Jewish heritage tour
Introduction
Few people would guess that the second largest synagogue in the world is located in Budapest - the Dohány Street Synagogue. But, in the early part of the twentieth century, before the Nazi invasion changed the shape of our Jewish history, 23 percent of Budapest was Jewish.
During the Budapest Jewish Heritage Tour, we'd like to take you around the city focusing on the mementos of Budapest's Jewish past and discover the revival of the Jewish culture taking place now. We'd like to show you a side of Budapest that is essential for understanding its peculiarities - and also the traumas it has suffered over the course of the last century.
There are at least two generations of Jewish Hungarians who have purposefully buried their Jewish heritage because they had no other choice. The victims and the survivors alike remained silent. During the war it was their life they feared - in the Communist era it was their future, for the state strictly prohibited the manifestation of any religious affiliation. A handful of religious families might have lit candles on a Friday nights, they might have prayed even, but it was unimaginable for their children to mention it at school the next day. It is hardly surprising that Jewish families felt discouraged to practice their religion; because in each and every family there was at least a father, a sister or a friend missing.
In the twenty years since the wall came down, there have been many fundamental changes for the Hungarian Jewish community. Behind the red stars, the walls of the uniform grey there are hidden stars of David - temples and memorials have been preserved like living inclusions in a seashell. The shops, restaurants and traditional clubs, which were always busy before the War started reopening again, showing its former beauty to the public.
It's not just by chance that the state of Israel decided to open its first cultural institution in Europe right here in Budapest. The institute will be our partner in this undertaking to show you this hidden side of the city - the Jewish Museum, the Holocaust Memorial Museum, the old tabernacles. If you choose our Jewish Heritage tour, you will meet people who are willing to share their life stories, their family histories and their collective memories with you.