Skip to content
Oak National Academy
Oak National Academy
Teachers
Pupils
icon-background-square
New
New
Year 2

How synagogues differ

I can describe some similarities and differences between different types of synagogues.

Download all resources
arrow-right
Share activities with pupils
arrow-right
icon-background-square
New
New
Year 2

How synagogues differ

I can describe some similarities and differences between different types of synagogues.

Download all resources
arrow-right
Share activities with pupils
arrow-right
warning

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.
View new resources
arrow-right

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. There are a range of different synagogues.
  2. All synagogues will have an Ark to house Torah scrolls.
  3. There are similarities and differences between synagogues.

Keywords

  • Orthodox - a major branch within Judaism which teaches strict following of Jewish laws

  • Progressive - a form of Judaism which has reformed or adapted to modern changes in life

  • Ark - a place where the Torah scrolls are kept

  • Bimah - the raised platform in the synagogue from which the Torah is read and services led

  • Ner Tamid - a special light that hangs in a synagogue and reminds people about God

Common misconception

There is only one type of synagogue.

Synagogues come in different shapes and sizes.

Visit different synagogues or share images of different synagogues in the UK and discuss the similarities and differences, including the size, design or sacred parts. Invite speakers to share their experiences of visiting different synagogues.
speech-bubble
Teacher tip
equipment-required

Equipment

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on
Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Skip lesson video

Loading...

Starter quiz

Download starter quiz

4 Questions

Q1.
What do Jews do to show they belong to a synagogue community?
Correct answer: attend services to pray together
attend a Jummah prayer
Correct answer: attend a Hebrew school
Q2.
Which of these is a coming of age celebration for Jewish boys and girls?
Shabbat
Correct answer: Bar and Bat Mitzvah
Rosh Hashanah
Q3.
What is the Jewish New Year called?
Shabbat
Correct answer: Rosh Hashanah
Diwali
Q4.
What is the sacred text for Jews?
a Bible
a Qur'an
Correct answer: a Torah scroll

Exit quiz

Download exit quiz

4 Questions

Q1.
What is something you might find in every synagogue?
Correct answer: a copy of the Torah
a separate place for men and women to sit
a Bimah at the centre
Q2.
In a Reform synagogue, men and women sit ...
Correct Answer: together , in the same place , not separate , beside each other
Q3.
Match the item with the description.
Correct Answer:the Bimah ,a raised platform from which the Torah is read
tick

a raised platform from which the Torah is read

Correct Answer:the Ner Tamid,a light that is kept lit to remember God
tick

a light that is kept lit to remember God

Correct Answer:the Ark,contains Torah scrolls
tick

contains Torah scrolls

Q4.
Which of these is true about synagogues?
They are always built as a synagogue.
They were always another building first.
Correct answer: They are sometimes built as a synagogue and sometimes changed into one.