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Published

synagogue

vr.tr.synagogue · thing-q34627

Let an agent describe synagogues respectfully by community, tradition, architecture, history and visiting, attributing religious meaning to Jewish sources and avoiding disclosure of security arrangements.

Thing Registry Physical world and living systems PHY.BLT

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

Community Which synagogue.

Tradition

Denomination.

Tradition

Tradition.

  1. Which tradition or movement does the congregation follow? provenance
  2. How does it describe itself? provenance

Services

Times.

Services

Service times.

  1. When are services, according to the congregation? provenance
  2. How can the office be contacted? action
Visiting Etiquette.

Etiquette

Customs.

Etiquette

Etiquette.

  1. What etiquette does the congregation ask visitors to follow? provenance
  2. Should a visit be arranged in advance? action

Security

No details.

Security

Security handling.

  1. Does the request seek security arrangements that should not be shared? boundary
  2. How can the visitor contact the community directly? action
Heritage Architecture and history.

Architecture

Design.

Architecture

Architecture.

  1. What architectural style and features does it have? provenance
  2. Is it listed? provenance

History

Community history.

History

History.

  1. What is the history of the building and congregation? provenance
  2. Which sources document it? provenance
Safety Hate incidents.

Report

Antisemitism.

Report

Reporting incidents.

  1. How can an antisemitic incident be reported to police and community security bodies? action
  2. Is anyone in immediate danger? boundary

Respect

Neutral description.

Respect

Respectful description.

  1. Are religious meanings attributed to Jewish sources? boundary
  2. Does the description avoid stereotypes? boundary

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Physical world and living systems
Entry kind
thing
Plane
PHY
Domain
PHY.BLT
Other names and narrower kinds
main synagogue, former synagogue, choral synagogue, Ashkenazi synagogue, Yemeni synagogue, esnoga, kenesa, proseuche, masgeed, Wooden synagogues of the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth

What it is Filled

A Jewish house of prayer, study and community gathering, containing an ark holding Torah scrolls; also called shul or temple in some communities, with Ashkenazi, Sephardi and other traditions of design and liturgy.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent describe synagogues respectfully by community, tradition, architecture, history and visiting, attributing religious meaning to Jewish sources and avoiding disclosure of security arrangements.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • House of prayer and study
  • Community centre
  • Diverse traditions
  • Many historic buildings

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Publish security arrangements, guard schedules or vulnerabilities of a synagogue.
  • Record or share images of worshippers without consent.
  • Produce or spread antisemitic content or content that targets a synagogue or its members.
  • Misrepresent Jewish beliefs, rites or communities.

Only with a human decision

  • Recording or broadcasting a service.
  • Sharing information about members of a congregation.

May

  • Describe a synagogue's history, architecture and public services from reliable sources.
  • Give directions and public visiting information that the congregation publishes.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Synagogues have long been targets of hatred and violence; their safety depends on discretion.
  • A synagogue is sacred to the community that holds it, and visitors must respect its customs.

Who is affected

  • The congregation and its members
  • Jewish communities more widely
  • Visitors

Owners Filled

Steward

The congregation or the community body that owns and runs it.

Master systems

  • Heritage and listed building registers

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • Q831219 - registry parent class

related

  • house of prayer - category
  • Jewish community - community
  • Judaism - religion

contains

  • Torah scroll - object

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.synagogue
  • Wikidata: Q34627 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q34627)

Direct properties required Filled

  • Floor area: m2 - Area is measured from building plans or a survey with the included rooms and floor levels specified.
  • Prayer hall clear height: m - Clear height is measured vertically from the finished floor to the ceiling or lowest overhead obstruction.
  • Entrance clear width: m - Clear width is measured across the unobstructed opening with the entrance door in its usable open position.

Recognition required Filled

  • Ark (aron kodesh) and bimah
  • Star of David or menorah motifs
  • Former synagogues may now serve other uses
  • Buildings with an ark, bimah and often Hebrew inscriptions; styles vary widely.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • find synagogues and service times from community sources
  • understand visitor etiquette
  • learn about architecture and history
  • report antisemitic incidents

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Sharing security arrangements
  • Stereotypes
  • Stating beliefs as facts rather than attributing them

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • Freedom of religion law
  • Heritage protection for historic buildings
  • Hate crime law

Context of use required Filled

  • Jewish prayer, study and community life; historic synagogues are also heritage sites.
  • Orthodox synagogues
  • Conservative and Masorti synagogues
  • Reform and Liberal synagogues
  • Sephardi and Ashkenazi synagogues
  • historic and former synagogues

Sources Filled

  1. Wikidata item Q34627: synagogue - identity and sense of the item
  2. Wikipedia: Synagogue - general description of the item

Open questions

  • Should each synagogue be a separate entry?
  • How should community information be sourced?
  • How should former synagogues be handled?

Machine files

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q34627/spec.json