The Synagogue – Gathering Together | Truth Or Tradition?
Posted By richards on September 25, 2015
Synagogue – Definition and Meaning, Bible Dictionary
Posted By richards on September 25, 2015
The Synagogue – Church of Christ Edgewood, Texas
Posted By richards on September 25, 2015
Synagogues are mentioned throughout the New Testament, but curiously, there is virtually no mention of them in the Old Testament. A number of profitable truths can be gleaned from a historical and Biblical study of synagogues.
The History of Synagogues The first synagogues probably originated during the Babylonian captivity of 606-536 B.C. Enslaved Jewish exiles who had been carried far from their homeland obviously could not travel to the temple to worship, and so they began to gather together in communities (assemblies, or synagogues) dedicated to preserving the word of God and their devotion to the Old Covenant. Although the Jews were permitted to return home in 536 B.C. (Ezra 2), millions never returned to Israel, but instead continued to live dispersed through various parts of the world. In Jesus day, there were 4.5 million Jews dispersed throughout the Roman Empire, a most of whom belonged to a local synagogue in the community where they lived. Thus, there were faithful pockets of Judaism scattered throughout the civilized world because of the existence of synagogues. These synagogues would later play a quite significant role in the spread of New Testament Christianity.
Synagogues were prolific in the Roman Empire; nearly every civilized town had at least one. To establish a synagogue, a community first needed to have ten adult Jewish males. Having met this requirement, a synagogue would be established as a place of worship, teaching and fellowship for Jews in a local community. Synagogues also sometimes served as a means of instructing Gentiles in the ways of the one true God. Judaism was attractive to many Greeks and Romans because it encouraged family stability, practiced monotheism (as opposed to the confusing array of mythological gods worshipped by the Romans), offered a well-defined moral and ethical code, and placed a high value on human life. Thus, many Greeks and Romans became noadiches, or God-fearers. These noadiches, while not converted to Judaism and the Law of Moses, were permitted to come to the synagogues, provided that they recognized and worshipped the God of Israel alone (cf. Acts 18:4-7).
Items in the Synagogues The architecture of synagogues in Bible times appears to have varied somewhat from place to place. However, history teaches that Jews often preferred to build synagogues at the highest locations possible as a symbol of the fact that worship of God was the highest endeavor in which one could involve himself. When high points were not available for constructing a synagogue, the buildings were often located near a river or sea.
Nearly every synagogue contained a holy ark (a chest or cabinet) in which the scrolls of Gods word were kept. The scrolls themselves were carefully constructed copies of the Old Testament Scriptures. At the end of each service, the scrolls would be carefully and reverently placed in the holy ark until the next service. It is not inaccurate to say that the Scriptures were considered the most sacred item inside a synagogue.
Each synagogue had a bema or platform at the center or one end of the room. The bema contained a reading desk (what we would call a podium) and the chief seats for those leading or presiding over the service (see Matt. 23:6; Luke 14:7). Seating was arranged so that everyone faced the bema. In many (but not all) synagogues, it appears that women customarily sat separate from men. Often, the walls of synagogues would be adorned with elaborate carvings reminding the Jews of their history and heritage. Continued next week JB
By the first century A.D., the synagogue had become a center of Jewish religious and social life in most communities. It is fascinating indeed to examine what Scripture and history have to teach about synagogues in Bible times.
Officers of the Synagogue A number of specialized tasks and responsibilities were handled by certain individuals in each local synagogue. For example, each synagogue had a, head, director, or ruler, of the Synagogue who was chosen from among the elders to arrange and supervise the orderliness of services (cf. Luke 13:14; Acts 13:15). Another official, known as the hazzan or minister, was often a paid employee responsible for blowing the shofar (rams) horn three times from the roof to signal the Sabbath. The hazzan was also responsible for copying and keeping scrolls in good condition, and he was responsible for reading the Scriptures in the public assembly if not enough readers were present. If a synagogue was especially fortunate, their hazzan would also be a trained scribe someone who had studied the Law extensively for years in order to be able to teach others better (cf. Ezra 7:10; John 7:14-15). In many parts of the ancient world, synagogues also needed interpreters or translators. Scripture would often be read in Hebrew or Greek and then translated into the native tongue of that region.
Worship in the Synagogue Generally, any Jewish male could lead a prayer or read and translate Scripture. Every service began with specific readings that had been prescribed by the scribes and rabbis. Most commonly read was the shema (hear) passage (Deut. 6:4-9). Nearly every service gave much attention to reading sections from the Law, the Prophets, and especially the Psalms. The congregation would stand as Scripture was read (cf. Neh. 8:1-8), and the reader was forbidden to take his eyes off the scroll in order to ensure that the word of God was communicated accurately (cf. Luke 4:16-20). Following a reading, a male in the synagogue (usually prepared in advance) would seek to apply the Scripture to life in the form of a brief sermon. Visiting rabbis were frequently asked to bring sermons to local synagogues (see Acts 13:15ff.).
Other Uses of the Synagogue In addition to a worship location, the synagogue also served other functions in a community. It was a school for training Jewish children in the Laws and ways of the Lord. It was not uncommon in the first century to find young children hard at work in synagogues memorizing the Torah, or Law of Moses. The synagogue also served as something of a community center for festivals, times of mourning and fasting, and as a center for feeding strangers and the poor. Sometimes the synagogue functioned as a court of law in which important questions regarding Gods law were decided. People could be banned from the synagogue (Jn. 9:22; 12:42), and sometimes corporal punishment (administered by the hazzan) could be applied for rebellion against the authorities usually 39 lashes to honor Gods commandment (cf. Deut. 25:3).
Some applications for Christians come to mind based on all these facts:
We ought to love and respect Scripture, and practice Scripture reading more, especially in our public assemblies. It was an essential part of synagogue worship.
We need to get serious about teaching our children the Bible in many cases that was the only education available in the first century
We need to appreciate the value of fellowship with both God and man (1 Jn. 1:7) -JB
Works Referenced for this article:
Elwell, Walter and Robert Yarbrough. Encountering the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1998.
Synagogue. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. 1915. 4 vol. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988.
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The Synagogue - Church of Christ Edgewood, Texas
Whats the difference between a temple, synagogue, and a shul …
Posted By richards on September 25, 2015
I grew up going to a temple. Whats the difference between a temple, synagogue, and a shul?
Essentially, these names are almost synonyms today. However, it is useful to take a look at their historical evolution.
Traditionally, Jewish congregations were known as kehillot kodesh, Holy Assemblies (in single form, a kahal kodesh). They were also referred to as batei knesset, Houses of Assembly. The Greek translation -synagog means "assembly." Today, the Knesset (Parliament) is the Israeli legislative assembly.
While the beth hamikdash (the ancient Jerusalem Temple) existed, the role of synagogues may have been quite different than they are today. We do know that they existed in Palestine, Babylonia, and elsewhere; we know that the Torah was read in them on a regular basis and tefilot, prayers or Psalms, were recited as part of the service.
When the Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE, the synagogue became more vitally central to the establishment of Jewish communities all over the world.
Synagogues were also called batei tefila, Houses of Prayer, and batei midrash, Houses of Study. In Eastern and Central Europe, this led to the synagogue being called a shul, the Yiddish word for a school.
When the Reform movement emerged as a lay movement in the first decade of the 19th century, the first temple was established in Hamburg, Germany. The use of the name temple was intentional. It was a statement about the traditional belief in the restoration of the ancient Temple in messianic times.
These Jewish Reformers believed that Jewish continuity in the modern civil state was to be maintained by avoiding any whiff of dual loyalty. Could Jews be good German citizens and still hope and pray for the restoration of Jerusalem and the Holy Temple? Would it be a contradiction to the essence of their newly acquired status as emancipated Jews with rights of citizenship?
The establishment of the Hamburg Temple was thus a statement that Hamburg was their Jerusalem, and that their Temple was a replacement for the Ancient Temple that had stood there before.
This trend continued for well over a hundred years. Since the late 1920s, Reform ideology has moved a long way from those days in Hamburg. The name temple, however, remained, and in the 1950s and 60s spread to the Conservative movement as well.
For the Conservatives, the appellation temple referred to the concept of the synagogue being a mikdash meat, a diminutive Temple, fulfilling the rabbinic prescription of replacing the ancient Temple rites with tefilot and Torah readings and teachings. Conservative Judaism also revised its allegiance to the traditional prayers for the restoration of the ancient Temple and its offerings. They saw these as phenomena to remember but not to be revived in the messianic age.
So today there is really no substantive difference between calling a Jewish congregation a temple, a kehilla or a shul. Whatever one calls our congregations, all of them are striving to transform themselves into centers of Jewish identity, Jewish solidarity, and Jewish learning; all of them are committed to the creation and maintenance of caring and compassionate communities.
Rabbi Moshe Waldoks serves an independent shul, Temple Beth Zion(TBZ), in Brookline.
Have other questions about "Jewish language?" Check out InterfaithFamily'sJewish Language Cheat Sheet.
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Whats the difference between a temple, synagogue, and a shul ...
Budapest Great Synagogue, in Dohany Street, Tours
Posted By richards on September 25, 2015
The 2nd Largest, and the Most Beautiful in the World History, Photos, Kosher Restaurants in the Area The Great Synagogue of Budapest (also known as the Central Synagogue) in Dohny Street is a good starting point to learn about Jewish Budapest. Find out about the history and architecture of this wonderful Jewish religious monument.
You can also take one of the three Jewish Heritage tours to visit the Dohany Street synagogue and related sights, incluidng the Jewish Museum.
The Jewish Quarter (district VII.) hides many treasures, so devote enough time to explore it.
The Great Synagogue in Budapest Dohany Street
Quick Links
TIP: The best way to explore the many Jewish sights of the Hungarian capital is to go on a guided tour: you can choose from two tours: a shorter and a longer more, detailed one.
Address: Dohny utca 2-8. in district VII., at an angle to Kroly krt, between Dek tr and Astoria Tel: +36 1 317 2754
Public Transport:
Winter (cc. 02. November till 28. February)
Summer (01. March 31. October)
Note: The Ticket Office closes half an hour before the synagogues closing time.
The synagogue is closed on the following days in 2015:
Single ticket, synagogue + museum, without guiding:
Single tickets with guiding:
Inside the synagogue you have to wear a small skullcap called kipah or yarmulke. Youll receive one at the entrance.
Ornate Interior of the Synagogue
Jews were banned from the city in the 18th century, so they established a Jewish quarter just outside the old city boundary. Remains of the old Pest city walls run on the opposite side of the road.
The Jews built their main synagogue in a residential area. Theodore Herzl, founder of modern Zionism was born in one of the buildings.
This stunning temple was constructed between 1844-59 according to Ludwig Frsters plans. The second largest synagogue (the largest stands in New York) in the world can take in 3,000 people.
Its Byzantine-Moorish style will fascinate you and remind you of monuments in the Middle-East. Two onion-shaped domes sit on the twin towers at 43 m height. The towers symbolize the two columns of Solomons Temple.
The spacious interior has equally rich decorations. A single-span cast iron supports the 12-m wide nave.
The seats on the ground-floor are for men, while the upper gallery has seats for women.
Surprisingly, the synagogue has an organ, though this instrument is used in Christian churches. The temples acoustic make it a popular venue for concerts.
The Dohny Street synagogue witnessed the tragic events of WW II.
The Germans established a ghetto for the Jews in 1944 that served as a gathering place for deportation. Many people found refugee in the Dohny utca synagogue but thousands died during the bleak winter of 1944/45. Their bodies are buried in the courtyard.
In the cobbled Raoul Wallenberg (Swedish diplomat who saved many Jews during WW II) park stands the Holocaust Memorial by Imre Varga.
It was erected in 1989 above the mass graves in the honour and memory of Hungarian Jewish martyrs. On each leave of the metal weeping willow tree you can read a name of a martyr. You can also see a piece of brick from the original ghetto wall in the garden.
Behind the main building stands the Heroes Temple that was built in 1929-31 to commmemorate the Jews who died in the First World War.
A restoration of Budapests Great Synagogue was finished a couple yeras ago, funded partly by a foundation set up by Tony Curtis who has Hungarian roots.
The adjacent Jewish Museum (on the left of the synagogue) has a Holocaust memorial room and displays about the Jewish culture. The museum has the same opening hours than the synagogue.
Read more about Jewish Budapest.
Youll find some good eateries nearby including kosher, and non-kosher restaurants with fine Hungarian-Jewish cuisine. The area is literally packed with terraced restaurants and cafes.
Address: Dohany utca 5., district VII. Open: Mon-Sat: 12.00 23.00 Tel: +36 1 269 6806
Fine Italian food in the vicinity of the great synagogue. Tasty pasta dishes, fish soup friendly staff.
Prices are a bit high but so is the quality of food and service.
Address: Dob utca 15., district VII. Open: Mon-Sun: 8.00 11.00 Tel: +36 1 413 7488
A cozy restaurant with elegant turn-of- the-20th century decor and good food.
The Spinoza also functions as a theatre, and gallery.
Daily menu at a favorable price, good wine list, and breakfast. Klezmer show each Friday evening.
Address: Dob utca 22., district VII. Open: Mon-Thurs: 9.00 18.00, Fri: 9.00 14.00, Sat: closed, Sun: 10.00 18.00 Tel: +36 1 266-1733
A bit run-down from the outside, this family-run kosher restaurant has been operating for nearly six decades. Real kosher pastries and sweet treats.
The fldni is a must.
A non-kosher restaurant offering Hungarian, international, and Jewish specialties.
Address: Dob utca 31., district VII. Open: 12.00 23.00 every day, except Saturday night: 18.00 23.00 Tel: +36 1 322 1834
See also our page about Top Restaurants or our recommendation of Hungarian Restaurants in Budapest.
Address: Kazinczy Stret 31. Open:
A bit touristy (=pricey) but the food is good in Carmel. It had never been a cheap restaurant, but since its glatt kosher status prices have risen to the sky: soups are 1 400 1 800 HUF, mains are cc. 4 000 6 000 HUF, a Carmel plate for two is 11 000 HUF.
If you can afford it, try the Jewish specialties Carmel is known for: meat soup with Matzo balls (1 400 HUF), cholent with smoked meat (4 000 HUF), and fldni for dessert (1 400 HUF). They also have Sabbath menu (5 000 6 000 HUF).
Address: Dob utca 37., district VII. Open: 8.00 22.00 every day. exc. Saturday night
The Hanna Ort Kosher Restaurant is located in the courtyard of the Kazinczy Synagogue, but entrance is from Dob utca, that intersects Kazinczy utca. Hanna opened at the beginning of the 1960s and it offers traditional Hungarian and Jewish cuisine.
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Budapest Great Synagogue, in Dohany Street, Tours
Congregation Beth Israel – Reform Jewish Synagogue in Houston …
Posted By richards on September 25, 2015
Congregation Beth Israel is a Reform Jewish Synagogue located in Houston, Texas. We are also home to the Jewish-based Shlenker School for pre-K to fifth grade children and the Houston-based Hebrew Religious School for children and adults preparing for Bar/Bat Mitzvah.
As a Reform Jewish Synagogue, we are dedicated to studying and living by the teachings of Torah. Our diverse Jewish and interfaith family members welcome you to be a guest at our worship services.
Whether you are newly married, new parents, or wanting to understand Judaism, our worship services enrich both mind and spirit:
Join our Hebrew Religious School for children and adults, tour our highly-recognized pre-K to fifth grade school for children,The Shlenker School , or participate in one of our many Houston-based programs for young married interfaith couples , understanding Judaism, Judaism conversion, or preparation for Bar/Bat Mitzvah.
Congregation Beth Israel is led by Rabbi David Lyon , Cantor Daniel Mutlu, Associate Rabbi Adrienne Scott, and Assistant Rabbi Joshua Herman providing inspiration in a fulfilling Jewish life.
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Budapest Dohany street Great Synagogue – the largest …
Posted By richards on September 25, 2015
A Harmony of the Life of Jesus – The Synagogue
Posted By richards on September 25, 2015
Synagogue – VIENNA NOW OR NEVER
Posted By richards on September 25, 2015
The Jewish City Temple was built in the years 1825-26 by Josef Kornhusel, the most eminent architect of the Vienna Biedermeier era.
He designed the building's interior and the religious objects as well. Since only Catholic buildings were places of worship permitted to stand adjacent to major streets, the Synagogue was fitted into an apartment complex: This is the reason that it was the only building, of 94 Jewish synagogues and temples, to survive the November pogroms of 1938 (November 9-10) without being completely destroyed.
This memorial site in the foyer of the Vienna Stadttempel Synagogue was opened at the end of 2002. It is a memorial for the 65,000 assassinated Austrian Jews, whose names are engraved on rotating slate tablets. In the center of the memorial, which was created by architect Thomas Feiger, a broken-off granite column symbolizes the Jewish community of Vienna, which was destroyed in 1938 by the Nazis.
Guided tours only: Mon - Thu 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., closed on pub. hols. (Bring a photo Identity Card!) Groups only by prior arrangement: Tel.: +43 - 1 - 535 0431 311
Jewish Community of Vienna
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Synagogue - VIENNA NOW OR NEVER
Israeli jets bomb Gaza Strip after rockets fired at south …
Posted By simmons on September 25, 2015
Israeli Air Force jets bombed targets in the northern Gaza Strip early Saturday morning following rocket fire late Friday at cities in southern Israel.
The IDF said in a statement that Israeli planes struck three targets in the northern Gaza Strip belonging to Hamas. Local reports identified the locations as near the Gaza Strip town of Jabaliya.
There were no injuries in the strikes, the al-Watan Voice news site reported.
Earlier, the Israeli Navy fired on targets in Gaza, according to Walla news.
The reported strikes came shortly after Israels Iron Dome missile defense system intercepted a rocket fired at the southern city of Ashkelon on Friday night, hours after a similar attack saw a rocket strike open land in a residential area of Sderot.
The interception was the first since last summers war between Israel and armed Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip last summer.
Local residents reported hearing loud explosions in the Ashkelon area shortly before midnight. There were no injuries reported in the attack. The Israel Defense Forces were investigating whether there were any strikes on Israeli soil, Channel 10 television reported.
There were no injuries reported in the Sderot strike, although there was some damage to property, and several people needed treatment for shock.
A Palestinian Salafist group affiliated with the Islamic State took responsibility for the rocket attacks shortly after midnight on Saturday. The Sheikh Omar Hadid Brigade has claimed a number of rocket attacks against Israel this year in defiance of Gazas Hamas rulers.
Israel Police said that a bus was damaged in the Sderot strike, while the Ynet website reported that a home was also damaged. The residents were inside at the time of the strike, Ynet said, adding that several people were treated at the scene for shock. One woman was taken to Barzilai Medical Center in Ashkelon after complaining of chest pains and ringing in her ears, the website reported.
The sirens sounded at around 8:45 p.m. Friday night in southern Israeli communities along the Gaza border, after Israeli defenses identified two rocket launches from the coastal strip.
Air raid sirens sounded in Sderot and nearby communities, Channel 10 television said. The Home Front Command confirmed the rocket launches and instructed local residents to enter their protected areas.
Residents of Sderot reported, however, that public bomb shelters, which ordinarily open automatically once sirens sound, didnt unlock during Friday nights incident.
Sderot municipality called Friday night for a strong Israeli response to the rocket fire.
There is a pattern of activity designed to harm [local] inhabitants, in particular at sensitive times such as the holidays, the city council said. We have to exact a heavy price from Hamas and respond aggressively to the fire and not just as a response.
The attack followed a day of clashes in Jerusalem between Israeli security forces and Palestinian protesters.
The Islamist Hamas movement, which rules the Gaza Strip, had declared Friday to be a Day of Rage in response to days of violence on and around the Temple Mount a site holy to Jews and Muslims that houses the al-Aqsa Mosque.
Israel had restricted entry to the Mount for Friday prayers earlier in the day, allowing only women and men over the age of 40 to pray there. Hundreds of Palestinians protested outside the Damascus Gate on Friday and three Border Police officers were wounded in an attack in the Jabel Mukaber neighborhood of Jerusalem.
Sderot and the surrounding area were battered by rockets during Israels 50-day war with Hamas last summer. The rocket strikes mostly tailed off after the conflict, although there has been sporadic fire in recent days as tensions flared in Jerusalem. Most recently, a rocket fired at Israel from Gaza early Wednesday fell short of the border and landed in the Palestinian coastal territory.
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Israeli jets bomb Gaza Strip after rockets fired at south ...
