Visiting a Synagogue                                               The word ‘synagogue’ comes from the Greek word for assembly, it is where Jews met to pray, worship and study. The synagogue is also called Beirt Haknesset (House of Assembly), Berit Hamidrash (House of Study), Beirt Teffial (House of Prayer) and Beit Ha’am (House of the People). We do not know when the synagogue first came to be, however most scholars believe it started in Babylon. It is evident, however, that synagogues were well established by the time of Jesus.

Synagogue come in many different designs, traditional or modern, large or small, however whatever their design there are certain features that make them a synagogue. There is the Ner Tamid or the Everlasting Light that hangs over the Aron Hakodesh (the Holy Ark) to represent God’s eternal presence. A raised platform know as the Bimah or Almemar where the Ark is place and in some cases also where the rabbi delivers his sermon.  

When visiting a Synagogue males are expected to wear a hat or skull cap and at some synagogues the females are expected to sit upstairs away from the males. You would be given a prayerbook that contains English translations of all the prayers and at various points during the service you will be required to stand. In some synagogues the congregation may talk during the service, this is because Jew maintain that they are at ‘home’ in a synagogue and it is unlikely that you remain silent at home.

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