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A synagogue (from Greek: συναγωγή,
transliterated synagogē, "assembly"; בית
כנסת beyt knesset, "house of assembly"; שול or בית תפילה
beyt t'fila, "house of prayer", shul; אסנוגה,
esnoga קהל kal) is a Jewish house of prayer. (it
might also be of interest that the word when broken down could mean,
"learning together" (syn - gr. together and aghoghei gr.
learning or training)
Synagogue is commonly spoken of as a "shul" by Orthodox
Jews, "synagogue" by Conservative, and "Temple"
by Reform. "Synagogue" is a good all-around word to cover
the preceding three possibilities.[1]
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 beth midrash—בית
מדרש ("House of Study").
Synagogues are not consecrated spaces, nor is a synagogue necessary
for worship. Jewish worship can be carried out wherever ten Jews
(a minyan) assemble. Worship can also be carried out alone or with
fewer than ten people assembled together. A synagogue is not in
the strictest sense a temple; it does not replace the long-since
destroyed Temple in Jerusalem.
In colloquial speech, Israelis use the term bet knesset (assembly
house). Jews of Ashkenazi descent have traditionally used the Yiddish
term "shul" (cognate with the German schule, school) in
everyday speech. Spanish and Portuguese Jews call the synagogue
an esnoga. Persian Jews and Karaite Jews use the term Kenesa, which
is derived from Aramaic, and some Arabic-speaking Jews use knis.
Some Reform and Conservative Jews use the word "temple". |
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Denver Shuls
Aharon's Jewish Books and Judaica
600 South Holly Street Suite 103
Denver, Colorado 80246
303-322-7345
800-830-8660
Map to Aharon's Jewish Books and Judaica
Store Hours
Monday through Thursday 9 AM to 8 PM
Friday 9 AM to 1 PM
Sunday 9 AM to 4 PM |