In many languages, the place of prayer of the Jews is called a synagogue, which in Greek means a place of assembly. In Hebrew the terms Beth Tefilah (house of prayer) and Beth Knesset (house of gathering) are also used. Ashkenazi Jews also use the term Shul (school, or place of learning) and the Sephardiciews call it Kal (community, or place of gathering). In memory of the ruined holy place of Jerusalem, a synagogue is also sometimes called Temple. The diversity of names indicates the multiplicity of meanings of what a synagogue actually is — a place at which one prays, reads and studies the Torah, as well as a gathering place for religious and family celebrations and commemorations.
Depending on the size and wealth of the community, synagogues show a wide range of scale, building materials, and styles. Sometimes they are created by the conversion of an existing building into a place of prayer. But for the space to be consecrated as a synagogue, it must have the sacred Aron Kodesh, an ark or cupboard holding the scrolls of the Torah, on the wall facing toward Jerusalem. In Orthodox synagogues, a separate section is reserved for the female part of the congregation.
