Pronunciation: [sˈɪnɐɡˌɒɡz] (IPA) 
Synagogues are places of worship for Jewish people. The spelling of this word can be tricky due to its combination of consonants and vowels. The IPA phonetic transcription for this word is /ˈsɪnəˌɡɒɡz/ which shows that the "s" is pronounced as "s", the "y" as "ɪ", the "n" as "n", the "a" as "ə", the "g" as "ɡ", the "o" as "ɒ", and the "u" as "u". The final "es" is pronounced as "z" and makes this word plural.
Synagogues are defined as Jewish places of worship and community gathering. The word derives from the Greek word "synagōgē," meaning an assembly or a gathering. Synagogues are central to Jewish religious and cultural life, serving as houses of prayer, study, and communal activities.
In essence, synagogues are physical buildings where Jews come together to worship God and observe religious practices. They typically feature an ark, a cabinet housing the Torah scrolls, which is considered the holiest part of the synagogue. Synagogues also contain a bimah, a raised platform or podium from which the Torah is read, and seating for the congregation.
Apart from hosting prayer services, synagogues are vital in fostering Jewish communal life and providing educational opportunities. They serve as places for Torah study, where congregants learn about Jewish law, history, and traditions. Synagogues also often organize religious classes, social events, and charitable initiatives, serving as centers of social gathering and support.
Moreover, synagogues function as important community institutions, offering pastoral care, counseling, and support during life events such as weddings, funerals, and Bar/Bat Mitzvahs. They serve as symbols of Jewish identity and resilience, especially in times of adversity.
Overall, synagogues play a central role in connecting Jews to their faith, providing a sense of belonging, and promoting values of communal engagement, spiritual growth, and the study of Jewish teachings.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "synagogue" comes from the Greek word "synagogē" (συναγωγή), which means "assembly" or "gathering". This Greek term was used in the Septuagint, the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, to refer to the gathering of the Israelites for religious purposes. Eventually, this term became associated specifically with the meeting places of Jews for worship and communal activities. The word was borrowed into English around the 12th century.
