The origin of the synagogue

Abstract

The institution of Synagogue and the synagogue as the local zone of Jewish activities served three basic functions: socio-cultural, religious and educational. The origins of the Synagogue is dated differently depending on research environment: from reforms of Josiah till the Hasmonean period. Extreme opinions represent the pessimistic approach concluding that this is impossible to clearly establish the genesis of the institution of the Synagogue. The synagogue was born in the deportation environment of Babylonia with the main goal of preserving the ethnic and religious identity. It had liturgical, social, juridical and educative functions. It developed quickly in the Egyptian Diaspora during the Ptolemaic period and during the Roman rule. In Palestine the development was different. Institutional capacity of the Synagogue was realized in the activities of local synagogues in sacral, social, pedagogical and political context.