One synagogue works like this: Children can either sit next to their mother or father and pray, or stare off into space, or amuse themselves quietly with books or toys; or they can wander around the hallways and dining rooms and lounges and playrooms and play with each other. By the time they are teenagers, they are expected to participate in the ritual as adults. If a family has a baby, one parent (usually the mother) will arrive an hour before the ritual ends with the baby, and periodically carry the baby outside to keep it happy. They can also keep an eye on the older children when they do this.
Another synagogue has all that, plus a structured activity for schoolchildren and teenagers, led by a lay clergy.
The above two paragraphs are also accurate descriptions of family dinners in my family. Instead of praying there is eating.
In all the Christian churches I have been to, the children are expected to sit in the pews the whole time. I suppose this is practical if the ritual isn’t too long, and desirable if they can get some value out of the ritual.
It’s worth noting that Saturday morning services in Orthodox Jewish synagogues tend to run several hours. The Sunday morning services I’ve attended in Christian churches have been significantly shorter.
One synagogue works like this: Children can either sit next to their mother or father and pray, or stare off into space, or amuse themselves quietly with books or toys; or they can wander around the hallways and dining rooms and lounges and playrooms and play with each other. By the time they are teenagers, they are expected to participate in the ritual as adults. If a family has a baby, one parent (usually the mother) will arrive an hour before the ritual ends with the baby, and periodically carry the baby outside to keep it happy. They can also keep an eye on the older children when they do this.
Another synagogue has all that, plus a structured activity for schoolchildren and teenagers, led by a lay clergy.
The above two paragraphs are also accurate descriptions of family dinners in my family. Instead of praying there is eating.
In all the Christian churches I have been to, the children are expected to sit in the pews the whole time. I suppose this is practical if the ritual isn’t too long, and desirable if they can get some value out of the ritual.
It’s worth noting that Saturday morning services in Orthodox Jewish synagogues tend to run several hours. The Sunday morning services I’ve attended in Christian churches have been significantly shorter.