The Emergence of the Synagogue

Abstract

A comparison of the first century Theodotus inscription from Jerusalem with the third century building at Dura Europos demonstrates the emergence of the synagogue as a dominant institution of Jewish life. The first, which fits literary references to Jerusalem synagogues that served visiting pilgrims, reflects a hierarchical structure similar to that of Greco-Roman associations. The latter was heavily decorated, with numerous artistic features that allude to the (destroyed) Jerusalem Temple, belying the claim that Jews were “artless.” A small parchment fragment that was found nearby demonstrates the use of Hebrew prayers. Beginning as places for scripture study, synagogues became centers for prayer that were constructed in a way that attests to the centrality of Jerusalem.