In Judaism, a place of worship, also (in the
USA) called a temple. As an institution it
dates from the destruction of the Temple in
Jerusalem AD 70, though it had been
developing from the time of the Babylonian
exile as a substitute for the Temple. In
antiquity it was a public meeting hall where
the Torah was also read, but today it is used
primarily for prayer and services. A service
requires a quorum (minyan) of ten adult
Jewish men. In addition to the ark (the
sacred ornamented enclosure that holds the
Torah scrolls) the synagogue contains a
raised platform (bimah) from which the
service is conducted, with pews or seats for
the high priests. The rest of the
congregation sits or stands facing it. Two
tablets above the ark are inscribed with the
Ten Commandments. In Orthodox synagogues
women sit apart from the men.