Synagogue facts for kids
A synagogue is a special building where Jewish people gather. It's a place for them to worship and pray to God.
In Hebrew, a synagogue is called beit knesset. This means "house of gathering." The word "synagogue" comes from the Greek word sunagoge. Inside a synagogue, Jews hold their Jewish services, which include prayers and sometimes special actions.
Contents
What is a Synagogue?
A synagogue is more than just a place to pray. It's a community hub. It usually has a large room for prayers. There might also be smaller rooms for studying Jewish texts. Many synagogues have offices and a big room for special events like celebrations or community meals.
Inside a Synagogue
The main prayer hall of a synagogue is designed in a special way. The front of the synagogue always faces towards Jerusalem in Israel. This direction is very important in Jewish prayer.
The Holy Ark
At the front of the synagogue is the holiest part, called the Ark. This is like a special closet. Inside the Ark are the Torah scrolls. These scrolls contain the most sacred writings of Judaism. A beautiful curtain usually covers the front of the Ark.
The Eternal Lamp
Above the Ark, you will see a light that is always lit. This is called the "Eternal Lamp". It's a symbol that reminds everyone that God is always present.
The Bimah
Every synagogue has a raised platform known as the "Bimah". This is where the person leading the service stands to read from the Torah scroll. The Bimah can be in the middle of the prayer hall or closer to the Ark.
Seating in Synagogues
In some synagogues, men and women sit in different areas. Sometimes there's even a short wall between them. This tradition helps people focus better on their prayers and worship.
Different Names for Synagogues
Jewish people use various names for their synagogues.
- Many Orthodox and Conservative Jews in English-speaking countries use "synagogue" or "shul." "Shul" is a word from Yiddish, a Jewish language.
- Jews who speak Spanish or Portuguese often call synagogues esnoga.
- Some Jews also refer to the synagogue as a temple.
Where Can Jews Worship?
Jewish worship doesn't always have to happen in a synagogue. It can take place anywhere where at least ten Jewish adults are gathered. This group of ten is called a minyan. So, a minyan could pray in someone's home, on a cruise ship, or even on an airplane!
Some synagogues have a separate room specifically for studying the Torah. This room is called a beth midrash, which means "house of study." Certain types of Jewish worship can even be done alone or with fewer than ten people.
Images for kids
-
Scolanova Synagogue, Trani, Italy
-
Great Synagogue of Florence
-
Aerial view of the synagogue of the Kaifeng Jewish community in China.
-
New York's Reform Temple Emanu-El
-
Interior of the Belz Great Synagogue in Jerusalem.
-
Fresco at the Dura-Europos synagogue, showing a scene from the Book of Esther, 244 CE.
-
The Kahal Zur Israel Synagogue (1636) in Recife, the site of the oldest synagogue in the Americas.
-
Touro Synagogue, the oldest surviving synagogue building in the U.S.
-
Painting of the interior of the Portuguese Synagogue (Amsterdam) by Emanuel de Witte (c. 1680)
-
Mosaic in the Tzippori Synagogue
-
Ruins of the ancient synagogue of Kfar Bar'am
-
Gothic interior of the 13th-century Old New Synagogue of Prague
-
Interior of the Portuguese Synagogue (Amsterdam) showing Tebah in the foreground, and Torah Ark in the background.
-
Bimah of the Łańcut Synagogue
-
The Synagogue in the Gerard Doustraat in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
-
The New Synagogue in Berlin, Germany.
-
The Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
-
The Great Synagogue of Plzeň, Czech Republic.
-
The main synagogue of Frankfurt am Main (Germany) before the Kristallnacht.
-
The Lesko Synagogue in Lesko, Poland.
-
The Bobowa Synagogue in Bobowa, Poland.
-
The Baal Shem Tov's shul in Medzhybizh, Ukraine (c. 1915).
-
The Belzer synagogue of Belz, Ukraine.
-
The Cymbalista Synagogue and Jewish Heritage Center at Tel Aviv University.
-
The synagogue of Kherson, Ukraine.
-
The dome of the Hurva Synagogue dominated the skyline of the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem from 1864 to 1948.
-
The remains of the Hurva Synagogue from 1977 to 2003.
-
The Ashkenazi Synagogue of Istanbul, Turkey, founded in 1900.
-
The interior of a Karaite synagogue.
-
The Central Synagogue on Lexington Avenue in Manhattan, New York City, USA.
-
Temple Emanu-El, the oldest synagogue in Miami Beach, Florida, built in Byzantine style.
-
The Grand Choral Synagogue of St. Petersburg, Russia
-
The Paradesi Synagogue in Kochi, Kerala, India
-
Great Synagogue of Rome, Italy
-
Abuhav synagogue, Israel
-
Ari Ashkenazi Synagogue, Israel
-
Santa María la Blanca, Spain
-
Córdoba Synagogue, Spain
-
El Transito Synagogue, Spain
-
Székesfehérvár synagogue, Hungary (c. 1930s).
-
Sofia Synagogue, Bulgaria
-
The Erfurt Synagogue is the oldest synagogue in Europe.
-
The Ohev Sholom Talmud Torah, the National Synagogue, in Washington, D.C.
-
Beth Yaakov Synagogue, Switzerland
-
Sanctuary ark for Lincoln Square Synagogue, New York City (2013), by David Ascalon.
-
Synagogue, Szombathely, Hungary
-
Bevis Marks Synagogue, City of London, the oldest synagogue in the United Kingdom.
-
Stockholm Synagogue, Sweden
See also
In Spanish: Sinagoga para niños
