Hebrew Bible, Talmud, Responsa, Rabbinic literature and similar Beth Midrash ( Hebrew: בית מדרש; also Beis Medrash, Beit Midrash, pl
Many Jews in English-speaking countries use the Yiddish term "shul" in everyday speech. An Anglophone (or anglophone) is someone who speaks the English language. Spanish and Portuguese Jews call the synagogue an esnoga. Spanish and Portuguese Jews are a distinctive sub-group of Sephardim who have their main ethnic origins within the crypto-Jewish communities of the Iberian Persian Jews and Karaite Jews use the term Kenesa, which is derived from Aramaic. |||} Persian Jews or Iranian Jews are Jews historically associated with the Persian Empire or Iran. Karaite Judaism or Karaism (ˈkærəˌaɪt ˈkærəˌɪzəm) is a Jewish movement NOTE The word sect should not be used without defining it first and Kenesa is the term for a Karaite or Persian Synagogue. The word derives from the Aramaic word for "assembly" (in Hebrew, Aramaic is a Semitic language with Reform and some Conservative congregations in the United States sometimes use the word "temple. Hi and welcome to Wikipedia! Please understand that this article is frequently subjected to vandalism and the insertion of personal opinions Conservative Judaism (also known as Masorti Judaism in Israel and Europe) is a modern stream of Judaism that arose out The United States of America —commonly referred to as the "
Contents |
Origins
Before the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, communal prayers centered around the korbanot ("sacrificial offerings") brought by the kohanim ("priests") in the Holy Temple. The Second Temple (בית המקדש romanized 'Beit HaMikdash' meaning 'Holy House' was the reconstructed Temple in Jerusalem which stood between 516 BCE and 70 CE Korban ( Hebrew: "sacrifice" קרבן (plural Korbanot קרבנות in Judaism, is the term for a variety of sacrificial offerings A kohen (or cohen, Hebrew כּהן "priest" pl כּהנִים kohanim or cohanim) has a separate status in Judaism. Etymology The Hebrew name given in Scripture for the building is Beit HaMikdash or "The Holy House" and only the Temple in Jerusalem is referred to by this name The all-day Yom Kippur service, in fact, was an event in which the congregation both observed the movements of the kohen gadol ("the high priest") as he offered the day's sacrifices and prayed for his success. Yom Kippur (יוֹם כִּפּוּר ˈjɔm kiˈpur also known in English as the Day of Atonement, is the most solemn and important of the Jewish holidays Its
The destruction of Solomon's Temple, and later the Second Temple, and the dispersion of the Jews into the Jewish diaspora, threatened the nation's focus and unity. Solomon's Temple (בית המקדש transliterated Beit HaMikdash) also known as the First Temple, was according to The Jewish diaspora ( Hebrew: Tefutzah, "scattered" or Galut גלות "exile" Yiddish: tfutses) the presence At the time of the Babylonian captivity the Men of the Great Assembly began the process of formalizing and standardizing Jewish services and prayers that would not depend on the functioning of the Temple in Jerusalem. The Babylonian captivity, Babylonian exile, is the name typically given to the deportation and exile of the Jews of the ancient Kingdom of Judah to According to Jewish tradition, the Great Assembly (כְּנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה or Anshei Knesset HaGedolah (אַנְשֵׁי כְּנֶסֶת הַגְּדוֹלָה Rabbi Yohanan ben Zakkai, one of the leaders at the end of the Second Temple era, promulgated the idea of creating individual houses of worship in whatever locale Jews found themselves. Yochanan ben Zakai (יוחנן בן זכאי c 30 BCE - 90 CE) was one of the Tannaim, an important Jewish sage in the era of the Second Temple This contributed to the saving of the Jewish people by maintaining a unique identity and a portable way of worship, according to many historians. Under Orthodox Jewish law whenever any group of ten men comes together, they form a minyan, and are eligible to conduct public prayer services—usually, but not necessarily, in a synagogue. Orthodox Judaism is the formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized A minyan (מנין lit to count number; pl minyanim) in Judaism refers to the Quorum required for certain religious Note that a synagogue is not in the strictest sense a temple; it does not replace the true, long since destroyed, Solomon's Temple. A synagogue is not necessary for collective worship.
In Eastern Europe synagogues were established by like-minded groups of people. Eastern Europe is a general term that refers to the Geopolitical region encompassing the easternmost part of the European continent. Such a synagogue was known as a kloiz, and was often delineated by the professions of its worshippers: e. g. "the tailors' kloiz," the "water-carriers' kloiz," etc. One kloiz that still bears that name today is the Breslov kloiz built by Nathan of Breslov in the city of Uman, Ukraine in 1834. Breslov (also Bratslav) is a branch of Hasidic Judaism founded by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov (1772-1810 a great-grandson of the Baal Shem Nathan of Breslov ( January 22, 1780 &ndash December 20, 1844) also known as Reb Noson was the chief disciple and scribe of Rebbe Uman (Умань translit Uman’; also referred to in Polish as Humań and in Yiddish as Imen' with palatized Today, this kloiz has been supplanted by a "new kloiz" built to accommodate the thousands of worshippers at the annual Breslover Rosh Hashana kibbutz (prayer gathering). The Rosh Hashana kibbutz ( Hebrew: קיבוץ plural kibbutzim: קיבוצים "gathering" or "ingathering" is a large prayer assemblage of
Architectural design
There is no set blueprint for synagogues and the architectural shapes as well as interior designs of synagogues vary greatly. In fact, the influence of other local religious buildings can often be seen.
Historically, synagogues were built in the prevailing architectural style of their time and place. Thus, the synagogue in Kaifeng, China loooked very like Chinese temples of that region and era, with its outer wall and open garden in which several buildings weere arranged. The styles of the earliest synagogues resembled the temples of other sects of the eastern Roman Empire. The surviving synagogues of medieval Spain are embellished with mudejar plasterwork. The surviving medieval synagogues in Budapest and Prague are typical Gothic structures. See also Gothic art Gothic architecture is a style of Architecture which flourished during the high and late medieval period.
The emancipation of Jews in European countries not only enabled Jews to enter fields of enterprise from which they were formerly barred, but gave them the right to build synagogues without needing special permissions, synagogue architecture blossomed. Large Jewish communities wished to show not only their wealth but also their newly acquired status as citizens by constructing magnificent synagogues. These were built across Europe and in the United States in all of the historicist or revival styles then in fashion. Thus there were Neoclassical, Neo-Byzantine, Romanesque Revival Moorish Revival, Gothic Revival and even Egyptian Revival synagogues. Neo-Byzantine architecture is an architectural revival style, most frequently seen in religious institutional and public Buildings It emerged in 1840s in Western Romanesque Revival (or Neo-Romanesque) is a style of building employed in the late 19th century inspired by the 11th and 12th century Romanesque style Moorish Revival or Neo-Moorish is one of the exotic revival Architectural styles that were adopted by architects of Europe and the Americas in the wake of the The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement which began Egyptian Revival is an Architectural style that makes use of the motifs and imagery of Ancient Egypt. Some synagogues used the swastika as a decorative element, usually without religious significance, before it took on sinister connotations in twentieth-century Nazi Germany. The swastika (from Sanskrit: svástika sa स्वस्तिक Hindu IS CORRECT if 'ि' is positioned incorrectly see -->) is Nazi Germany and the Third Reich are the common English names for Germany under the regime of Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers
In the post-war era, synagogue architecture abandoned historicist styles for modernism. Most synagogues were always modest buildings using the inexpensive vernacular architecture of their era and region, and most still are.
Chabad Lubavitch
Chabad Lubavitch has made a practice of designing some of its Chabad Houses and centers as replicas of or homages to the architecture of 770 Eastern Parkway[1]. Chabad-Lubavitch is one of the largest Hasidic movements in Orthodox Judaism, and is based in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn A Chabad House is a centre for disseminating Orthodox Judaism by the Chabad movement 770 Eastern Parkway, is the street address of the central headquarters of the Chabad-Lubavitch Hasidic movement, located on Eastern Parkway in the
Interior elements
Orthodox synagogues
Orthodox synagogues usually contains the following features:
- An ark – called the Aron Kodesh – ארון קודש, the Holy Ark by Ashkenazim and heikhal – היכל [temple] by Sephardim – where the Torah scrolls are kept. V02p111001 Aronjpg|thumb|150px| Modena, Italy ( 1505)]]V02p109001 Aron Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim ( Hebrew: אַשְׁכֲּנָזִים, ˌaʃkəˈnazim sing Sephardi Jews ( Hebrew: ספרדי, Standard Səfardi Tiberian Səp̄arədî; plural term " Torah " ( Hebrew: תּוֹרָה "teaching" or "instruction" sometimes translated as "Law" most commonly refers to
The ark in a synagogue is positioned in such a way that those who face it, face towards Jerusalem. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Thus, sanctuary seating plans in the Western world generally face east, while those east of Israel face west. In Judaism, mizrah ( Hebrew: מזרח "east" is the direction to be faced during prayer Sanctuaries in Israel face towards Jerusalem. Occasionally synagogues face other directions for structural reasons; in such cases, some individuals might turn to face Jerusalem when standing for prayers, but the congregation as a whole does not.
The ark is reminiscent of the Ark of the Covenant which contained the tablets with Ten Commandments. The Ark of the Covenant (אָרוֹן הָבְרִית ʔārōn hāb’rīθ, Modern aron habrit) is described in the Bible as a sacred container wherein The Ten Commandments, or Decalogue, are a list of religious and moral imperatives that according to Judeo-Christian tradition were authored by God and given This is the holiest spot in a synagogue, equivalent to the Holy of Holies. The Holy of Holies is a term in the Hebrew Bible which referred to the inner sanctuary of the Tabernacle and later the Temple in Jerusalem which could be entered The ark is often closed with an ornate curtain, the parochet - פרוכת, which hangs outside or inside the ark doors. Parochet (also paroches, parokhet) is the curtain on the front of the Aron Kodesh in a Synagogue that covers the Sifrei Torah (Torah
- A large, raised, reader's platform called the bimah (בימה) by Ashkenazim and tebah by Sephardim, where the Torah scroll is read and from where the services are conducted in Sephardi synagogues. A bimah (among Ashkenazim derived from Greek) almemar (from Arabic al-minbar) or tebah (among Sephardim is the elevated Tebah may refer to Bimah Tebah Afghanistan
- A continually-lit lamp or lantern, usually electric, called the ner tamid (נר תמיד), the "Eternal Lamp," used as a reminder of the western lamp of the menorah of the Temple in Jerusalem, which remained miraculously lit always. Pekiin tabletjpg|thumb|right|151px| Second Temple period stone tablet from a Synagogue in Peki'in, Israel. Etymology The Hebrew name given in Scripture for the building is Beit HaMikdash or "The Holy House" and only the Temple in Jerusalem is referred to by this name
- A candelabrum specifically lit during services commemorating the full Menorah. Pekiin tabletjpg|thumb|right|151px| Second Temple period stone tablet from a Synagogue in Peki'in, Israel.
- A pulpit facing the congregation for the use of the rabbi, and a pulpit or amud - עמוד (Hebrew for "post" or "column") facing the Ark where the Hazzan stands while leading the prayer service. A pulpit (from Latin pulpitum "scaffold" "platform" "stage" is a small elevated platform where a member of the clergy stands
- A partition (mechitzah) dividing the men's and women's seating areas, or a separate women's section located on a balcony. A mechitza ( Hebrew: מחיצה partition or division pl מחיצות mechitzot) in Jewish Halakha is a partition that is used to separate
A synagogue may be decorated with artwork, but in the Rabbinic and Orthodox tradition, three-dimensional sculptures and depictions of the human body are not allowed, as these are considered akin to idolatry.
Synagogue windows are sometimes curved at the top and squared at the bottom, recalling the popular depiction of the shape of the Tablets of Stone which Moses received from God at Mount Sinai. Moses ( Latin: Moyses,; Greek: grc Mωυσής in both the Septuagint and the New Testament; Arabic: ar موسىٰ For other places named Mount Sinai see Mount Sinai (disambiguation Mount Sinai (Arabic طور سيناء, Hebrew הר סיני also There is also a tradition to install twelve windows around the main sanctuary to recall the Twelve Tribes of Israel, underscoring the importance of unity and brotherhood as a result of the communal prayers.
Until the 19th century, the synagogue interior was laid out with both a spiritual and a communal focus. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar In an Ashkenazi synagogue, all seats faced the aron kodesh (Ark) in which the Torah scrolls were housed. Ashkenazi Jews, also known as Ashkenazic Jews or Ashkenazim ( Hebrew: אַשְׁכֲּנָזִים, ˌaʃkəˈnazim sing In a Sephardi synagogue, seats were arranged around the perimeter of the sanctuary, but when the worshippers stood up to pray, everyone faced the Ark. Sephardi Jews ( Hebrew: ספרדי, Standard Səfardi Tiberian Səp̄arədî; plural The Torah was read on a reader's table located in the exact center of each sanctuary, echoing the manner in which the Children of Israel stood around Mount Sinai when they received the Torah. The leader of the prayer service, the Hazzan, stood at his own lectern or table, facing the Ark.
The United States has well over 1200 Orthodox congregations, including over 1000 affiliated with the Orthodox Union (OU), and 150 with the National Council of Young Israel, as well as many associated with Agudath Yisrael, a widespread movement often identified with Orthodox Judaism, especially Chassidim. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America (UOJCA more popularly known as the Orthodox Union, or OU, is one of the oldest Orthodox Jewish National Council of Young Israel ( NCYI) or Young Israel (in Hebrew Yisrael Hatza'ir, ישראל הצעיר is a Synagogue -based Orthodox Agudat Israel (אגודת ישראל "Union Israel" also Agudat Yisrael, Agudath Israel, or Agudas Yisroel) began as the original Orthodox Judaism is the formulation of Judaism that adheres to a relatively strict interpretation and application of the laws and ethics first canonized Hasidic Judaism (also Chasidic, etc from the Hebrew: he '''''חסידות''''', Chassidus, meaning "piety" from the Hebrew
Reform synagogues and temples
The German Reform movement which arose in the early 1800s made many changes to the traditional look of the synagogue, keeping with its desire to simultaneously stay Jewish yet be accepted by the host culture. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe.
The first Reform synagogue, which opened in Hamburg in 1811, introduced changes that made the synagogue look more like a church. Hamburg (English, German: ˈhambʊɐk local pronunciation Low German / Low Saxon: Hamborg) is the second-largest city in Germany Year 1811 ( MDCCCXI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year These included: the installation of an organ to accompany the prayers (even on Shabbat, when musical instruments are proscribed by halakha), a choir to accompany the Hazzan, and vestments for the synagogue rabbi to wear [2]. The organ (from Greek όργανον – organon "organ instrument tool" is a Keyboard instrument of one or more divisions each Shabbat or Shabbos ( Hebrew: שַׁבָּת, shabbāt, shabbes, "rest/inactivity" is the Weekly Sabbath Halakha ( הלכה; alternative transliterations include Halocho and Halacha) is the collective body of Jewish Religious law
In following decades, the central reader's table, the bimah, was moved to the front of the Reform sanctuary — previously unheard-of in Orthodox synagogues. A bimah (among Ashkenazim derived from Greek) almemar (from Arabic al-minbar) or tebah (among Sephardim is the elevated The rabbi now delivered his sermon from the front, much as the Christian ministers delivered their sermons in a church. A sermon is an oration by a Prophet or member of the Clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, or religious topic Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform clergy functions such as teaching of beliefs The synagogue was renamed a "temple," to emphasize that the movement no longer looked forward to the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem.
Conservative synagogues
The Conservative movement, which also developed in Europe and America in the 1800s, rejected Reform as being too liberal and Orthodoxy as being too outdated. However, like other varieties of Judaism, its synagogue design is not consistent. Some Conservative synagogues resemble Reform temples, complete with organ[3]. Others resemble Orthodox synagogues, but usually without a mechitza, the dividing barrier between men and women. A mechitza ( Hebrew: מחיצה partition or division pl מחיצות mechitzot) in Jewish Halakha is a partition that is used to separate There are approximately 750 Conservative synagogues in the United States today.
Reconstructionist synagogues
The Reconstructionist movement, which arose in America in the latter half of the 20th century, counts less than 100 synagogues worldwide. Reconstructionist Judaism is a modern American-based Jewish movement based on the ideas of the late Mordecai Kaplan (1881 – 1983 The twentieth century of the Common Era began on In keeping with a Reconstructionist Jewish spirit of liberalism, Reconstructionist synagogues are not as traditionalist as Conservative Judaism in the design of the synagogue and do not use the mechitza. A mechitza ( Hebrew: מחיצה partition or division pl מחיצות mechitzot) in Jewish Halakha is a partition that is used to separate The congregation decides communally how much traditional Judaic imagery and symbols are appropriate. Reconstructionist Jews generally do not call their houses of worship "temples".
Synagogue as community center
Synagogues often take on a broader role in modern Jewish communities and may include additional facilities such as a function hall, kosher kitchen, religious school, library, day care center and a smaller chapel for daily services.
Synagogue offshoots
A related place of worship is the shtiebel (שטיבל, pl. A shtiebel ( Yiddish: שטיבל shtibl, pl shtibelekh or shtiebels meaning "little house" or "little room" is a place used for communal shtiebelekh or shtiebels, Yiddish for "little house") that is frequently used by and preferred by Hasidic and Haredi Jews. Hasidic Judaism (also Chasidic, etc from the Hebrew: he '''''חסידות''''', Chassidus, meaning "piety" from the Hebrew Haredi or Chareidi Judaism is the most theologically conservative form of Orthodox Judaism. A shtiebel may sometimes be a room in the private home of a Hasidic Rebbe, or a place of business which is set aside for the express purpose of prayer. Rebbe (רבי (pronounced in English which means master teacher or mentor is a Yiddish word derived from the identical Hebrew word Rabbi It may or may not offer the communal services of a synagogue.
Another type of communal prayer group, favored by some non-Orthodox Jews, is the chabura (חבורה, pl. chaburot, חבורות), or prayer fellowship. These groups meet at a regular place and time, usually in a private home. In antiquity, the Pharisees lived near each other in chaburot and dined together to ensure that none of the food was unfit for consumption. The word Pharisees ( lat. pharisæ|us, - i) comes from the Hebrew פרושים perushim from פרוש parush, meaning "separated" Food is any substance usually composed primarily of Carbohydrates Fats water and/or Proteins that can be eaten or drunk by an [1]
World's largest synagogues
- The largest synagogue in the world is the New Beit Midrash of Ger in Jerusalem, Israel. Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. The main sanctuary seats over 8,500.
- The second largest synagogue in the world is the Belz World Center, also in Jerusalem, Israel, whose main Sanctuary seats 6,000. Belz is a Hasidic dynasty named for the town of Belz, a small town in Western Ukraine. Construction took 16 years.
- The largest synagogue outside Israel is Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York, a Reform house of worship located on Fifth Avenue, New York City, with an area of 3,523 m², seating 2,500. Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York was the first Reform Jewish congregation in New York City and due to its size and prominence has served as a flagship The City of New York
- The Dohány Street Synagogue or Great Synagogue in Budapest, Hungary is the largest synagogue in Europe and the fourth largest in the world, after the Beit Midrash of Ger in Jerusalem, the Belz World Center and the Congregation Emanu-El in New York City. The Great Synagogue in Dohány Street, also known as Dohány Street Synagogue (Dohány utcai Zsinagóga / Nagy Zsinagóga בית הכנסת הגדול של בודפשט Budapest ( also /ˈbʊ-/) is the capital city of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary it serves as the country's principal Political, Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic Belz is a Hasidic dynasty named for the town of Belz, a small town in Western Ukraine. Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York was the first Reform Jewish congregation in New York City and due to its size and prominence has served as a flagship The City of New York It seats 3,000 people and is a centre of Neolog Judaism and home of the Jewish Museum of Budapest. Neolog Judaism is a mild reform movement within Judaism, mainly in Hungarian -speaking regions of Europe which began in the late 19th century The building was built in 1854–1859 according to the plans of architect Ludwig Förster. Year 1854 ( MDCCCLIV) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year Year 1859 ( MDCCCLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Ludwig Christian Friedrich (von Förster ( October 8, 1797, Ansbach - June 16, 1863, Bad Gleichenberg, Steiermark was
- Other large synagogues include the Great Synagogue of Rome and the Great Synagogue in Plzeň, Czech Republic; the Orthodox synagogue in Košice, Slovakia; the Novi Sad Synagogue in Novi Sad, Serbia; and the Sofia Synagogue in Sofia, Bulgaria. The Great Synagogue of Rome (Tempio Maggiore di Roma is the largest Synagogue in Rome. The Orthodox synagogue in Košice (Ortodoxná synagóga v Košiciach was built in the years 1926-1927 at Puškinova Street in the historic centre of Košice, Slovakia Slovakia (long form Slovak Republic; Slovak:, long form, is a Landlocked country in Central Europe with a population of over five million Novi Sad Synagogue ( Serbian: Новосадска синагога or Novosadska sinagoga) is a Jewish Synagogue and one of the many Novi Sad ( Cyrillic: Нови Сад 'nɔviː 'saːd; Hungarian: Újvidék Slovak Serbia (Србија Srbija) officially the Republic of Serbia (Република Србија Republika Srbija) is a Landlocked Country The Sofia Synagogue (Софийска синагога Sofiyska sinagoga) is the largest Synagogue in Southeastern Europe, one of two functioning Sofia (София ˈsɔfija is the Capital and largest city of the Republic of Bulgaria, with a population of 1395568 in the Capital Municipality The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian The synagogue of Congregation Beth Israel in West Hartford, Connecticut, has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP is the United States government's official list of districts sites buildings structures and objects deemed worthy of
Famous synagogues
- In Israel and regions of the Jewish diaspora archaeologists have uncovered many ruins of synagogues from thousands of years ago. The Jewish diaspora ( Hebrew: Tefutzah, "scattered" or Galut גלות "exile" Yiddish: tfutses) the presence The small ruined synagogue at Masada is one of the most well-documented; it dates from the time of the Second Temple. Masada ( Hebrew מצדה pronounced Metzada, from מצודה metzuda, "fortress" is the name for a site of ancient Palaces and The Second Temple (בית המקדש romanized 'Beit HaMikdash' meaning 'Holy House' was the reconstructed Temple in Jerusalem which stood between 516 BCE and 70 CE Synagogues have also been discovered in Egypt and on the island of Delos which predate the synagogue at Masada. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The island of Delos ( Greek: Δήλος Dhilos) isolated in the centre of the roughly circular ring of islands called the Cyclades, near Mykonos
- The Dura-Europos synagogue (in today's Syria) is considered the world's oldest preserved Jewish synagogue. The Dura-Europos synagogue is unique among the many ancient synagogues that have emerged from archaeological digs in that it was preserved virtually intact Syria ( سوريّة or) officially the Syrian Arab Republic (Arabic ar الجمهورية العربية السورية
- The oldest active synagogue in Europe is the Alteneushul (Old-New Synagogue) in Prague, Czech Republic, which dates from the 13th century. The Old New Synagogue (Altneuschule Altneusynagoge Staronová Synagoga situated in Josefov, Prague, is Europe's oldest active Synagogue. Prague (ˈprɑːg Praha (ˈpraɦa see also other names) is the Capital and Largest city of the Czech Republic. The Czech Republic ( ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka short form in Česko ˈt͡ʃɛskɔ also called Czechia, The Altneushul was the pulpit of the great Rabbi Yehuda Loew, the Maharal, and his creation, the golem of Prague, is rumored to be hidden within the synagogue. Judah Loew ben Bezalel ("Judah Loewe son of Bezalel" also written as Yehudah ben Bezalel Levai '''Loewe''' '''Löwe''' 1525 &ndash Thursday 7 September In Jewish folklore, a golem (גולם sometimes as in Yiddish, pronounced goilem) is an animated being created entirely from inanimate matter During Kristallnacht on November 9-10, 1938, the Nazis in Germany and Austria destroyed or significantly damaged 1,574 synagogues, which included many of the greatest synagogues of Europe. Kristallnacht ( literally "Crystal night" or the Night of Broken Glass was a Pogrom in Nazi Germany on November 9–10 1938 Nazism, which was a short name for National Socialism (Nationalsozialismus refers primarily to the Ideology and practices of the National Socialist German Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Austria (Österreich ( officially the Republic of Austria (Republik Österreich Many were also destroyed or fell into disrepair during the Nazis' conquest of Europe, during which many Jewish communities were wiped out.
- The synagogue of Santa María la Blanca of Toledo in Spain, was built in 1180 by Islamic constructors, for Jewish use and owers, in mudejar style. The Synagogue / church of Santa María la Blanca is a religious building erected in the city of Toledo, Spain in 1180 (according to For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Mudéjar is the name given to the Moors or Muslims of Al-Andalus, who remained in Christian territory after the Reconquista but were It became a church in the 15th century, but no major renovations were done.
- The Hurva Synagogue, located in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem, was Jerusalem's main Ashkenazi synagogue from the 16th century until 1948, when it was destroyed by the Arab Legion several days after the conquest of the city. The Hurva Synagogue, (, translit: Beit ha-Knesset ha-Hurba) located in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem For the article on Jewish Quarters throughout the Jewish diaspora, see Jewish Quarter (diaspora The Jewish Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Arab Legion ( al-Jaysh al-Arabī) was the regular army of Transjordan and then Jordan in the early part of the 20th Century After the Six-Day War, an arch was built to mark the spot where the synagogue stood. A complete reconstruction is now underway in keeping with plans drawn up by architect Nahum Meltzer. The Ramban Synagogue, founded by Nahmanides in 1267 and reguilt after 1967, is the oldest active synagogue in the Old City. The Ramban Synagogue ( בית כנסת הרמב"ן) is the oldest active Synagogue in the Old City of Jerusalem. Nahmanides (1194 &ndash c 1270 was a Catalan Rabbi, philosopher, Physician, Kabbalist and biblical commentator. Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. See also Synagogues in Jerusalem.
- The Synagogue of El Transito of Toledo, Spain, was built in 1356 by Samuel HaLevi, treasurer of King Pedro I of Castile. The Synagogue of El Transito ( Sinagoga del Tránsito) is after Santa María la Blanca synagogue the oldest existing Synagogue in Toledo Spain Toledo Spain locationpng|thumb|right|200px|Location of Toledo in Spain This is one of the best examples of mudejar architecture in Spain. Mudéjar is the name given to the Moors or Muslims of Al-Andalus, who remained in Christian territory after the Reconquista but were The design of the synagogue recalls the Nasrid style of architecture that was employed during the same period in the decorations of the Alhambra palace in Granada as well as the Mosque of Cordoba. This article is about the Alhambra in Granada Spain For other meanings see Alhambra (disambiguation. The Mezquita (Spanish for " Mosque " of Cordoba is a Roman Catholic Cathedral and former mosque situated in the Andalusian city of Córdoba Since 1964, this site has hosted a Sephardi museum. Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar.
- The Paradesi Synagogue in the old city of Kochi, Kerala State, India, dates from 1568. Kochi Jewish Synagogue Cjpg|thumb|right|200px|Inside Jewish Synagogue]]The Paradesi Synagogue is the oldest Synagogue in the Commonwealth of Nations, located in Kerala ( Malayalam: {{Kerala in Malayalam}}; India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country It has been restored as a tourist site.
- The Kahal Zur Israel Synagogue in Recife, Brazil, was the first Jewish temple erected in the Americas, in 1636. Kahal Zur Israel (קהל צור ישראל lit Rock of Israel) was the first Jewish congregation in the " New World " Recife ( heˈsifi is the fifth largest Metropolitan area in Brazil and the capital of the state of Pernambuco. |utc_offset = -2 to -4 |time_zone_DST = BRST |utc_offset_DST = -2 to -5 |cctld Its foundations have been recently discovered, and the temple was entirely recovered. The synagogue appeared during the government of Dutch John Maurice of Nassau in Northeastern Brazil and it was built by Portuguese Jews that came from Europe with him. John Maurice of Nassau (Dutch Johan Maurits, German Johann Moritz, 17 June 1604 – 20 December 1679) was count They used to live in Holland since they were ordered to leave the kingdoms of Portugal and Spain by the end of the 15th century. A few decades after their arrival in Recife, the Portuguese Inquisition started a new era of persecutions against Jews, who had to leave again. Those people were among the ones who founded the city of New Amsterdam, in North America, later called New York. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous
- The Barbados Nidhe Israel Synagogue ("Bridgetown Synagogue"), located in the capital city of Bridgetown, was first built in 1654. The Nidḥe Israel Synagogue (בית הכנסת נדחי ישראל lit The City of Bridgetown, metropolitan pop 96578 ( 2006) is the Capital and largest city of the nation of Barbados. It was destroyed in the hurricane of 1831 and reconstructed in 1833[4]. A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low pressure center and numerous Thunderstorms that produce strong winds and Flooding Year 1831 ( MDCCCXXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Year 1833 ( MDCCCXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common
- The Esnoga is a Sephardic synagogue in Amsterdam. A synagogue (from Greek: grc συναγωγή transliterated synagogē, "assembly" he בית כנסת beit knesset, "house of Amsterdam (pronounced) is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the west It was founded by ex-Marranos (Portuguese Crypto-Jews) in 1675. Marranos or Secret Jews were Sephardic Jews (Jews resident in the Iberian peninsula) who were forced to adopt Christianity or Crypto-Judaism is the secret adherence to Judaism while publicly professing to be of another faith people who practice crypto-Judaism are referred to as "crypto-Jews"
- The Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, modeled after Amsterdam's Esnoga, is the oldest Jewish house of worship in North America that it still standing. The Touro Synagogue is a Synagogue in Newport Rhode Island, that is the oldest surviving Jewish synagogue building in North America and the Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about 30 miles (48 km south of Providence It was built in 1759 for the Jeshuat Israel congregation, which was established in 1658. Year 1759 ( MDCCLIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The Touro Synagogue is a Synagogue in Newport Rhode Island, that is the oldest surviving Jewish synagogue building in North America and the
- The Bialystoker Synagogue on New York's Lower East Side, is located in a landmark building dating from 1826 that was originally a Methodist Episcopal Church. The Bialystoker Synagogue at 7-11 Willett Street on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York City, New York State is an Orthodox The Lower East Side is a Neighborhood in the southeastern part of the New York City borough of Manhattan. For the game see 1826 (board game. Year 1826 ( MDCCCXXVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display The building is made of quarry stone mined locally on Pitt Street, Manhattan. It is an example of Federalist architecture. Chester TownshipJPG|thumb|right|A federal style colonial home in Chester Township New Jersey]] Federal-style architecture occurred in the United States between 1780 The ceilings and walls are hand-painted with zodiac frescos, and the sanctuary is illuminated by 40-foot (12 m) stained glass windows. Zodiac denotes an annual cycle of twelve stations along the Ecliptic, the apparent path of the sun across the heavens through the Constellations that divide the ecliptic Fresco (plural either frescos or frescoes) is any of several related Painting types done on Plaster on walls or The bimah and floor-to-ceiling ark are handcarved.
- The Snoga Synagogue in Willemstad, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles was built by Sephardic Portuguese Jews from Amsterdam and Recife, Brazil. Willemstad is the territorial Capital of the Netherlands Antilles. The Netherlands Antilles ( Dutch:) previously known as the Netherlands West Indies or Dutch Antilles/West Indies, is part of the Lesser Antilles It is modeled after the Esnoga in Amsterdam. Congregation Mikvé Israel built this synagogue in 1692; it was reconstructed in 1732. Year 1732 ( MDCCXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a
Selected images of synagogues
 The Amsterdam Esnoga Synagogue in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The Esnoga ( Ladino: אסנוגה) also known as the Snoge or Portuguese Synagogue, is a 17th-century Sephardic Synagogue Amsterdam (pronounced) is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the west The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands |  The Dohány Street Synagogue in Budapest, Hungary. The Great Synagogue in Dohány Street, also known as Dohány Street Synagogue (Dohány utcai Zsinagóga / Nagy Zsinagóga בית הכנסת הגדול של בודפשט Budapest ( also /ˈbʊ-/) is the capital city of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary it serves as the country's principal Political, Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic It is the largest synagogue in Europe. |  The Great Synagogue of Plzeň, Czech Republic. The Czech Republic ( ˈt͡ʃɛskaː ˈrɛpuˌblɪka short form in Česko ˈt͡ʃɛskɔ also called Czechia, |  The Fasanenstrasse Synagogue in Berlin (Germany) after the Kristallnacht. The Fasanenstrasse Synagogue (Synagoge Fasanenstraße was a liberal Jewish Synagogue in Berlin, Germany. Berlin is the capital city and one of sixteen states of Germany. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Kristallnacht ( literally "Crystal night" or the Night of Broken Glass was a Pogrom in Nazi Germany on November 9–10 1938 The Jewish Community Center was built in its place in 1959. |
 The main synagogue of the city of Frankfurt am Main (Germany) before the Kristallnacht. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Kristallnacht ( literally "Crystal night" or the Night of Broken Glass was a Pogrom in Nazi Germany on November 9–10 1938 |  The Roonstrasse Synagogue in Cologne, Germany. Roonstrasse Synagogue, located in Cologne, Germany, is one of the five pre- Nazi Synagogues of the locality which was destroyed on November Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. |  The Lesko Synagogue in Lesko, Poland. Lesko Synagogue is a synagogue in Lesko, Poland. It was built during the years 1626 - 1654. Lesko (or Lisko until 1926 (לינסק- Linsk) is a Town in south-eastern Poland with a population of 5855 (2004 in the Bieszczady Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland | |
 The Baal Shem Tov's shul in Medzhybizh, Ukraine (c. Rabbi Yisroel (Israel ben Eliezer (רבי ישראל בן אליעזר August 27, 1698 (18 Elul &ndash May 22, 1760) often called Medzhybizh, population 4614 (Меджибіж Меджибож Translit Medzhibozh, Międzybórz Międzyborz or Międzybóż Medschybisch מעזשביזש Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. 1915). The shul no longer exists. |  The Belzer synagogue of Belz, Ukraine. Belz is a Hasidic dynasty named for the town of Belz, a small town in Western Ukraine. Belz (Белз Polish: Bełz Yiddish: בעלז a small Town in the Lviv Oblast ( province) of western Ukraine, near Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. The synagogue no longer exists. |  The dome of the Hurva Synagogue dominated the skyline of the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem for centuries. For the article on Jewish Quarters throughout the Jewish diaspora, see Jewish Quarter (diaspora The Jewish Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the | |
 The remains of the Hurva Synagogue as they appeared from 1967 to 2003. The Hurva Synagogue, (, translit: Beit ha-Knesset ha-Hurba) located in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. The synagogue is currently being reconstructed. |  The Ashkenazi Synagogue of Istanbul, Turkey. The Ashkenazi Synagogue is an Ashkenazi Synagogue located near the Galata Tower in Istanbul, Turkey. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches The synagogue was founded in the year 1900. |  Scenes from the Book of Esther from the Dura-Europos synagogue (244 CE). The Book of Esther is a book of the Tanakh ( Hebrew Bible) and of the Old Testament. The Dura-Europos synagogue is unique among the many ancient synagogues that have emerged from archaeological digs in that it was preserved virtually intact |  The abandoned Maghen Abraham Synagogue in Beirut, Lebanon. The Maghen Abraham Synagogue (كنيس ماغن إبراهيم בית הכנסת מגן אברהם is the oldest Synagogue in Beirut. Beirut (بيروت Bayrūt) is the Capital and Largest city of Lebanon with a population of over 2 Lebanon (ˈlɛbənɒn Arabic: ar لبنان Lubnān) officially the Republic of Lebanon or Lebanese Republic (ar الجمهورية اللبنانية |
 The interior of a Karaite synagogue (kenesa). Karaite Judaism or Karaism (ˈkærəˌaɪt ˈkærəˌɪzəm) is a Jewish movement NOTE The word sect should not be used without defining it first and Kenesa is the term for a Karaite or Persian Synagogue. The word derives from the Aramaic word for "assembly" (in Hebrew, |  The Central Synagogue on Lexington Avenue in Manhattan, New York City, United States of America. The Central Synagogue ( Congregation Ahavath Chesed) is located at 652 Lexington Avenue on the corner of 55th Street, Manhattan, New Lexington Avenue, often abbreviated by New Yorkers as "Lex" is an avenue on the East Side of the borough of Manhattan in New York City that carries Manhattan Island, in New York Harbor, is much the largest part of the Borough of Manhattan, one of the Five Boroughs which form the City of New York The City of New York The United States of America —commonly referred to as the |  Congregation Emanu-El of New York on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York City, is the largest synagogue outside of Israel. Congregation Emanu-El of the City of New York was the first Reform Jewish congregation in New York City and due to its size and prominence has served as a flagship Manhattan Island, in New York Harbor, is much the largest part of the Borough of Manhattan, one of the Five Boroughs which form the City of New York The City of New York For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. |  Temple Beth-El, the oldest synagogue in Florida, which was built in Art Deco style. For other temples called Beth-El see Temple Beth-El. The Temple Beth-El ( Hebrew: ק Florida ( is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States, bordering Alabama to the northwest and Georgia to the Art Deco was a popular international design movement from 1925 until 1939 affecting the decorative arts such as Architecture, Interior design, and Industrial |
See also
References
- Levine, Lee [February 9 2000] (October 24 2005). Beth Midrash ( Hebrew: בית מדרש; also Beis Medrash, Beit Midrash, pl Jewish services ( Hebrew: תפלה, tefillah; plural תפלות, tefillos or tefillot; Yinglish: davening A shtiebel ( Yiddish: שטיבל shtibl, pl shtibelekh or shtiebels meaning "little house" or "little room" is a place used for communal A siddur ( Hebrew: סידור plural siddurim) is a Jewish Prayer book, containing a set order of daily prayers. Unlike other types of Religious architecture where worship buildings often conform to consistent rules for a given architectural period such as the cruciform plan of Gothic Churches Events 474 - Zeno crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. Events 69 - Second Battle of Bedriacum, forces under Antonius Primus the commander of the Danube armies loyal to Vespasian, defeat The Ancient Synagogue - The First Thousand Years, 2nd. ed. , New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-10628-9.
- ^ Alan F. Segal, Rebecca's Children: Judaism and Christianity in the Roman World, Harvard University Press, 1986, 125. Alan F Segal is a Professor of Religion and Ingeborg Rennert Professor of Jewish Studies at Barnard College. Harvard University Press ( HUP) is a Publishing house, a division of Harvard University, that is highly respected in Academic publishing.
External links
- Resources>Jewish Culture and Folklore>Synagogues and Cemeteries The Jewish History Resource Center, Project of the Dinur Center for Research in Jewish History, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
- Chief Rabbinate of Turkey
- Index of Prague Synagogues List of still active Synagogues in Prague with contacts and addresses
- 1901-1906 Jewish Encyclopedia article on Synagogue
- 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica article on Synagogue
- Picture Gallery - Visit over 100 synagogues, past and present
- 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia article on Synagogue
- Global Chabad-Lubavitch Centers and Institutions Directory
- GoDaven.com - Find an Orthodox Synagogue Anywhere in the World
- Who Invented the Synagogue? chabad. org
- Synagogues around the World at Beit Hatefutsot (The Nahum Goldmann Museum of the Jewish Diaspora)
- The Synagogue Companion
- MavenSearch Worldwide Comprehensive Synagogue Directory
- Aerial photographs: Synagogue - Budapest - Hungary
- [5]Murcia Spain comunidadjudia
- Synagogue & Rabbi Index
- The Great Synagogue Challenge-Try to Locate a Synagogue
- Guide to synagogues and other Jewish heritage sites in Slovakia
- B'Nai Israel Synagogue on GuidepostUSA
- Joseph Tabory, A list of articles on Synagogues (in various languages), in the DAAT site
- Eldridge Street Synagogue
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