Synagogue

A synagogue or synagog (from Greek συναγωγη, transliterated sunagoge, "place of assembly" literally "meeting, assembly") is a Jewish house of prayer and study. The Hebrew term for synagogue is Beit Knesset (House of Assembly) or Beit Tefila (House of Prayer). There are usually separate rooms for prayer (the main sanctuary) and smaller rooms for study. Rooms set aside for study are referred to as a "Beth midrash" (Hebrew, House of Study.)

Varieties

Most Conservative and many Orthodox Jews refer to their houses of worship as synagogues; many Orthodox Jews use the Yiddish term shul (meaning "school"), and a few use the Hebrew term Beit Knesset (meaning "house of assembly"), or, amongst some Sephardim, the Spanish and Portuguese term esnoga. In the United States, most Reform and some Conservative Jews use the term "Temple" to describe their house of worship; but traditional Jews reject this term, because Judaism historically only had one Temple, the Temple in Jerusalem.

Related Topics:
Conservative - Orthodox - Jew - Yiddish - Sephardi - Spanish - Portuguese - United States - Reform - Judaism - Temple in Jerusalem

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Many Conservative and most Orthodox synagogues have prayer services every day: a morning service, and a combined afternoon-evening service. Larger (particularly Orthodox) synagogues may have multiple morning, afternoon, and evening services at different times, to accommodate the schedules of their congregants. There are special services on Shabbat (the Sabbath) and on the Jewish holidays; again, larger (particularly Orthodox) synagogues may have multiple simultaneous or overlapping services in different rooms, geared to different groups (e.g. early risers, families, children, young adults). Many Reform Temples only have prayer services once or twice a week.

Related Topics:
Prayer services - Shabbat - Jewish holidays

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Many Jews have a regular place of worship that is not a synagogue by the usual definition of the term. Many Haredi Jews worship in shteiblekh (Yiddish: "little houses"), rooms in private houses or places of business set aside for the express purpose of prayer. Shteiblekh (or "shteibls") may or may not offer the communal services of a synagogue, and many, particular those in business locations, are for prayer services alone. Many non-Orthodox Jews have formed chavurot (prayer fellowships) which meet at a regular place and time, usually in someone's house or apartment.

Related Topics:
Haredi Jews - Yiddish

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