What would I expect to see if I went to a Jewish Synagogue?

Question

I've been to a catholic church once, now it's time to go to a jewish church. And I'm just wondering, what should I expect to see?

And Jesus and James did speak in the synagogues. :)

Answer 1

You'd hate it, there's no Paul...

Answer 2

You will be welcomed and accepted and probably someone will come along and explain what is going on to you. You will not be allowed in without a hat.

A Christian who has often been to synagogues.  

Answer 3

A) They're called either synagogues or temples, NOT churches.

B) You will see pews or seats.

C) On the eastern wall you will see an enclosed, usually curtained place, wherein the scroll of Torah is kept. It is as ornate as the congregation can afford.

D) Somewhere in the main room there wil be a representation of the burning bush from which God spoke to Moses. It may be a wall hanging, a stained glass window, a mural or a sculpture (I have seen all of the above in one synagogue or another).

E) There is a dais with a speaker's stand on either side. One side is for the cantor who leads those parts of the service that are sung or chanted. The other is for the reading from the Torah. It is usually beautifully carved, fine wood. Though I have seen them carved from marble.

F) In Orthodox and some Conservative synagogues there will be a balcony where the women and female children and very young boys sit.

G) There will be offices, meeting places, a large or largish hall for wedding parties, bar and bat mitzvah parties, etc.

H) Also in the sanctuary portion will be a menorah, the 7-branched candlestick, as a memorial of the one which stood in the Temple at Jerusalem.

I) Some will also have a representation of the Ark of the Covenant and the shewbread table.

Hope this helped.

PS: If you're male, Jewish or not, COVER your head during services. Most synagogues will give you a yarmulke if you have no hat when you enter. Put it on! If you're female, and this is a synagogue which segregates men from women, do NOT ask to sit on the main floor during services. That is rude!

Answer 4

are you going to critize the Jews like you do us Catholics?

Answer 5

I am not an expert, but I have been told that they have many ceremonies and stages of development that qualify you for different respect levels, similar to Catholics that way.   I am told that they still cling to eternal damnation, but they claim it comes from being bad, whereas the Christians claim it comes from not saying Jesus was your savior, perfect, God ...etc.

Either way, I couldn't stomach eternal damnation fear worship, no matter where they did it!

Life does not always seem FAIR!

Hi!  I am a Forgive Affirmed Spirit and this is what I profess and try to act like.

Forgive Affirmed Spirit is the belief in a way of life that is a method of grief resolution and functional communication processing involving active listenning, sympathy, empathy and affirmation of shock, denial, anger, guilt, depression, loneliness and hope...a kind of ego-equilibrium seeking methodology.

A Greater Works of communication and action, a way to learn to love your enemies "Advocating mortal life, Do unto others as you would have them do unto you AS IF YOU WERE THEM!"  



And nobody is perfect!  NOBODY!  We are all judgeable, hopefully in a graceful discerning way!   We are all doing our best every moment!

Humans judge everything  as we are a part of it.  Without difference, we have nothing to live for, nothing to witness.  Sin is difference, the relative seriousness with regards to law and survival of other beings, is punishable by the courts. The best way to judge is with as much graceful discernment as one can muster in a given moment!

Life is the question(uncertainty) asked by the exhaling infinitely compacted imagination invention, or no thing, which is completely certain of everything, completely omniscient or all knowing.

When I die, I believe I will be in a new state, aware of all that is and yet divided into the nature of dust that I am in, whereupon my dust shall fall.  My being will remain an infinite part of an infinite being and infinite knowledge without my material human being status of now. So there will be a change.



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Answer 6

no BBQ no crucifixes no brothers

Answer 7

As Paperback Writer said most of it, there's little I can ad other than if you go to an Orthodox shul, whether you are a woman or a man you will need to cover your head out of showing reverence, of acknowledging that you are standing in the presence of the Holy One.

I don't care what Paul says.

In orthodox synagogues, in the sanctuary where the services are normally held - a partition, or mechitza is between men and women. This custom dates back to the times of the Temple, and serves an important purpose within a prayer setting.

The mechitza ensures that at times of prayer, the minds of those praying should be as fully as possible concentrating on God. The mixture of men and women might impede this and so men and women pray separately. It is important to note that according to some authorities, men and women may see each other, they simply should be separated from each other.

As described in Judaism 101, here are rules for non-Jews visiting a shul:

Non-Jews Visiting a Synagogue

Non-Jews are always welcome to attend services in a synagogue, so long as they behave as proper guests.

Proselytizing and "witnessing" to the congregation are not proper guest behavior. Would you walk into a stranger's house and criticize the decor? But we always welcome non-Jews who come to synagogue out of genuine curiosity, interest in the service or simply to join a friend in celebration of a Jewish event.

When going to a synagogue, you should dress as you would for church: nicely, formally, and modestly. A man should wear a yarmulke (skullcap) if Jewish men in the congregation do so; yarmulkes are available at the entrance for those who do not have one.

In some synagogues, married women should also wear a head covering. A piece of lace sometimes called a "chapel hat" is generally provided for this purpose in synagogues where this is required.

Non-Jews should not, however, wear a tallit (prayer shawl) or tefillin, because these items are signs of our obligation to observe Jewish law.

Answer 8

you wouldn't see this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5CwBeeoG...

you just cant make this stuff up

Answer 9

In a synagogue, you will find a quiet interesting and enlightening service. No shouting, no one rolling in the floor, no speaking in tongues.

Every man who enters will wear "the hat" regardless of what Paul says, it is a sign of respect.

Answer 10

Actually, you'll find that Synagogues tend to be far less ornate than many Churches. There are no statues, no pictures, no mosaics, nothing decorative, for the most part. At the front of the Synagogue is the 'bimah' and the Torah scroll is also kept at the front.

Then there are seats, in rows, so I guess that's similar to a Church :)

There'll be singing and if you're lucky, the Synagogue will have a 'cantor' and maybe a choir. The Hebrew melodies are beautiful and often very haunting and evocative.

Oh, and be prepared for quite a lot of sitting down and then standing up and then sitting down and then standing up......!!!

Are you planning to visit a Reform synagogue, or Orthodox, or Conservative...?

EDIT

Oh, you will wear a kippur. Because to NOT do so would show SUCH a lack of respect, and if you have no respect for Judaism WHY go to a Synagogue?

Answer 11

Menorah candles, tabernacle or curtain for the Torah scrolls, burning bush symbol...it's really not that different than what you'd see in any place of worship beyond that...

You should wear the hat - if people came to your house, you'd want them to respect your rules.  Besides, what if you get drafted into the war in Iraq?  You going to NOT wear a helmet because you think Paul says so?

EDIT:  Paul says "ought not" - that leaves room for situations where it is appropriate to wear a head covering - like respecting the place of worship of others.  Just as Jesus wants you to do, when He sites the Golden Rule - sorry, Jesus trumps Paul, and Paul knows it; that's why he uses "maybe" kinds of words like "ought."

Seriously, Lion, you need to learn to read your Biblical texts A LOT closer than you do...there will be people who will always be able to manipulate you if your faith is based on shodding reading skills...I think you are under the spell of one such person now....

Anyways, good luck on your visit - I hope you find what you're looking for...

Answer 12

I bet some people will be wearing little hats.

Answer 13

Jews?