The first Jews living on what is today Hungarian territory were inhabitants of the Roman province Pannonia, and settled there in the 2nd century CE. Three legions were sent to Judea from Pannonia to beat the revolt (132-135) led by Bar Kochba. The victorious troops brought Jewish slaves to Aquincum (which today is the northwestern part of Budapest) and Savaria (Szombathely). Apart from the slaves, Jewish merchants from Rome are also assumes to have travelled to Pannonia.

Written documents from the time of the formation of the Hungarian state prove the existence of Jewish communities. In 1251, Béla IV published the Jewish charter, which was later confirmed by all medieval kings of Hungary. In practice, the charter put all Jews under royal protection.

More and more Jews moved to the growing cities in the 15th century; the first 'historical communities' were formed at that time (Buda, Esztergom, Sopron, Tata, Óbuda).

After the annexation of Hungary by the Ottoman Turks, Jews faced different fates in the different parts of the divided country. Under Turkish occupation, life was peaceful as long as the various nationalities paid taxes. In the course of expelling the Ottoman Turks, many formerly prosperous Jews moved out of the country or became a victim of slaughter. Hence Jews all but disappeared from Hungary toward the end of the 17th century.

In the 18th century, German-speaking (Ashkenazi) Jews arrived in Hungary, primarily coming from Czech and German territories. The Jewish population of Hungary stood at around 20,000 in 1769 and increased to 80,000 by 1787. By the end of the 18th century, the first conflicts emerged between Christians and Jews.

The 19th century was for many Jews a time of assimilation and emancipation. A small number of wealthy, urban families were the main representatives of Hungarian Jewry during that period. However, from the 1830s, poorer eastern European Jews began moving to the country in larger numbers. Many Hungarian Jews took part in the 1848/49 revolution, and their social and economic standing rose.

In 1867 Jews were granted the same political and civil rights as the Christian inhabitants. During that time Reform Judaism was born. In Reform synagogues, Hungarian was used as the primary language for religious services.

The liberal atmosphere of the late 19th century led to assimilation and, at the turn of the century, many Jews chose Hungarian or German spouses or had their children baptized as christians.

After the defeat and dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in World War I, Hungarian Jewry – including many of the Orthodox and Chassidic communities – suddenly found themselves living within the borders of Czechoslovakia, Romania, or Yugoslavia. In 1919, when the short-lived Hungarian Soviet Republic collapsed, a period of "White Terror" ensued, during which some 3,000 Jews were murdered.

In the 1920s, the situation became more stable, but by the late 1930s, the first of a series of anti-Semitic laws was enacted, restricting socio-economic activities of Jews in Hungary.

A 1941 census found that 6.2 percent of the Hungarian population of 13,644,000, i.e. 846,000, were considered Jewish according to the racial laws in place at that time. 725,000 of them were identified as Jewish by religion (184,000 in Budapest, 217,000 in the pre-1938 countryside, and 324,000 in the reunited Northern Transylvania, Carpatho-Ruthenia and southern Slovakia).

Large-scale deportation to the Nazi death camps began after German troops occupied Hungary in March 1944, but even though deportations began so late in the war, they were carried out with frightening speed. Up to 600,000 Hungarian Jews perished in the Shoah.

After the war, some 200 Jewish communities were reconstituted, but most dwindled due to emigration and migration to the capital Budapest. In 1946, anti-Jewish sentiment led to the pogroms in Kunmadaras, Miskolc, and elsewhere. Communist rule resulted in the closure of many Jewish institutions and the arrest of Jewish activists. Many Jews were expelled from Budapest, but later allowed to return.

During the 1956 uprising against the Communist, 20,000 Jews opted to leave the country. The situation of Hungarian Jewry began to improve in the late 1950s. The community was allowed to reestablish links with the Jewish world, and with the collapse of Communism, all restrictions on ties with Israel were also lifted.

Today, the community is thriving again.

Some 80 percent of Hungarian Jews live in Budapest. There are also smaller communities in Debrecen, Miskolc, Szeged and Nyíregyháza, among others. The community has a high proportion of Holocaust survivors. By most estimates, about half the Jewish population is over the age of 65.

The Federation of the Hungarian Jewish Communities (MAZSIHISZ) is the leading communal organization. Hungarian media often deals with Jewish topics and its coverage is sometimes tinged with anti-Semitism. During electoral campaigns in particular there have been manifestations of anti-Semitism. A common charge is that Jews were responsible for imposing Communism on Hungary.

About 20 synagogues and prayer houses operate in Budapest, and there are others in the principal provincial towns in which Jews live. The bulk of religiously observant Jews attend Conservative/Modern Orthodox synagogues.There are also four Orthodox synagogues, one of them Sephardic. Eastern Europe's only rabbinical seminary is located in Budapest, and students from some of the neighboring countries study and receive their ordination there.

Among others, the Jewish Summer Festival and the Bálint House provide a varied cultural life.

Jewish Summer Festival
At the 12th Jewish Summer Festival in 2009, nearly 150 artists appeared in more than 50 performances at 26 locations for one week. Every year in late August, the festival showcases a huge variety of exhibitions, concerts of light and classical music, fairs, dance performances, carnivals and movies.

Bálint Közösségi Ház
The Bálint House is intended to provide a home for the Jewish communal life. A central square, an agora, where the various community initiatives and ideas meet and find their home. The Bálint House considers it an important task to help the Jewish organizations, to offer cooperation and to strengthen the Jewish identity of the community members.

With its communal and cultural program the Bálint House intends to foster dialogue not only amongst community members but also with anyone seeking to know more about Judaism.

Address:
Révay utca 16
.
HU-1065 Budapest
Tel: +36 1 311 9214

The Dohány Street Synagogue in Budapest is the second largest synagogue in the world, and together with the one in Amsterdam, the most imposing Jewish house of prayer in Europe. Its size bears witness to the importance and cultural ambitions of the Jews of the capital during the 19th century. Composer Franz Liszt and Camille Saint-Saens played on the synagogue’s organ.

Designed by German architect Ludwig Förster and built in only four years, the synagogue was consecrated on 6 September 1859 and has since been the symbol for the Hungarian Jewry.

Other Synagogues in Budapest

Bethlen téri zsinagóga
István Street 17
1078 Budapest
Tel: +36 1 342 6170

Budakeszi úti zsinagóga
Budakeszi Street 51/b
1021 Budapest

Dessewffy utcai zsinagóga
Desseffy Street 23
1066 Budapest

Frankel Leó utcai zsinagóga
Frankel Leó Street 49
1023 Budapest
Tel: +36 1 326 1445

Hegedűs Gyula utcai zsinagóga
Hegedűs Gyula Street 3
1136 Budapest
Tel: +36 1 349 3120

Hunyadi téri zsinagóga
Hunyadi Square 3
1067 Budapest
Tel: +36 1 342 5322

Károli Gáspár téri zsinagóga
Károly Gáspár Square 5
1114 Budapest
Tel: +36 1 361 1965
Website: www.zsinagoga.net

Kazinczy utcai zsinagóga
Kazinczy Street 29-31
1072 Budapest

Kőbányai zsinagóga
Cserkész Street 7-8

1103 Budapest

Nagyfuvaros utcai zsinagóga
Nagyfuvaros Street 4
1084  Budapest

Óbudai zsinagóga
Lajos Street 163
1036 Budapest
This synagogue belongs to the Jewish Theological Seminary – University of Jewish Studies.

Páva utcai zsinagóga
Páva Street 39
1094 Budapest

Rumbach utcai zsinagóga
Rumbach Sebestyén Street 11-13

1072 Budapest

Teleki téri zsinagóga
Teleki László Square 22
  GF/6
1086 Budapest
Website: www.budapestshul.com

Újpesti zsinagóga
Berzeviczy G. Street 8
1042Budapest

Vasvári Pál utcai zsinagóga
Vasvári Pál Street 5
1068 Budapest


Synagogues in other towns

Abaújszántó
15. square Jászai Abaújszántó 3881
Currently used as warehouse.

Abony
Deák Ferenc Street 4
2740 Abony

Albertirsa
Hunyadi Street 7
2730 Albertista

Apostag
Iskola Street 5
6088 Apostag
This synagogue recently received the Europa Nostra award for its excellent reconstruction.

Baja
Munkácsy Mihály Street 9
6500 Baja

Balassagyarmat
Klapka Street 50
2660 Balassagyarmat

Balatonfüred
Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Endre Street
8230 Balatonfüred

Békéscsaba
Becsey Oszkár Street
5600 Békéscsaba

Debrecen
Bajcsi-Zsilinszky Endre Street

4025 Debrecen

Győr
Kossuth Lajos Street 3-5
9025 Győr

Hódmezővásárhely
Szeremlei
6800 Hódmezővásárhely
Also includes a Holocaust museum.

Jánoshalma
Petőfi Sándor Street
Jánoshalma 6440

Kaposvár
Berzsenyi Street

7400 Kaposvár

Karcag
Kertész József Street
5300 Karcag

Kecskemét
Nagykőrösi Street 8
6000 Kecskemét

Keszthely
Kossuth Lajos Street 20-22
8360 Keszthely

Kiskunhalas
Petőfi Sándor Street
6400 Kiskunhalas

Komárom
Eötvös Street 15
2900 Komárom

Miskolc
Kazinczy Street
3525 Miskolc

Nagykőrös
Rákóczi Street 21
2750 Nagykőrös

Nyíregyháza
Mártírok Square 6
4246 Nyíregyháza

Pápa
Petőfi Sándor Street 24
8500 Pápa

Pécs
Kossuth Lajos Square
7621 Pécs

Salgótarján
Füleki Street 55
3101 Salgótarján

Sopron
Paprét Street 12-14
9400 Sopron

Szeged
Old synagogue:
Hajnóczy Street 12
6722 Szeged
New synagogue:
Jósika Street 10
6722 Szeged
http://zsinagoga.szeged.hu

Szekszárd
Szent István Square 28
7100 Szekszárd
Operational community.

Szolnok
Szolnoki Galéria
Templom Street 2
5000 Szolnok

Szombathely
Rákóczi Street 3
9700 Szombathely 9700

Vác
Eötvös Street
2600 Vác

In Budapest there are three Jewish day schools and a high school. One of the schools is Orthodox, another Reform, and the third is run by the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation.

Faculty of Rabbinical Studies
Bérkocsis Street 2
1084 Budapest
Tel: +36 1 317 2396
Website: www.or-zse.hu

BZSH Benjamin Óvodája
Ungvár Street 12
1142 Budapest
Tel: +36 1 251 0577
Website: www.benjaminovi.hu

Scheiber Sándor Gimnázium és Általános Iskola
Laky Adolf Street 38-40
1145 Budapest
Tel: + 36 1 221 4215
Website: www.scheiber.hu

Lauder Javne Zsidó Közösségi Óvoda, Általános, Közép- és Szakiskola
Budakeszi Street 48
1121 Budapest
Tel: +36 1 275 2240
Website: www.lauder.hu

Amerikai Alapítványi Iskola
Address: Wesselényi Street 44
1075 Budapest
Tel: +36 1 322 5495
Website: www.aai.co.hu

BZSH Anna Frank Kollégium
Révay Street 16, Budapest 1065
Tele: +36 1 353 4396, +36 1 311 9214
This is used by the students of the American Endowment School, Lauder Javne Jewish High School, Scheiber Sándor Primary and High School and the Jewish Theological Seminary – University of Jewish Studies. The institution provides accommodations for its students five days a week, from Sunday evening to Friday afternoon.

Gán Menáchem óvoda
Address: Budapest XII. kerület
Tel: + 36 1 395 4470
Website:  zsidoovoda.hu


Communal representative organization:

MAZSIHISZ
Address: Síp Street 12
1075 Budapest
Tel: +36 1 413 55 00
Website: mazsihisz.hu

The 19th-century Dohány Synagogue in Budapest is the largest in Europe and is presently undergoing extensive repairs.

Budapest’s Jewish Museum has an impressive collection on Judaism.

The Emanuel Holocaust Memorial is called the Tree of Life. On this modern sculpture, each leaf symbolizes a victim of the Shoah. There is also a statue honoring Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who rescued several thousand Jews in Budapest from deportation to the Nazi death camps.

Hungary has a large number of monumental synagogues. That of Szeged, constructed in a late eclectic style, was designed by Lipot Baumhorn, who was responsible for many of the most beautiful such buildings in central Europe. Today, after painstaking restoration, the Szeged synagogue serves as a museum.

For further information contact:

Central Board of Hungarian Jewish Communities
Sip Street 12
1075 Budapest
Tel: +36 1 322 6475

Holocaust Memorial Center
Páva Street 39
1094 Budapest
Tel: +36 1 455 3333
Website: www.hdke.hu

Aliya: Since 1948, 30,029 Hungarian Jews have emigrated to Israel, nearly half of them between 1948 and 1951. This figure does not include Hungarian-speaking Jews from Romania.

Israeli Embassy

Fullánk Street 8
1026 Budapest
Tel: +36 1 176 2808
Website: http://budapest.mfa.gov.il

Szombat politikai és kulturális folyóirat
www.szombat.org

Pesti Sólet
www.pestisolet.uw.hu

Budai Sófár
Frankel Leó Street, Budapest 1023
budaisofar@freemail.hu

Hírolvasó.com online magazin
www.hirolvaso.com/

Several Jewish youth organizations operate in Hungary.
 
UJS – Zsidó Fiatalok Magyarországi Egyesülete
PO BOX 333
Budapest 1075
Website: www.ujs.hu

Hasomer Hacair Baloldali, cionista ifjúsági szervezet
Lovag Street 5
1066 Budapest
Website: www.somer.hu

Kidma, Cionista zsidó diákszervezet
Révay Street 16
1065 Budapest
Website: www.kidma.hu

Marom, Konzervatív vallásos, cionista diákszervezet
Szigetvári Street 6
1083 Budapest
Websites: www.marom.hu, www.pilpul.net

Habonim Dror, Cionista ifjúsági szerezet
Jávorka Ádám Street 15
1147 Budapest
Tel: +36 20 547 0304
Website: www.habonimdror.hu

Bnei Akiva Vallásos, cionista ifjúsági szervezet
Révay Street 16
1065 Budapest 1065
Website: www.bneiakiva.hu

Hanoar Hazioni
Síp Street 12
1075 Budapest
Telefon: +36 30 314 1947
Email: preiszler@gmail.com

Maccabi Vivó és Atlétikai Club
Kmoskó Street 8
2039 Pusztazámor
Email: info@maccabi.hu
Website:  www.maccabi.hu

In Budapest there are more than ten kosher butchers, as well as a kosher bakery and restaurant. Hungary exports matzot, kosher wine, spirits and meat to other countries.

Hanna's Kosher Kitchen
Dob Street 35
1074 Budapest
Tel: + 36 1 342 1072
Website: koserhanna.hu
   
Carmel Restaurant
Address: 31. street Kazinczy, Budapest, H-1074
Tel: +36 1 342 4585, +36 1 322-1834
Website: www.carmel.hu

Pékség, Kóser Pizza
Kazinczy Street 28
1075 Budapest
Tel: +36 1 342 0231

Café Noé kávézó (coffee-shop)
Wesselényi Street 13
1075 Budapest
Tel: +36 1 344 4208
Website: www.torta.hu

Rotschild kóser élelmiszer bolt
Dob Street 12
1074 Budapest
Tel: +36 1 267 5691

Borkimérés
Klauzál Street 16
1074 Budapest
Tel: +36 1 322 6898

Hússzékek
Dob Street 35
1074 Budapest
Tel: +36 1 344 5165
Visegrádi Street 16
1131 Budapest
Tel: +36 1 320 4454

Kolbászüzem
Dob Street 35
1074 Budapest
Tel: +36 1 342 1072

For up to date information on Kosher restaurants and locations please see the Shamash Kosher Database