Synagogue Characteristics It represents the Ark of the Covenant, which held the stone tablets on which Moses received the Ten Commandments. The temple was destroyed in 70 A.D., but the practice of Judaism continues today. The synagogue has been called "the church of the Jews," because it was here that many Jews learned about Jesus. Although most historians agree that Jesus was a Jew who was crucified by the Romans, some people believe he was part of a movement called "Christianity" that started after his death. During the Middle Ages, Christians burned all kinds of books including those with Jewish content. So, we might never know how many Jews were killed during this time period. However, it is known that the number of synagogues in Europe dropped from around 500 to just 150. Many Jews moved to Amsterdam, London, and Warsaw and opened new synagogues as they needed more space. Eventually, Jews began to move out of Europe and start new communities across the world, so there were no longer any need for large synagogues. But still, people think of the synagogue as the place where God's people come to learn about him and pray together.