A synagogue is the building where Jewish people meet to pray, to read from their holy writings, and to learn together. Like the word 'church', it can mean the building itself, and it can also mean the group of people who gather there — 'our synagogue is small' can be about the room or about the community.

A synagogueA synagogue is是 the building where Jewish people meet猶太人聚集的建築物 to pray禱告, to read from their holy writings誦讀經典, and to learn together以及一起學習。Like the word 'church'就像 church（教堂）這個字一樣, it can mean the building itself它可以指建築物本身, and it can also mean the group of people who gather there也可以指聚集在那裡的一群人 — 'our synagogue is small'「our synagogue is small（我們的 synagogue 很小）」 can be about the room or about the community可能是指那個空間，也可能是指那個社群。

A synagogue is not the same as a temple in the old sense: for Jewish history there was one Temple, in Jerusalem, and it is gone; synagogues grew up as the places people could still meet. That is why some Jewish communities, especially in America, do call their building a 'temple' or a 'shul' (a warm, everyday Yiddish word), while others only say 'synagogue'.

A synagogue is not the same asSynagogue 跟……不一樣 a temple in the old sense古老意義上的 temple（聖殿）: for Jewish history在猶太歷史上 there was one Temple只有一座 Temple, in Jerusalem位於耶路撒冷, and it is gone而且已經不存在了; synagogues grew up assynagogue 是……因此發展出來的 the places people could still meet後來人們還能聚會的地方。That is why這就是為什麼 some Jewish communities有些猶太社群, especially in America特別是在美國, do call their building a 'temple' or a 'shul'會把他們的建築物叫做「temple」或「shul」 (a warm, everyday Yiddish word)（一個親切、日常用的意第緒語詞）, while others only say 'synagogue'而其他人則只說「synagogue」。

The word feels neutral and a bit formal — it is what a newspaper would use. The stress falls on the first part: SIN-a-gog.

The word feels neutral and a bit formal這個字聽起來中性、有點正式 — it is what a newspaper would use是報紙會用的用詞。The stress falls on the first part重音落在第一個音節: SIN-a-gogSIN-a-gog。