The origins of the synagogue in past and present research – some comments on definitions, theories, and sources

The idea that the synagogue originated in the Babylonian exile has been so frequently repeated over the centuries that, despite the fact that this consensus broke down over 20 years ago, some researchers still quote it as if it were an incontestable historical fact. The present study analyses the history of scholarship on the origins of the synagogue, from the first century writings of Philo to the recent work of Lee Levine. Challenging old assumptions and ideas, it takes a new approach to the study of the synagogue and proposes a radical solution to this ancient riddle.