worship in synagogue

• shabbat (sat) main day of worship
• serves as place of worship, study, jewish law court, charity and events
• orthodox judaism ten adult males must be present called a minyan
• never any images or statues of g-d or human form in synagogue because it was commanded in the decalogue of g-d (ex 20:4)
• bimah- raise platform holding sefer torah read in hebrew using a yad, shows importance of the torah
• decalogue- ten commandments on two stone tablets placed on east wall above holy ark, shows importance of these 10 out of all the 613
• holy ark- highly decorated cupboard in east wall facing jerusalem where temple stood, suggests g-d is present in the torah, sefer torah dressed up as if royalty
• ner tamid- "eternal light" lamp hung above the holy ark, represents lamp used to burn in the temple of jerusalem signifying divine presence, the shekinah that jews belived dwelt in the holy of the hollies in temple
• shema prayer- "the lord our god, the lord is one" (deut 6:4), most important belief that g-d is one
• amidah- standing prayer, 19 set prayers congregation pray privately and quietly, gain forgiveness from g-d
• torah scrolls carried to the bimah, that week's torah passage read, aliyah- going up to bimah to sing blessings of the torah before it is read
• orthodox: torah read in hebrew, men and women are separated either through screen/upper gallery, women would not be rabbis or called up for aliyah because it would be a distraction to men while listening to g-d's revelation
• reform: hebrew but there would be translation in the local language, some only read torah in local language, men and women seated together, women allowed to be called up, reference to resurrection of dead and messaih either left out or worded differently - beliefs no longer helpful or relevant today