Our story of Jewish worship begins with the Israelites on their journey out of slavery.
The Tabernacle (c. 1200 BCE)
After the Exodus, Jews carried a portable sanctuary called the Tabernacle while wandering in the desert.
It housed the Ark of the Covenant, containing the Ten Commandments.
Worship focused on sacrifices and offerings to God, performed by priests.
Important because it showed God’s presence among the people, even while they were moving.
Solomon’s Temple (First Temple, c. 960 BCE)
Built in Jerusalem by King Solomon.
Became the central place of worship for all Jews.
Only priests could enter the innermost part, the Holy of Holies, where the Ark was kept.
Sacrifice was the main form of worship.
Destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE.
Exile in Babylon (586–538 BCE)
Many Jews were taken into exile after the First Temple’s destruction.
With no temple, worship adapted: they gathered to pray, study the Torah, and keep traditions alive.
This period was key to developing the idea of community worship outside the Temple.
The Second Temple (516 BCE – 70 CE)
After returning from exile, Jews rebuilt the Temple in Jerusalem.
It became the heart of Jewish life again — pilgrimages, sacrifices, and festivals centred here.
Expanded and beautified by King Herod (1st century BCE).
Destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE, which ended temple-based worship.
The Romans and Exile (70 CE onwards)
After the Temple’s destruction, Jews were scattered across the Roman Empire.
Temple sacrifices ended permanently.
Rabbis encouraged Jews to focus on prayer, Torah study, and obeying mitzvot (commandments) wherever they lived.
This shift made Judaism a portable religion, not tied to one holy building.
The Synagogue
Local places of worship that developed during exile and became the centre of Jewish life after the Temple’s destruction.
Functions: worship, study, and community gathering.
No sacrifices — instead, focus on prayer, reading the Torah, and teaching.
Symbolises how Jewish worship adapted to survive without the Temple.
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