Jewish Synagogues And Islamic Mosques Compare And Contrast

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Compare and Contrast Jewish
Synagogues and Islamic Mosques

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The Jewish word for synagogue is beth ha-knesset, house of assembly. This means that wherever Jewish people live, the synagogue lies at the very center of communal life. (Gruber, 1999) Of all Muslim institutions, the mosque is the most important place for the public expression of the Islamic religion and communal identity. A mosque is physical proof of the public presence of Muslims and serves as a point of convergence for Islamic social and intellectual activity. (Frishman, 1994) The Jewish synagogue and the Islamic Mosque have some things in common as to what they represent in a city and how everyday life and practices are centered around them. There are also some similarities as to what one would find inside a synagogue and a mosque. But there are some differences as well. These differences include certain things that are not allowed one building that may be allowed in the other. Another difference would be the architectural styles that were used to build these buildings and the meanings they represent.
But one similarity between the two places of worship is that throughout history, they have both allowed themselves to be changed to better suit the host community. For instance, Spanish synagogues of the Muslim period had horseshoe arches and beautiful stucco arabesques. (Gruber, 1999) Oriental synagogues tended to seat its worshippers on rugs or cushions (like some mosques). Polish 18th century synagogues resembled distinctive pagodas. Later, European emancipation introduced new styles: Baroque, Romanesque, pseudo-Byzantine and Greek temple. Some mo...