SYNAGOGUE (Gk. vuvaymyt synagog€, as sembly, collection, from crului-yEiv, synagein, to bring together, from adv, 8yit, together &yew, agcin, to lead; translation of Heb. bah-hak keneseth, the house of assembly). The name applied to the place of assembly used by Jewish communities primarily for public worship. The origin of this institution is probably to be traced to the period of the Babylonian captivity, when religious needs in the absence of an official cult could only be satisfied by private assemblies for religious eommuniOn. The example set during the Babylonian Exile led to the establishment of synagogues in Palestine after the days of Ezra, and with the impetus then given to the study of the law a further factor was intro duced which encouraged the institution of assem bly-houses for prayer and study. Although ex press notices of the synagogues are not found in the literature till the last century B.C., all indica tions point to their existence in the towns and even villages of Palestine at the time of the Maeeabees.
Synagogues were erected from the common funds or free gifts of the community and sup ported by taxes and donations. Regarding their architecture it would appear that in Palestine the Grieco-Roman model of public buildings was fol lowed, though with some essential modifications. Abundant ornamentation was a feature both of the exterior and interior. The larger synagogues were divided by rows of pillars into several aisles and some had portieoes in front. In later times in Europe the Romanesque style was adopted, and in more modern times Moorish architecture is frequently chosen as a model. Little is known of any special law respecting the construction of these buildings, save that the faces of the wor shipers should be directed toward Jerusalem; that, in accordance with the verse in the Psalms, there should be a slight descent of a step or two on entering the edifice; that the building should stand, if feasible, on a slightly elevated ground, or be somehow or other made visible from afar. Within at the extreme eastern end was the holy ark, or chest (Walt) containing several copies of the Pentateuch, from which the periodical read ings were chanted. In front of this was the
stand of the public reader of the prayers, not far from which was suspended the everlasting lamp. On a raised platform in the middle of the syna gogue was the place of the reader or preacher. The women, who were not counted as members of the congregation, sat separated from the men.
The affairs of the synagogue were administered by a board of 'ancients' or 'elders.' at whose head stood a chief or principal (Rush hakkene seth, archisyuagogos). The 'chief' was not a scribe, though taking rank immediately after the scribes. The officiating minister, whose office it was to recite the prayers aloud, was called shegiach.sibbfir, messenger of the community. The chazzdn had general charge of the sacred place and its books and implements. He had to present the scroll to the reader, received it back after the reading was finished, rolled up the scroll and deposited it in the chest-, and it was he who announced the advent of the Sabbath or of a holy day from the roof of the synagogue with a thrice repeated trumpet-blast. During the week-days he had to teach the children of the town or vil lage. He had to be initiated by a solemn im position of hands. The name of chazzfin, how ever, at a later period, came to designate the officiating minister, and it has retained that meaning until this day. Ahnoners or deacons, who collected or distributed the alms, possibly the same as the ballanint or 'idle men,' whose office in relation to the synagogue cannot be ex actly determined now, but who had always to he ready for the purpose of making up the requisite number of ten worshipers. were further attached to the general body of officials. The third, sixth, and ninth hours of the day were the times ap pointed for daily worship; the more special days were Monday and Thursday, when the judges sat, and the villagers came to town, and Saturday, on which the forms of sonic of the prayers were altered according to the occasion.