A Jewish place of worship is commonly referred to as a SYNAGOGUE or shul. A SYNAGOGUE is a nine-letter word, while a shul is a four-letter word. Synagogues are places of worship for Jews, where they can come together to pray and study the Torah. Shuls are also places of worship, but are more informal than synagogues. They are often smaller and less formal than synagogues, and are usually found in smaller communities.