Okuzeka
Religious Studies & Theology vocabulary · Religious Institutions and Roles

Synagogue

Meaning in religious studies & theology, with examples

/ˈsɪnəɡɒɡ/nounCore term

In religious studies & theology, synagogue means: A Jewish house of prayer, study and community gathering, where the Torah scrolls are kept in an ark and read during services.

In Turkish: sinagog, havra

How it is used

You attend services at, or go to, a synagogue. Ashkenazi Jews often use the Yiddish word shul, and some Reform communities call their synagogue a temple. Historians study ancient synagogues in the Galilee and in Anatolian cities such as Sardis.

Example sentences

  1. The synagogue at Sardis is one of the largest ancient synagogues ever found.

  2. Services in the old synagogue were held in Hebrew, with sermons in Ladino.

Common collocations

  • attend synagogue
  • local synagogue
  • ancient synagogue
  • synagogue service
  • JudaismThe religion, culture and way of life of the Jewish people, based on the covenant with God described in the Hebrew Bible and developed in the Talmud and later teaching.
  • rabbiA Jewish religious teacher and scholar trained in Jewish law, who often leads a congregation, teaches and answers questions on religious practice.
  • TorahThe first five books of the Hebrew Bible, traditionally attributed to Moses; in a wider sense, the whole body of Jewish teaching and law.
  • SabbathThe weekly day of rest and worship in Judaism, from Friday sunset to Saturday nightfall; many Christians use the word for Sunday as their day of rest.

More terms: Religious Institutions and Roles

Practise with graded reading

Reading at the right level is the fastest way to make new words stick. Pick free English books by level: