The synagogue is considered by many Jews to be the most important institution in Judaism. The three Hebrew designations for the synagogue indicate its major functions—beit knesset (house of assembly), beit tefillah (house of prayer), and beit midrash (house of study). The Yiddish term for a synagogue is “shul” (school), reflecting the fact that Jewish worship and learning most often take place in the same building. Early Reform Jews chose the term “temple” for their synagogues,