# Synagogue or Temple **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 16, 2012, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/synagogue-or-temple/609664 "2012-01-16T03:49:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/synagogue-or-temple/609664/21 "2012-01-16T16:58:36Z")
I use all three terms, more or less at random. I guess I would use “shul” only when talking to Jews. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/synagogue-or-temple/609664/22 "2012-01-16T16:58:36Z")
I didn’t vote. Because ‘either’, or ‘both’, were not choices. Though they would, in my case, be accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/synagogue-or-temple/609664/23 "2012-01-16T17:49:48Z")
> [@Shmendrik](#): > > I’ve never heard anyone refer to a school or yeshiva as a shul, despite the literal meaning of the word. I don’t hear either word that often, but on one occasion it was close. The lead singer for the band Say Anything is of Jewish extraction and sometimes inserts Jewish references into his songs. In “Wow, I Can Get Sexual, Too” one of the lines is “I forgot all the rules my rabbi taught me in the old shul”. I’m not sure if that means temple or yeshiva, but I’m leaning toward the latter since it is also a pun on the phrase “Old School”. :::Hijack::: But most of the fans assume the lyrics are “Old School”, and so sing it that way in concert. Max has also sang it that way in concert on occasion. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/synagogue-or-temple/609664/24 "2012-01-16T17:52:41Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > I didn’t vote. > > Because ‘either’, or ‘both’, were not choices. > > Though they would, in my case, be accurate. “Other” didn’t work for you? ---
**Author:** ![Pyper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pyper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pyper)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/synagogue-or-temple/609664/25 "2012-01-16T18:28:35Z")
All the Jews I know here in L.A. say “shul.” The actual places of worship are usually titled “Temple” as in “Temple Beth Shalom,” but nobody says “I’m going to temple,” or “I’m going to the synagogue.” ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/synagogue-or-temple/609664/26 "2012-01-16T18:50:15Z")
There was a shul in my basement when I lived in Jersey. So during those years, “shul” rolled off the tongue first. But I don’t really find myself using these terms that much. I think the last time I mentioned a Jewish place of worship, I mentioned a specific place. As in, “Oh, you go to Beth Israel.” I think “temple” is in my head more, though. I didn’t vote, by the way. I hate voting. There should be a poll asking people if they vote before posting. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/synagogue-or-temple/609664/27 "2012-01-16T18:58:03Z")
> [@](#): > > “Other” didn’t work for you? I took ‘other’ to imply some other word, specifically for a temple. Sorry, my bad. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/synagogue-or-temple/609664/28 "2012-01-16T19:36:38Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > I took ‘other’ to imply some other word, specifically for a temple. > Sorry, my bad. Very, very bad. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/synagogue-or-temple/609664/29 "2012-01-16T21:22:40Z")
I say “shul.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/synagogue-or-temple/609664.md?page=1)