Synagogues vary in dimension, reflecting the culture, needs, means, and tastes of the communities that build and use them. Generally, the chairs or pews face the direction of Jerusalem, the site of the Holy Temple. The front of the sanctuary contains the aron kodesh or “holy ark,” which holds the sacred Torah scrolls.
Additionally, the synagogue typically has a bimah, a raised platform from which the Torah is read, as well as an amud, a lectern for the prayer leader.