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Synagogues

Synagogues arose in the days of the Captivity. The Temple destroyed, and the nation scattered, there was need for places of instruction and worship wherever there were Jewish communities. After the Return synagogues were continued both in the homeland and in Jewish centers in other lands. All larger towns had one or more. In Jerusalem, even though the Temple was there, there were many synagogues. They were presided over by a board of elders, or rulers. Early Christian meetings were modeled in part after the pattern of synagogues.