A shtiebel (, pl. ''shtibelekh'') is a place used for communal Jewish prayer. In contrast to a formal

synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...

, a shtiebel is far smaller and approached more casually. It is typically as small as a room in a private home or a place of business that is set aside for the express purpose of prayer, or it may be as large as a small-sized synagogue. It may or may not offer the communal services of a synagogue. Shtiebels traditionally served as places for prayer and community gatherings, often centered around a prominent Hasidic rebbe. They hosted the '' seudah shlishit'', the ritual third meal of

Shabbat Shabbat (, , or ; , , ) or the Sabbath (), also called Shabbos (, ) by Ashkenazi Hebrew, Ashkenazim, is Judaism's day of rest on the seventh day of the seven-day week, week—i.e., Friday prayer, Friday–Saturday. On this day, religious Jews ...

, and attracted newcomers with their inviting atmosphere for prayer, eating, drinking, and community activities. Shtiebels were common in Jewish communities in Eastern Europe before

the Holocaust The Holocaust (), known in Hebrew language, Hebrew as the (), was the genocide of History of the Jews in Europe, European Jews during World War II. From 1941 to 1945, Nazi Germany and Collaboration with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ...

. The shtiebel was distinctly characteristic of Hasidic Judaism and played a central and critical role in the life of the Hasidic community. Shtiebels continue to exist in contemporary

Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...

and the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. The shtiebel was cost-effective, helping to spread Hasidism through a grassroots movement that enabled those familiar with it to establish local communities. This allowed Hasidism to reach more areas throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. In Israel, '' minyans'' are held in storefront ''shtiebelekh'' in major business areas around the clock; whenever ten individuals show up, a new ''minyan'' begins. The Zichron Moshe shtiebel in the Zikhron Moshe neighborhood of

Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...

(near Geula) is located in a proper

, with many rooms for round-the-clock ''minyans''. This shtiebel is well known as the locale of Friday-night ''mussar'' talks that Rabbi Sholom Schwadron, the " Maggid of Jerusalem," delivered for more than 40 years.

Shtiblach in its current meaning

In the ultra-Orthodox community in Israel, synagogues developed in which several rooms (''shtibelekh'') were concentrated on prayer '' minyanim''. The purpose of the ''shtibelekh'' is to allow a parallel prayer place and a more liberated atmosphere. Unlike a synagogue with regular prayer times, certain seating arrangements, and the like, the ''shtibelekh'' operates at all hours of the day and routinely includes temporary worshipers.

Famous Shtibelekh in Israel

* Itzkovitch Synagogue, Bnei Brak

References

{{Reflist Haredi Judaism Synagogues Yiddish words and phrases