synagogue

Everyday

A synagogue is a building where Jewish people meet to pray, study and gather as a community. tree →

In the lessons

In religious education lessons pupils learn about places of worship: a church for Christians, a mosque for Muslims, a synagogue for Jews, a temple or gurdwara for others. In a synagogue there is an Ark holding the Torah scrolls, and services are often led by a rabbi. Phrases: «go to synagogue», «the local synagogue». In respectful talk, every faith's place of worship is described accurately and kindly.

Examples

• The family walks to the synagogue on Saturday. tree →
• The rabbi read from the Torah in the synagogue. tree →
• Our class visited a synagogue in RE. tree →
• The synagogue has a beautiful stained-glass window. tree →
• A bar mitzvah takes place in a synagogue. tree →
• Jewish people gather at the synagogue for festivals. tree →
• We learned the names of different places of worship. tree →

Note

Spelling trap: -gogue (SIN-a-gog). Plural: synagogues. Also called «shul» or «temple» by some Jewish communities. Capital letter only at the start of a name: «Central Synagogue».