Download No Slide Title

A Journey to the Sacred
Part 5:Judaism
• The Synagogue
A typical floor plan of a Jewish Synagogue
Seating for Rabbi
ARK
lamp
Bimah
seating
The most sacred
space in the
synagogue is the Ark.
It is a cabinet which
contains the scrolls
on which the Torah is
written.
The inner curtain is
called a parokhet
The Scrolls on which the Torah is written.
When placed away in the
parokhet the scrolls are
wrapped in a mantle. The mantle
is usually made of silk or velvet
cloth and beautifully decorated.
The scrolls are
sacred and the
parchment must
never be
touched. A
special pointer is
used by the
reader so he can
keep his place
without touching
it with his hand.
The Eternal Lamp or ner tamid is
placed in front of the Ark and is
always kept burning. This is to
remind people that God is always
present.
Many synagogues will
also have a menorah.
Bimah is a raised
platform in the
middle of the
synagogue. The
person who leads
the service
stands on this
platform.
A reading desk
from which the
scrolls are read
is placed here
also.
Bimah
Women and men are always
separated during prayer in an
Orthodox synagogue - either on a
second floor balcony or behind a
screened off area.
Functions of a Synagogue:
•
a house of prayer
•
a house of study
•
a social welfare agency
A synagogue quite often has a hall for:
• social activities
• community functions
• meetings