After hearing so much about Marom Budapest from my marvelous colleague Eszter Susan, I decided to come and explore it from a first hand. The Bankito Festival (Jewstock) was an additional excuse to come visit Hungary, but not the first one. Looking back on my Hungarian’s experiences I realized that my two reasons were a mix of each other: the Bankito Festival is one of the annual highlight events of Marom Budapest, especially for the large, not only Jewish, young adults community of Budapest.
Before Kabbalath shabbath at the Budapest Moishe house
My first Jewish station in Hungary was at the Budapest Moishe House which was opened a year ago in the Jewish quarter by three energetic young ladies: Eszter Susan, Zsofia Eszter Simon and Anna Balint. I felt at home from the first step, and enjoyed a colorful and welcoming design as well as activities. As an active friend of the London Moishe House I was so happy to see that the spirit of a community house is common for those two. In addition I admired the cooperation between Marom Budapest, Budapest Moishe House and so many other local and international Jewish organizations that know how to work together and put aside differences and politics.
The next day I was on a bus, heading to my second Jewish station – the Bankito Festival, that was happening in Bank, a small countryside village that peacefully lies at the shores of a charming lake. I was wondering what makes this festival a Jewish one and realized that the majority of the 100 volunteers making the festival happen were Jewish, who become involved on a regular basis in renewed Jewish life in Budapest through Marom. Those people are so active because they care about their Jewish identity and because they know that if they will not do it – nobody else will. They did not grow up with local Jewish leaders or in families who practiced Judaism. All what they do and know comes from themselves taking responsability on their Jewish journey. The majority of Hungarian Jews - 90 % of the 100 000 people are coming from such families, this is why it is so important that Marom Hungary is able to chanel them (back) to Judaism, and recreate the Hungarian Jewish community.
Hagesher - a Jewish hip-hop, funk band founded by Marom Hungary
director, Adam Schönberger
I was amazed to meet so many talented people playing music (even in Hebrew!), creating art and leading sessions and discussions in a variety of topics – just name it.director, Adam Schönberger
I had the privilege to participate in the largest Shabbat in Hungary that weekend with more than 100 Jews from Canada, France, the Netherlands, Israel, U.S. , and of course, Hungary gathering in to pray, sing and build a sense of a community so far away from home.
Rabbi David Lazar Inbar Bluzer Shalem (in the middle) and Rachel Bluzer Shalem at Bánkitó Torah reading
Rabbi David Lazar led the services, helped us to create a spiritual environment and encouraged each one of us to ask questions, to search and find our ways, rather then THE way. The subject of that week’s Parashah was the laws of kashrut. A long and technical list of what you can eat, and what not. Rabbi Lazar took this subject a step forward, made us look into ourselves and asked us to think about how we choose what to put in our body. Whether it is just the taste that is so important and that the food is healthy, or do we also care about the production procedures, and their morality. How much are we willing to pay to make our food “good”? Will it consider the point of view of the animals, the food factory workers or the environment?
Those questions, and the activist spirit I encountered on the festival, came back with me to London, and grew into a big love for the people and ideas I’ve met. I can’t wait for my next visit, to keep watching from close the beauty of this growing and flourishing community!
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