Hungary
“The agreement marks a significant milestone in the resurrection of the Hungarian Jewish community, which was almost wiped out during the Holocaust,” said Chief Rabbi of EMIH–Association of United Hungarian Jewish Congregation Shlomo Koves.
The Aurora community center stresses outreach to young, unaffiliated Hungarian Jews and others.
“I finished the two Torah scrolls myself at the place where 75 years ago, our martyrs were brutally shot into the water,” said Rabbi Shlomo Koves in Budapest.
Despite concerns over the policies of nationalist leader Viktor Orbán, the country enjoys low levels of anti-Semitism, warm relations with Israel and a thriving Jewish community. Hungary’s Ambassador to the United States László Szabó says not to believe the “fake news that is going around on Hungary.”
The sports competition that just wrapped up in Hungary also gave the Jewish athletes a glimpse of history and a sense of tradition.
The ceremonial torch was lit by Hungarian-Jewish chess grandmaster Judit Polgar.
“The Jobbik Party’s entrance into the parliament—a far-right party that openly supports anti-Semitism—is creating a sense of apprehension,” said Sandor Horvat, who moved to Israel from Budapest.
The new TEV service is expected to consist of both volunteers and law-enforcement officials.
Rabbi Shlomó Köves, chief rabbi of the EMIH-Hungarian Jewish Alliance and a Chabad-Lubavitch emissary in Budapest, discusses the prime minister and his nationalistic approach, as well as the thinking of some of his critics.
Hungary opens diplomatic trade mission in Jerusalem
“This is a very exciting moment for us because it’s the first European diplomatic mission opened in Jerusalem in many decades, and three Hungarian diplomats are going to be assigned to this office for trade purposes,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announces opening of trade office in Jerusalem with “diplomatic status” • Follows Czech President Milos Zeman’s visit to Jerusalem in November and inauguration of the Czech Center for Culture, Economics and Tourism, or Czech House.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry said that the leaders of the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary would instead hold separate meeting with Israeli leaders.
