The Synagogue

Synagogue is the central hub of Jewish worship, it’s often a place of community and study as well as worship.
Aron HaKodesh is the ‘Holy Ark’ where the Torah scrolls are kept in a synagogue.
The Ner Tamid, an ‘Eternal Light’, hangs above the Aron HaKodesh, signifying God’s eternal presence.
Many synagogues contain a bimah, an elevated platform from where the Torah is read.
The lectern, or almemar, is where the rabbi stands to deliver his sermons.
The synagogue is usually orientated so that the congregants face Jerusalem while praying.

Synagogue services include the recitation of prayers, reading from the Torah, and a sermon from the rabbi.
Men and women sit separately in Orthodox synagogues, while they sit together in Reform and most Conservative synagogues.
The faithful wear tallitot (prayer shawls) and kippot (skullcaps) during services.
The Amidah and the Shema are focal points of every service.
The main service of the week is held on the morning of Shabbat (the Sabbath).

The Rabbi is the religious leader of a Jewish community. He leads services, offers spiritual guidance, and performs religious ceremonies.
A Rabbi is also responsible for interpreting Jewish law and tradition.
The Rabbi facilitates learning about Judaism and supports the community in living according to Jewish teachings.
Rabbis are traditionally male in Orthodox communities, but women can be rabbis in Reform and some Conservative communities.

Important life-cycle events such as Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, baby-naming ceremonies, weddings, and funerals take place at the synagogue.
Bar Mitzvah (for boys at age 13) and Bat Mitzvah (for girls at age 12 or 13) are coming-of-age ceremonies where the child becomes responsible for their own spiritual wellbeing.
Jewish weddings feature the symbolic breaking of a glass, representing the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, and the couple’s commitment to rebuild it in their lifetime.
Funerals often involve the mourning process of sitting shiva – a seven-day period of intense mourning which begins immediately after the funeral.

Major Jewish holidays such as Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, and Hanukkah are celebrated in the synagogue.
The synagogue also hosts community events and celebrations.
During the holiday of Simchat Torah, Jews celebrate at the synagogue by dancing with the Torah scrolls.
The synagogue is a central place of coming together and celebrating these special religious occasions as a community.