Understanding Jewish Tradition

The Synagogue Synagogue comes from a Greek word meaning “to gather or gathering place". In Hebrew it is called "House of Assembly" (Heb. Beit Knesset). In 586 B.C. the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, and the Jewish people were taken into captivity by the Babylonians. During this captivity the people met in the home of an elder or prophet for the purpose of prayer, reading of Scripture, ex