A shul‘s centrepiece is the aron kodesh, or Holy Ark, containing the Torah scrolls. The ark is usually ornately
decorated with intricate woodwork and gold-trimmed, tapestry-like curtains; and placed along the
easternmost wall of the main room, the sanctuary. This is because prayers must be said facing the Western
Wall in Jerusalem, which is east in most Jewish-populated countries.
Often, the aron sits on a raised platform to lend it honour and prominence—like a judge‘s bench in a
courtroom. Directly in front of the aron, in the symmetrical centre of the shul, stands the podium for the
chazan (cantor)—though it is sometimes to one side. Filling the rest of the room are congregational seating
arrangements, chairs or the traditional pews; and the bimah: the large, velvet-decked table upon which the
Torah scroll is opened and read thrice weekly and on holidays – in the centre. Along other walls, one will find
bookcases holding prayer books, chumashim (the Five Books of Moses), and other Jewish books.
There are many mitzvos (commandments) associated with the good ol‘ shul. Funding a shul‘s décor is a
mitzvah (law); and generally, the more decorative the furnishings, the greater the mitzvah. The secondary
obligation of a Jewish community as a whole regarding finances is to construct for itself a shul (building a
mikvah (purification bath) comes first). And as with the décor, donating the various construction and interior
decorating costs of the shul itself is a great mitzvah.
On the flip side, destroying a shul is a Torah prohibition: if a shul must be removed, it must be dismantled
carefully—not bulldozed. Any sacred Jewish object or item, for that matter—such as Jewish books, must also
not be destroyed.
What do I do inside a shul?
Pray
Jews go to shul for tefillah; which, of course, means connection—commonly known as prayer. The three
regular daily prayer services are held at shuls in every Jewish community, every day, and on Shabbat and
Jewish holidays too. Yom Kippur is a biggie, usually seeing more attendee‘s stream out of the woods and
through the front doors than any other occasion throughout the year. Prayers are held with a minyan (a
quorum of ten) and led by a chazzan who keeps everyone together.
Celebrate
Prayer isn‘t the only use for a shul - Jewish holidays are celebrated there, too. There‘s the blowing of the
shofar on Rosh Hashanah, the circling of the bimah with the lulav and etrog on Succoth, and some pretty
snappy dancing on Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. The community gathers there at Chanukah to light
the menorah, at Purim to hear the reading of the Megillah, on Pesach for a community seder, and on
Shavuot to commemorate the giving of the Torah.
Socialise
Throughout the centuries, the shul was the nerve centre of the Jewish community. Each morning, and after a
hard day‘s work, the menfolk gathered for the three daily services. Before and after each, if they had a few
seconds, they no doubt did the water-cooler thing: talk! Some things never change. The shul is still a
community linchpin as much as it is a haven for the sacred.
Whenever Jews gather at shul, whether for services or special occasions (bris, Bar Mitzvah, wedding), they
share their triumphs, tragedies, and authoritative opinions on the daily news. People make new friends, catch
up with old ones, discuss and debate. Any shul event is a community event; and when the community comes
together, the words flow.