Hi subaro,
Thank you for your interesting question.
The American Synagogue
http://www.jbuff.com/c092503.htm
"Many Orthodox synagogues are small rooms with only 20-30 members
while Conservative and Reform synagogues average 200-300 members."
[edit]
"There are also differences in styles of prayer and differences in
seating arrangements, such as having a partition which segregates men
from women during prayer services. There are some synagogues that, as
in Shaarey Zedek, conduct a three hour service on Saturday morning.
Yet, Temple Beth El, also a conservative synagogue, holds services
each Shabbat for only two hours, while Reform congregations usually
meet for only one hour."
=================================================
Judaism - Visiting a Synagogue
http://www.resourcescentreonline.co.uk/JudaismGuidelines.pdf
"The furnishings and symbols in a synagogue are generally the same across the
different Jewish groups. All synagogues will have an Ark, which houses
the Torah Scrolls. In front of the Ark one will see a ner tamid, a
perpetual light, symbolic of the lamp that was lit in the Temple in
Jerusalem. Rabbis, Cantors or synagogue members may lead services. In
non-orthodox synagogues the Rabbi or officiant maybe a woman. There is
usually a raised platform (the bimah), either in the centre of
thesynagogue, or near the ark, on which is placed a reading-desk from
where the service is led and the Torah is chanted or read to the
congregation."
[edit]
"... in general, the more orthodox, the longer the services. Orthodox
synagogue services are almost entirely in Hebrew. In other
denominations, the local language (e.g. English) may be used for up to
half the service. Prayer books normally include translations or
interpretations of the Hebrew texts."
[edit]
"The congregation in a synagogue will sit for much of the service.
Seating styles and arrangements vary."
[edit]
"In orthodox synagogues, women can expect to have a separate seating
area from men."
=================================================
Rabbi Scheninerman's Home Page - Photo Gallery of Bimas, Arks, Torah
Ornaments and More
http://scheinerman.net/judaism/synagogue/photos.html
What Does The Sanctuary Look Like
http://scheinerman.net/judaism/synagogue/sanctuary.html
Who's Who in the Synagogue?
http://scheinerman.net/judaism/synagogue/who.html
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Structure of a Synagogue... Ritual Items
http://biblia.com/jesusbible/synagogue2.htm
=================================================
Synagogue
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/re/m_parry_carmarthenshire/addoldai/synagog/synagogtwo.html
For Photos: click on the Contents links provided or click on Next at
bottom right of pages.
1. The Orthodox Synagogue in Swansea
2. The Star of David
3. Inside the Synagogue
4. The Closed Ark
5. The Torah Scrolls and the Yad
6. The Curtains of the Ark
7. The Open Ark
8. The Reading Desk for the Torah Scrolls
9. The Eternal Light and the 10 Commandments
10. The Menorah
11. Stained Glass Windows
12. The Chuppah
=================================================
Personal Gallery for Young Israel of Brookline (Orthodox)
http://www.picturefuse.com/view.php?dir=yibrookline/Synagogue_Photos_
(Click on photos for larger images)
*****
Young Israel of Brookline
http://www.yibrookline.org/tempa.html
*****
Young Israel of Brookline Main Sanctuary Seating Plan
http://www.yibrookline.org/seat_plan.html
*****
More Photos
http://www.yibrookline.org/yiphotos.html
=================================================
Third and Fourth Photos from the top of page
http://scheinerman.net/judaism/synagogue/falmouth.html
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Conservative Synagogue
http://pages.cthome.net/hirsch/bj.htm
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(Conservative Synagogue) Third photo from the top
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/synflorida.html
=================================================
Olam Tikvah Conservative Synagogue
http://www.olamtikvah.org/
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The Bialystoker Synagogue
Historic, Orthodox Jewish congregation housed in New York City
landmark synagogue building on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
http://www.bialystoker.org/
=================================================
Inside the Synagogue
http://re-xs.ucsm.ac.uk/re/places/in-syn.htm
=================================================
More on the seating arrangements
Beth Filoh - Kol Nidre Sermon By RABBI MITCHELL WOHLBERG
http://www.btfiloh.org/sermons/wohlbergkolnid5764.htm
"When I came to Beth Tfiloh, many people felt that our synagogue was
at a crossroads; a congregation which had been the center of Baltimore
Jewish community in Forest Park, saw its numbers dwindling here in
Pikesville with many of the children of our members choosing to join
Conservative or Reform congregations. With a membership down to little
over 600, there were some who said that the only way for us to survive
was to have mixed seating. My position on this "hot button" issue was
one of the first questions I was asked when I was interviewed for the
position of rabbi at Beth Tfiloh. And my position has not changed in
the last 25 years. I can?t be the rabbi in a synagogue that has mixed
seating. I am committed to Halacha - to Jewish law - and to my mind,
the question of mixed seating in Jewish law is very clear: It is not
permissible! Men and women sat separate in the Temple in Jerusalem and
it was that way ever since. Even amongst Reform temples in Europe, men
and women sat separately. It was only in 1825 when Isaac Meyer Wise
wanted to start a congregation in Albany, NY and he borrowed a Baptist
Church that had mixed pews and made that the practice for his
congregation that mixed seating was introduced to the Jewish world.
From my perspective, that wasn?t - and isn?t - a good enough reason. I
am no great theologian but to me the choice boils down to the
following: Am I to follow the seating of a Baptist Church, or of the
Temple in Jerusalem? It?s as simple as that! I know others disagree -
and that is their prerogative. I do not for one minute question the
ability of a person to pray properly in a Conservative or Reform
congregation..."
[edit]
"Besides, I find it a bit strange that people who see nothing wrong
with being members of a country club where there is a separate card
room for men, separate times for men to tee off on the golf course
have such a problem with the concept of separate seating in a
synagogue. I find it a bit surprising that couples who go their own
way every day and hardly find the time to say a nice word to each
other suddenly, when they come to the synagogue, can?t live without
each other! I find it a bit strange that in this era of women?s
liberation and feminism which focuses so much on each woman being an
independent person of value in her own right, that the importance of
separate seating isn?t more appreciated. After all, when a man and
woman come to a synagogue with separate seating, the woman is no
longer identified as Mrs. Jack Greenberg, no longer identified in
terms of her husband or children. Rather she is a Rebecca or Leah or
McKenzie, who stands alone, even as the man stands alone, before his
Supreme Being. She is not in need of a man to hold her hand, to give
her strength, to turn her pages she stands as an equal with dignity
before God."
=================================================
City shul gets more traditional - with separate seating
http://www.phillyshul.com/articles/Exp2.htm
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Swinging On The Bima (Delightful article)
http://www.jewishealing.com/swingingonbima.html
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Rabbi
http://www.jewfaq.org/rabbi.htm
Chazzan (Cantor)
http://www.jewfaq.org/rabbi.htm#Chazzan
=================================================
keyword search:
interior design synagogue
photos interior orthodox synagogue
photos interior conservative synagogue
photos synagogue ark placement
photos synagogue bima placement
orthodox synagogue seating arrangements
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conservative synagogue seating arrangements
jewish synagogue services
worship in jewish synagogue
Best regards,
tlspiegel |
Clarification of Answer by
tlspiegel-ga
on
30 Jul 2004 11:28 PDT
Hi subaro,
When posting my answer I accidentally neglected to include the
following information on the architecture.
Synagogue Architecture By Aaron King
http://www.machar.org/synagogue.html
"The Synagogue is the religious and community center of Jewish life
for the Jewish people.
Over the centuries many Synagogues have been built and although there
is no single type of architecture for synagogues there are a few
essential features that every synagogue must have for religious
practices, and some features that are expected just for tradition.
The only requirement is an enclosed space to allow a congregation to
get together for prayer and to hear the Torah read. Traditionally,
Synagogues are also used for secular activities like community
assemblies, legal issues, and education."
[edit]
"Also, all synagogues have an Ark (the cabinet that holds the Torah)
and a bimah, which is the platform where the leader of the service
stands and reads the Torah. It is traditional to have the Ark placed
on the wall facing Jerusalem. It is also common for there to be stairs
that go up to the Ark and stairs that go up to the bimah."
[edit]
"The interior space of Synagogues were usually taller than their
width. Building a tall structure was not only to increase the seating
capacity but it enabled architects to design galleries that were built
above the main floor in support of the requirement that women sit
separate from men.
In some communities it was against the law for Synagogues to stand
taller than churches. In those situations the interior height of the
Synagogue did not change. Rather, the Jews built part of the Synagogue
underground.
Since Jews lived in many different parts of the world they used the
materials that were common in their community to build their
Synagogues. Although most Synagogues were built of stone or brick,
Poland is known for their beautiful wooden structures and Morocco is
known for using the simplest of building materials - mud."
=================================================
Synagogue Architecture and Interior Design
http://www.myjewishlearning.com/daily_life/Prayer/TO_Synagogue/Synagogue_Architecture.htm
Best regards,
tlspiegel
|
