Synagogue

From Open Encyclopedia

A synagogue (Hebrew: בית כנסת ; beit knesset, "house of assembly"; Yiddish: שול, shul) is a Jewish place of religious worship. The word "synagogue" is derived from the Greek συναγωγή, transliterated sunagoge, "place of assembly" literally "meeting, assembly". It is where Judaism's Jewish services are held and conducted .

The Hebrew term for synagogue is Beit Knesset - בית כנסת ("House of Assembly", not to be confused with the Knesset which is the modern name for the parliament of Israel, a political institution). Some congregations call their synagogues by other names, such as Beit Tefila - בית תפילה ("House of Prayer").

A synagogue usually includes a large hall for prayer (the main sanctuary) and smaller rooms for study, as well as a social hall and offices. Some larger synagogues may have a room set aside for Torah study which is referred to as a Beth midrash - בית מדרש ("House of Study").

Many Orthodox Jews and most Conservative Jews in Anglo-Saxon countries refer to their houses of worship as synagogues. Spanish and Portuguese Jews call the synagogue an esnoga, which derives from "synagogue". Modern-day Karaites tend to use the term Kenesa, which is derived from Aramaic. Most Reform and some Conservative congregations in the United States call their house of worship a "temple," although Reform Jews in the United Kingdom do not.

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1 History
2 Function
3 Design
4 Karaite synagogues
5 Famous synagogues
6 Synagogue offshoots
7 See also
8 External links

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History

Before the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, communal prayers centered around the korbanot ("sacrificial offerings") brought by the kohanim ("Jewish priests") in the Holy Temple. The all-day Yom Kippur service, in fact, was an event in which the congregation observed the movements of the kohen gadol ("Jewish high priest") as he offered the day's sacrifices, and prayed for his success.

The destructions 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. 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 Jerusaalem. 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. This "portable Judaism" was part of what contributed to the saving of the Jewish people with a unique identity and way of worship, according to historians. Thus, up until the present time, whenever any group of ten men comes together, they become a minyan, and are eligible to conduct public prayer services, usually in a synagogue.

In Eastern Europe, synagogues were established by like-minded groups of people. Such a synagogue was known as a kloiz, and was often delineated by the professions of its worshippers: e.g. "the tailor's kloiz," the "water-carrier's kloiz," etc. One kloiz which still bears that name today is the Breslov kloiz built by Nathan of Breslov in the city of Uman, Ukraine in 1834. Today, this kloiz accommodates worshippers in the annual Breslover Rosh Hashana kibbutz (prayer gathering).

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Function

Though prayers can be recited anywhere (except in nonhygienic or immodest environments), according to halakha Jews should—and men must—pray three times a day, ideally in a quorum of 10 men called a minyan. (Reform Jews often expand this definition to mean "ten people.") A synagogue's primary purpose is typically geared to accommodate such communal prayer.

Most Orthodox and many Conservative synagogues host prayer services every day. Some schedule a morning service and a combined afternoon-evening service to accommodate working people. A lesson in Mishna or other text may take place between the afternoon and evening services. Larger (particularly Orthodox) synagogues schedule multiple morning, afternoon, and evening services at different times to accommodate the varying schedules of their many congregants. Special services are held on Shabbat and Jewish holidays—again, larger (particularly Orthodox) synagogues may have several simultaneous or overlapping services in different rooms of the synagogue which are geared to different groups (e.g. early risers, families, children, young adults). Reform houses of worship only hold prayer services once or twice a week, except during festivals and other special services.

Synagogues also cater to communal activities. Shabbat kiddushes, banquets in honor of bar mitzvahs, bat mitzvahs, luncheon meetings or fund-raisers sponsored by the synagogue's men's club or sisterhood society, Purim carnivals, and Passover Seders often take place in the synagogue's social hall. Adult-education classes, after-school "Hebrew schools," and conversion classes also meet at the synagogue; hence, the common Yiddish term shul for synagogue, which comes from the Middle High German word for school.

Typically a synagogue (especially in North America and in Europe) will have a dual leadership: a lay leadership comprising a committee and a president (or chairperson) who may be elected by all members, and a rabbi, a spiritual guide who is usually appointed by the lay leadership. A rabbi is not essential, however, and many synagogues do not have one. The main job of leading the prayers goes to the Hazzan or cantor, (called in Hebrew the Ba'al Tefila - בעל תפילה [Leader of the Prayers] or Shaliach Tzibbur - שליח ציבור [Representative of the Congregation]). The position of Hazzan could be assumed by any member of the minyan, or it may be appointed specially by the synagogue. In Conservative and Reform synagogues, the Hazzan is often hired exclusively for the High Holidays services on account of his beautiful singing voice.

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Design

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The architectural shapes and interior designs of synagogues vary greatly. Other local religious buildings and national culture usually influence synagogue architecture.

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Traditional and Orthodox synagogues

Orthodox Judaism has considered synagogue construction over the last two thousand years as following the outlines of the original Tabernacle, which was also the outline for the temples in Jerusalem until they were destroyed. Every synagogue has at its front an ark, aron, containing the Torah scrolls comparable to the Ark of the Covenant which contained the tablets with Ten Commandments. This is the holiest spot in a synagogue, equivalent to the Holy of Holies.

There is also usually a lamp that is constantly lit, ner tamid, and/or a candelabrum lit during services, near this spot, similar to the original Menorah. At the center of the synagogue is a large elevated area, known as the bimah where the Torah is read. This is equivalent to the Tabernacle's altars upon which incense and animal sacrifices were offered. On the main holidays the kohanim ("Jewish priests"), gather at the front of the synagogue to bless the congregation as did their priestly ancestors in the Tabernacle from Aaron onwards.

Until the 19th century, the synagogue interior was laid out with both a spiritual and a communal focus. In an Ashkenazi synagogue, all seats faced the aron kodesh (Ark) in which the Torah scrolls were housed. 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. 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.

A place of worship which is often a small synagogue is the shtiebel (שטיבל, pl. shtiebelekh or shtiebels, Yiddish for "little house") that is frequently used by and preferred by Hasidic and Haredi Jews. 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. It may or may not offer the communal services of a synagogue.

In Israel, minyans are held in storefront shtiebelekh in major business areas around the clock; whenever ten men show up, a new minyan begins.

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Reform synagogues and temples

The German Reform movement which arose in the early 1800s made many changes in the traditional look of the synagogue in keeping with its desire to stay Jewish but be accepted by the host culture. The first Reform synagogue which opened in Hamburg in 1811 featured changes that made the synagogue look more like a church, including 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 [1].

Image:Berlin Neue Synagoge 2005.jpg In coming decades, the central reader's table would be moved to the front of the Reform sanctuary. An elevated platform called a bimah was installed in the front of the sanctuary, at which the rabbi delivered his sermon (previously unheard-of in an Orthodox synagogue), much as the Christian priests delivered their sermons in church. Bar mitzvah ceremonies were replaced by "confirmation" ceremonies. The entire synagogue was rechristened a "temple," to emphasize that the movement no longer looked forward to the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem.

With the emigration of German Reform Jews to America in the mid-19th century, the synagogue exterior also changed. The wealthy German Jewish immigrants built grandiose temples modeled after churches. Temple Emanu-El, the oldest Reform congregation founded in New York City in 1845, constructed an imposing, Moorish-style building with towering limestone walls on Fifth Avenue in 1929, rivalling the design of great cathedrals of Europe. Inside, arched walls and Tiffany and stained-glass windows accentuated the 2,500-seat main sanctuary and a smaller, 350-seat "chapel."

Reform temples built in other American cities displayed Romanesque, Byzantine and other grand, church-like designs. As of 2005, the Reform movement in the US encompasses approximately 900 congregations.

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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, its synagogue design is not consistent—it may either look like the Reform version, complete with organ, or like an Orthodox synagogue, with a dividing barrier between men and women. There are approximately 750 Conservative synagogues in the US today.

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Reconstructionist synagogues

The Reconstructionist movement, which arose in America in the latter half of the 20th century, counts less than 100 synagogues worldwide.

Today's synagogue may contain any (or none) of these features:

an Ark (called the aron ha-kodesh - ארון קודש [Holy Ark] by Ashkenazim and hekhal - היכל [temple] by Sephardim) where the Torah scrolls are kept (the ark is often closed with an ornate curtain (parokhet - פרוכת) outside or inside the Ark doors);
a large, raised, reader's platform (called the bimah - בימה - by Ashkenazim and tebah by Sephardim), where the Torah is read (and from where the services are conducted in Sephardi synagogues);
an Eternal Light (ner tamid - נר תמיד), a continually-lit lamp or lantern used as a reminder of the constantly lit menorah of the Temple in Jerusalem; and,
(mainly in Ashkenazi synagogues) a pulpit facing the congregation for the use of the rabbi, from and a pulpit or amud - עמוד (Hebrew for "post" or "column") facing the Ark where the Hazzan stands while leading the prayer service.

The Ark in a synagogue is positioned in such a way that those who face it, face towards Jerusalem. Thus, sanctuary seating plans in the Western world generally face east, while those east of Israel face west. Sanctuaries in Israel face towards Jerusalem. Occasionally synagogues face other directions for structural reasons, in which case the community may turn to face Jerusalem when standing for prayers.

A synagogue may be decorated with artwork, but three-dimensional sculptures and depictions of the human body are not allowed, as these are considered akin to idolatry. Synagogue windows are often curved at the top and squared at the bottom, recalling the popular depiction of the shape of the Lukhot (Tablets of the Law) which Moses received from God at Mount Sinai. 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. However, this design element is voluntary.

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Karaite synagogues

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Famous synagogues

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. Many were also destroyed or fell into disrepair during the Nazis' conquest of Europe, during which many communities were wiped out. The oldest one left standing is the Alteneushul (Old-New Synagogue) in Prague, Czech Republic, which dates from the 13th century.

The Paradesi Synagogue in the old city of Kochi, Kerala State, India, dates from 1568.

The Bevis Marks Synagogue in the City of London is the oldest continually functioning synagogue in the world. It was founded by Sephardi Jews in 1701.

The Snoa Synagogue in Willemstad, Curaçao, Netherland Antilles is the oldest synagogue still standing and in continuous use in the Western Hemisphere. It was originally built by the Sephardic Congregation Mikvé Israel in 1692 and was reconstructed in 1732.

Image:Templebethel.jpg The Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island is the oldest Jewish house of worship in North America. It was built in 1759 for the Jeshuat Israel congregation, which was established in 1658.

In Israel and regions of the Diaspora archaeologists have uncovered many ruins of synagogues from thousands of years ago. The small ruined synagogue at Masada is one of the most well-documented; it dates from the time of the Second Temple. Synagogues have also been discovered in Egypt and on the island of Delos which predate the synagogue at Masada.

Image:PilsenSynagogue.JPG The largest synagogue in the world is Temple Emanu-El, a Reform house of worship located on Fifth Avenue, New York City, with an area of 3,523 sq m.

Other large synagogues include the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem, Israel; Dohány Street Synagogue in Budapest, Hungary; and the Great Synagogue in Plzeň, Czech Republic. The synagogue of Congregation Beth Israel in West Hartford, Connecticut has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

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Synagogue offshoots

Another type of communal prayer group, favored by some non-Orthodox Jews, is the chabura (חבורה, pl. chaburot, חבורות), or prayer fellowship. These meet at a regular place and time, usually in a private home.

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