Synagogue Architecture

Architecture of the synagogue reflected its function as a place where the Jewish community gathered for prayer, study of the Law, and other activities. The synagogue often borrowed architectural features from the prevailing Greco-Roman culture. Architecture The architecture of the early Middle Eastern synagogues was similar to that which prevailed throughout the Hellenistic and later Roman ages. The synagogue grounds were surrounded by a low wall within which the synagogue met. Documents from Turkey and other countries of the early medieval period show that often the congregation met outdoors, although at other times in private rooms. Usually the synagogue was divided in some fashion into a sector for men and a separate and lesser room for the women. In the earliest Palestinian synagogues, such as that at Masada and those at Capernaum, Chorazin, and Kefr Bir'im, stone seats in the form of a double tier ran the length of three walls. Such buildings had either a separate balcony for …