About us
The Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities
(MAZSIHISZ)
MAZSIHISZ,
one of the four historical denominations in Hungary, is the general
representative body of the Jewish community in Hungary. Its main body is the
General Assembly, whose 121 members are representatives of the synagogues in
Hungary and the rabbis. Every four years they elect the president, the managing
director and the board of directors.
According
to various estimates, there are more than 120,000 Jews living in Hungary today,
most of them in Budapest. The Federation includes about forty synagogues, some
twenty of which have regular services in the capital. In the countryside, too,
there is an increasing number of active Jewish religious and cultural life. In
addition to maintaining religious life, the main tasks of the Mazsihisz include
social assistance and the strengthening and expansion of traditional Jewish
education.
The
Mazsihisz represents Holocaust survivors in various reparations cases in
Hungary and abroad. In this respect, it has already achieved considerable
success in the negotiations.
After the
regime change in 1989, a new chapter in the life of Hungarian Jewry began. The
removal of the restrictions previously imposed by the atheist state made the
free practice of religion possible again. The renewed synagogue life created
increasingly vibrant community ties: adherence to religious rules, their joint
study and teaching, the strengthening of the moral foundations of Judaism and
social care based on the commandments of the Torah came to the fore again.
Mazsihisz
has excellent relations with national and international Jewish organizations:
it is a member of the World Jewish Congress (WJC), the European Jewish Congress
(EJC), the European Council of Jewish Communities (ECJC), and an important
partner of the State of Israel, as well as the Claims Conference, the Joint,
the Jewish Agency (Sochnut) and the Zionist movement.
Today,
Mazsihisz plays a central coordinating and exclusive institutional role in the colorful,
multifaceted landscape of Jewish culture and public life. We consider it our
task to bring the possibility of spiritual enrichment through the practice of
the Jewish religion within the reach of Hungarian Jews, while at the same time
acting as a bridge for the majority Hungarian society, conveying the values of
our faith and culture.
In the
framework of our social work, we deliver 600 lunches a day to the needy and
distribute 2500 food parcels a year. The social network maintained by Mazsihisz
makes the daily lives of 3000 people more comfortable. In our hospital and
social homes, we care for nearly 1000 patients a year. In our institutions of
Jewish identity, our kindergartens, schools and universities, more than 700
children and students are preparing for their future. The Federation is also
actively involved in the organization of Jewish cultural life. We are proud of
our European art events renowned all over Europe, our hugely popular Jewish
Cultural Festival, our prestigious exhibitions and our thematic events that
provide a lasting experience.
Hungarian
Jewish culture and tradition is particularly rich, vibrant and interesting. The
roots of Hungarian Jewry date back to the period before the founding of the
state of St. Stephen, and after the adversities of the Middle Ages, the
spectacular changes came in the 19th century, when emancipated Jewry was given
the opportunity to develop its skills and talents. They gave the country of
their birth notable scientists, doctors, thinkers, writers, artists and
individuals who built the economy and contributed to the prosperity of the
country in many different walks of life. At the darkest point of our common
history, during the Holocaust, over 600,000 Hungarian Jews were murdered. The
wounds are difficult to heal, but there is hope that the Jewish revival of the
past decades will provide a lasting foundation for a renaissance of Jewish life
in Hungary.
The most
important goals of MAZSIHISZ
Passing on the Jewish religious education, and
tradition as well as building and maintaining a lively Jewish community,
keeping up its liveliness and relevance, ensuring the proper conditions for
religious community practice.
Building well integrated communities within a
strong, open and sustainable environment Strengthening Jewish culture, environment,
lifestyle and identity.
Maintaining social activities as a Jewish value
in the Jewish community – with special attention to the needs of the first and
the second generation of Holocaust survivors – and beyond, practically speaking,
protecting the dignity of every single human being.
Jewish advocacy, which includes every human’s
freedom of religion, democratic rights and the protection if minority rights
