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Judaism

The synagogue and its features

  • 3 things to know
  • Paper 1

Overview

These questions describe the synagogue and its names, the aron hakodesh, ner tamid and bimah, the mechitzah and the minyan, the language and music of services, and how Orthodox and Reform synagogues differ.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

What is a synagogue?

Key term

What do the names beit knesset and beit midrash mean?

Key term

Why is the synagogue important to a Jewish community?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What is a synagogue?

    Model answer

    A synagogue is a Jewish building used for prayer, study and community life. Many Jews call it shul or beit knesset.

  2. 2

    What do the names beit knesset and beit midrash mean?

    Model answer

    Beit knesset means house of assembly. Beit midrash means house of study.

  3. 3

    Why is the synagogue important to a Jewish community?

    Model answer

    The synagogue provides a place for public prayer with a minyan. Classes, festivals, weddings and social events also happen there.

  4. 4

    What is the aron hakodesh?

    Model answer

    The aron hakodesh is the ark that holds the Torah scrolls. The ark is set into the wall facing Jerusalem.

  5. 5

    Why is the aron hakodesh the holiest place in a synagogue?

    Model answer

    The ark holds the Sefer Torah, the handwritten scroll of God's word. Congregations stand whenever the ark is opened.

  6. 6

    What is the ner tamid?

    Model answer

    The ner tamid is the ever-burning light above the ark. The lamp recalls the menorah that burned continually in the Temple.

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