In the Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue, there are many social events organised. The cultural activities include photography and embroidery. There are also sporting events organised as well as bereavement visitors, to help those in need of a ‘sympathetic ear’. There are not many social activities organised to teach Judaism, like the Orthodox synagogue, but many activities are organised to bring the community together. Being part of the Jewish community in a synagogue and taking part in the events organised reinforces a Jew’s sense of identity.
The synagogue is also known as House of Study. ‘Beit ha Midrash’. In Judaism it is very important to learn about faith. This is also so that the religion can continue. Studying the Torah is a mitzvah. In Orthodox Judaism, it is the responsibility of the man to study the Torah because the man’s nature is spiritual and the woman’s is more practical. The Mishnah says that boys should begin studying the Torah at 5, the Mishnah at 10 and the Talmud at 15.
Synagogues will often have classrooms, which are used for Torah study, and children may go to cheder, which is simply ‘religion school’. Boys (and girls in Progressive Judaism) will attend Hebrew classes in preparation for their bar/bat mitzvah at which they will have to read a portion from the Torah. People study the Torah in discussion with others in a room called ‘bet midrash’. The function of the Torah is seen by the fact that most Jewish people call the synagogue ‘Shul’ which is a Yiddish word meaning school.
Study is a form of worship. It is through study that Jews come to know themselves and God. It is important that people study with others, because when studying in groups, more ideas are generated and exchanged, new interpretations are introduced and learning increases to a higher level than anyone could accomplish by simply studying alone. Synagogues help with this aspect, because classrooms are open to all and education programmes for Jews of all ages, from infants to the elderly, succeed in synagogues today because learning is a lifelong Jewish commitment.
In the Northwood Orthodox Synagogue, activities, which also bring in ‘House of Assembly’, have been previously mentioned, such as ‘Cheder’ for children. ‘Kabbalat Shabbat’ is a special programme giving children the opportunity to act out Friday night rituals. The aspect of learning in the Orthodox Synagogue is put across with great importance because many of the activities are organised for children, suggesting that the Orthodox synagogue wants their younger generation to learn early, so that when they grow up they are fully bloomed Jews and can teach what they learn to their children.
In the Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue, similar educational activities such as cheder take place. There is also a ‘crash course’ on offer for adults wanting to learn Hebrew. A Jewish nursery school known as ‘Gan Etz Chayim’ and parent toddler groups are also available. Overseas tours take place to places of Jewish interest, which helps with the study of Judaism as a whole.
The Synagogue is known as House of Prayer, ‘Beit ha Tefilah’ because prayer is a daily mitzvah in Judaism. Jews say the Shema, which is the most important Jewish prayer. It is recited every morning and every evening in the synagogue and also at home. Prayers in the home and in the synagogue compliment each other. It is important because it sums up the basic Jewish beliefs about God and is a declaration of faith. In Orthodox Judaism, women are exempt from prayers at set times.
For communal prayer to take place there has to be a minyan, which is a quorum of ten men in Orthodox Judaism and ten men or women in Progressive Judaism. Communal prayer is seen to bring more honour and glory to God. If a minyan is not present, certain prayers are left out. Smaller synagogues struggle to make up a minyan daily and in Progressive synagogues there is often little call for daily communal prayers (this is true at Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue). A quote from the Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue, showing the ethical observance is more important than the ritual, ‘Liberal Judaism places higher emphasis on ethical conduct than ritual observance and human needs above legal technicalities’.
Large Synagogues have prayer three times a day, Shacharit is the Morning Prayer, Minchah is the Afternoon Prayer and Maariv is the Evening Prayer. Jews believe that Abraham started the tradition of praying three times a day, and Jews used to offer sacrifices in the ancient Temple at this time.
After the Shema, the most important prayer is the Amidah. This means ‘standing’; the worshipper stands, facing Jerusalem. Originally, the prayer had 18 blessings and was known as the 18 Benedictions. Now it has 19. All should be said on weekdays, and on Shabbat, the first and last three are said. The prayer asks God to satisfy spiritual needs, such as forgiveness and physical needs, such as food.
Other Shabbat prayers are the Kaddish, Alenu and hymns of glory. Kaddish means sanctification (to be made holy or pure). The cantor prays for God’s rule in the world and in their lives, and for universal peace in the world. The dead are also remembered. Alenu is a prayer that is recited three times a day and it proclaims God to be a King over Israel and the whole universe. The hymn of glory is lead by the cantor or child; the congregation speak alternate lines. At the end of the hymn they say together, ‘Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty. For everything in heaven and in earth is yours.
A portion of the Torah is read every Shabbat. The Torah is read from beginning to end on an annual cycle. This is the heart of the Shabbat service because the Torah is the basis of Judaism as it contains the 613 Mitzvot, which is a guidance of living for the Jewish people.
Another Jewish prayer indicated by its name is the Berachah. This word, plural for Berachot, means blessing. A Berachah is not one particular prayer; it is a type of prayer. In it God id blessed, or praised. Each Berachah begins with these words, ‘Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, King of the Universe’. The word ‘our’ is used to emphasise that the God being referred to is everyone’s God, as it is in the first person plural form.
Prayer is included in all forms of worship in the synagogue: Shabbat services, festival services and the rites of passage - circumcision, bar/bat mitzvah, wedding and funerals. Circumcisions and weddings do not have to take place in the synagogue.
In the Northwood Orthodox Synagogue leaflet there is a whole section devoted to informing the reader of the different services and festivals celebrated in the synagogue. This includes the itinerary for Shabbat and annual festivals such as Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot and Pesach. There is a lot of emphasis put on prayer, especially on Shabbat. It is described as ‘The special day of rest’ by Rabbi Brawer in the leaflet, emphasising the importance of the prayers on this particular day. ‘Striving to uncover the depth and substance of prayer’, this is what takes place on Shabbat, once again reinforcing the power and importance of prayer in Orthodox Judaism.
In the Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue, more emphasis is laid on social activities. In the leaflet there is only a small section on Prayer, which shows the ritual acts are not concentrated on as much as the ethical acts, as previously mentioned.
Prayers are a mode of worship, a way to serve God. Prayer also binds the community together and serves the individual’s spiritual needs. Since prayer services incorporate study and celebration, the three functions of the synagogue reflected in the three names, come together.
