ETYM French, from Latin synagoga, Greek, a bringing together, an assembly, a synagogue; syn with + agein to lead. Related to Syn-, and Agent.
The house of worship for a Jewish congregation.
Jewish place of worship, also called a temple by the non-Orthodox. As an institution it dates from the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem AD 70, although it had been developing from the time of the Babylonian Exile as a substitute for the Temple. In antiquity it was a public meeting hall where the Torah was also read, but today it is used primarily for prayer and services. A service requires a quorum (minyan) of ten adult Jewish men.
In addition to the ark (the sacred ornamented enclosure that holds the Torah scrolls) the synagogue contains a raised platform (bimah) from which the service is conducted, with seats for the hereditary high priests. The rest of the congregation sits or stands facing it. Two tablets above the ark are inscribed with the Ten Commandments. In Orthodox synagogues women sit apart from the men.