The Role Of The Synagogue Flashcards
What are the three roles of the synagogue?
-a place of study
-a place of celebration
-a place of community
How is the synagogue a place of study?
-Many Jews will use the synagogue as a place to study. Young Jews will attend lessons where they will learn the basic religious teachings of the faith.
- Older Jews will study the Torah throughout their lives, and most synagogues will have a library full of the Jewish sacred texts for their followers to study.
How is the synagogue a place of celebration?
-The synagogue is also used as a place for various Jewish rites of passage and celebrations to take place. Ceremonies such as the Bar Mitzvah and Jewish wedding and funeral ceremonies will all take place in the synagogue.
- “Go forth and multiply” - Genesis in the Torah on marriage
How is the synagogue a place of community?
-An important role of the synagogue is its function as a social welfare agency, collecting and dispensing money & other items for the aid of the poor and needy within the community
- “God made mankind in his image” - Genesis in the Torah about God making all people, showing that everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.
What is the synagogue?
A House of assembly. Building for Jewish public prayer, study, and assembly.
What is the minyan?
Traditionally, a group of ten men over the age of 13 who when praying together, will be in the presence of God
What would an Orthodox service look like?
- Men and women are sat separately to avoid any distractions from worshipping God.
- For Orthodox Jews, only men can be part of the minyan, the Torah says “And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them”
- In an Orthodox Jewish synagogue, the service will be led by a male rabbi (a religious leader) and the service will happen in Hebrew.
- There is singing but no musical instruments are used. This is to show mourning for the loss of the Temple in Jerusalem.
What would a reform service look like?
- In a Reform synagogue, men and women can sit together
- The minyan can be 10 people of any gender for Reform Jews. - Rabbis can be male or female in a Reform synagogue. - The service is said in both English and Hebrew.
