1. a partition or screen in a synagogue that separates the men's section from the women's section during prayer
Usage: also spelled mechitzah or mechitzoh; from Hebrew; used in Orthodox and some Conservative Jewish communities

Examples

• The mechitza in the Orthodox synagogue runs down the center of the sanctuary.
• During services, women sit on one side of the mechitza and men on the other.
• The height and design of the mechitza vary among different synagogues.
• Some modern synagogues have replaced the traditional mechitza with a more subtle divider.
• The mechitza is an important feature of traditional Jewish worship spaces.