The seminar surveys the history and culture of the Jews in Hungary from medieval to modern times. Royal protection and intensive economic activities from the 11th century onwards caused hatred and antagonism, followed by bloodlibels and expulsions. Even in these periods of oppression, centers of Torah study flourished in Hungary. Under Ottoman rule, the position of the Jews improved immensely. Some Sephardi Jews from the Balkans settled in Ottoman Hungary as they were attracted by these favorable conditions. In modern times, the number of Jews increased constantly, and in the post-emancipation period, they were found in large numbers in many professional, financial, and literary fields. Haskalah and Reform were opposed vehemently by the Orthodox and Hassidim. German, Yiddish, and Hungarian-speaking Jews added to this internal strife. Political anti-semitism grew in strength as the Jews integrated more deeply into Hungarian life. Hungary became the stronghold of the anti-Zionist Neture Karta and also the birthplace of Herzl, the founder of political Zionism. The country offers a fascinating example of fully integrated Jews, Zionist enthusiasts, and extreme Orthodox. Whatever their identity was, the Holocaust made no distinction between them, and the Second World War proved disastrous for Hungarian Jewry. Their partial survival after the Holocaust is the story of a miraculous revival.  

 

Mon.           Arrival in Budapest, divided by the Danube River with nine bridges that link the hilly

Oct 28        historic Buda and the commercial, very flat Pest. Panoramic city sightseeing tour by bus.

                   Orientation in the hotel and followed by dinner in a kosher restaurant.               BUDAPEST

                   

Tue.            Transfer to Elisabeth Town Museum.

Oct 29        Lecture: Jewish Life in Medieval Hungary, K. Aron-Beller

                    Lecture: Jewish Art of Hungary and Eastern Europe: An Introductory Overview, S. Sabar

                    Walking tour of the Jewish Quarter where we will visit the Kazinczy synagogue (Orthodox)                              which was built in 1913, and the Rumbach Synagogue. Visit the Dohany Synagogue (the                                Neolog) inaugurated in 1859 and is the largest functioning synagogue in Europe.    

                    Drive via the Parliament Building and Margaret bridge to the Castle District, a 1km long                                  limestone plateau in Buda towering 170m above the Danube, containing Budapest’s most                              important medieval monuments and museums. It is today a World Heritage Site.  In Castle Hill                        we find the remains of the earliest Jewish settlement in Budapest dating from the 13th century.                                                                                                                                                           BUDAPEST      

 

Wed.           Lecture on the bus: Hungarian Jews under the Hapsburgs and the Ottomans, K. Aron-

Oct 30        Beller

                    WESTERN PART OF HUNGARY: Travel to Györ to visit the synagogue built in the 19th        

                    century and which is now a cultural center. Kosher box lunch.

                    Visit Sopron, one of the most charming medieval cities in  Hungary, which is located at the

                    foot of the Lövér Hills.  Visit the two oldest so far discovered medieval synagogues in  

                    Hungary, both built in the 14th century that are among the greatest Jewish Gothic monuments

                    in Europe. Visit a Jewish “hospital” and mikve.                                                        BUDAPEST                                                                       

 Thu.            Lecture: Hungarian Jewry between Tradition and Acculturation, K. Aron-Beller

Oct 31          Lecture:  Ceremonial Art for the Synagogue and Home, S. Sabar

                     NORTHERN PART OF HUNGARY:

                     Travel to Esztergom, one of Hungary’s most historical cities.  Continue to Visegrád, once

                     the seat of Hungary’s kings and queens, to see the fortress and the museum. Proceed to                                 Szentendre, a town that has changed little in appearance since the 18th century. Visit the                                 Hungarian Open-Air Ethnographical Museum.  Kosher box lunch in the artists’ village.

                                                                                                                                                            BUDAPEST

 Fri                 Lecture: Shlomo Seneor – From Segovia to Budapest, K. Aron-Beller

Nov 1            Lecture: Magic and Amulets for Childbirth and Protection in Hungary and Eastern Europe,

                      S. Sabar

                      Visit memorial sights of the Holocaust in Budapest:  The Holocaust Memorial Center and

                      the Glass House, which was a remarkable refuge place during the Holocaust period and

                      also a center of underground Zionist activities.  View the Abundant Shoes Memorial at

                      the riverside.

                      Shabbat services in the synagogue are followed by a kosher Shabbat dinner.     BUDAPEST   

 

Sat                Shabbat services in the synagogue.

Nov 2            Kosher Shabbat lunch.                                                                                                BUDAPEST

                 

Sun               Lecture on the bus: The Jews of Hungary during the Holocaust, K. Aron-Beller

Nov 3            EASTERN PART OF HUNGARY: Travel to Miskolc, located at the foot of the Bükk Hills,

                      to visit the synagogue built in 1856-1863 and the cemetery, which was inaugurated in 1759.                            Proceed to Mád to see the synagogue built by Jewish immigrants from Poland, the rabbi’s                              house, and the yeshiva. Kosher lunch.

                      Tour Tokaj, a picturesque little town of vineyards and nestling storks.  

                      Visit the Great Synagogue, which was used as a German barracks during WWII

                      (now a cultural center), and continue to the cemetery.                                             BUDAPEST                                                      

Mon              SOUTHERN PART OF HUNGARY: Visit Szeged, the largest and most important city on the

Nov 4            Southern Plain, to view the two synagogues: the Hungarian art nouveau New Synagogue,

                      one of the most beautiful synagogues in Europe from 1900-3, and the neoclassical

                      Old Synagogue, built in 1842-3. Kosher box lunch.

                      Continue to Kecskemét, known as the “Garden City” with its vineyards and orchards -

                      today, a cultural center. Visit Apostag and its synagogue.                                        BUDAPEST

                                                                                                  

Tue               Lecture: The Rare Medieval Hebrew Manuscript Collection of David Kaufmann in the

Nov 5            Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, S. Sabar

                      Visit the Jewish Museum which contains artifacts from various periods and important

                      documents on the Holocaust.  The museum is built on the site of the house where Herzl

                      was born.                                                                                                     

                      Visit the Jewish Archives, where we will be shown some important books and documents

                      related to Hungarian Jewry in different periods.

                      Downtown walking tour including Central Market Hall.

                      Farewell kosher dinner .                                                                                             BUDAPEST

 

Wed              Transfer to the airport for departure.

Nov 6

                                                                 PROGRAM SUBJECT TO CHANGE

​

Lecturers:  Prof. Shalom Sabar (Emeritus), Dept. of Art History/Dept of Folklore and Folk Culture, The                             Hebrew University of Jerusalem

                     Dr. Kathy Aron-Beller, Lecturer in Jewish History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem

                     and Tel Aviv University.   

 

Price for land arrangements only:  Euro 3995 per person in a double room

      ***EARLY REGISTRATION BY APRIL 30, 2024 :  Euro 3940 per person in a double room***

 

Single supplement:  Euro 1095

​

                Price is based on minimum participants

​

Price for airfare from Israel: USD 550

                (Based on airfares in effect at time of publication and subject to change)

                People joining us from abroad should meet us at the Budapest airport or in the hotel in Budapest

 

Deposit:  Euro 900 with registration, of which Euro 500 is non-refundable.

 

Remainder of payment is to be paid by August 1, 2024   Please register promptly as our trips fill quickly.                                                      

Cancellation fees:                                                

                    

           July 1-Aug 18, 2024………... ……..............25%

           Aug 18-Sep 21, 2024…………..……......…65%

           Sep 22 - Departure.……..………...........…100%   

                          

               HOTEL CORINTHIA

               Erzsébet krt. 43-49, Budapest

               Tel: +36.1.479.400

               5 Stars, A/C, minibar, spa, fitness center, indoor swimming pool                          

 

               HOTEL SUBJECT TO CHANGE

 

Trip includes:                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

•   Lectures by Prof. Shalom Sabar and

        Dr. Kathy Aron-Beller                

•   JHS tour escort 

•   Local English speaking tour guide                          

•   9 nights accommodation in a 5 star hotel

        with daily buffet breakfasts.

•   Meals according to the itinerary                               

•   Local transport by bus                                         

•   Entrance fees according to itinerary

               

Not included in the price:                                     

• Obligatory health and cancellation travel insurance

• Tips (Euro 95)                                 

• Visa fees (if needed)                                 

                                                                                                                                                                      

Program subject to change:  All rights are reserved by Jewish Historical Seminars to make

staff substitutions if necessary and/or make changes to the program and conditions as

required by force majeure, including cancellation of the trip at any time due to drastic

changes in the situation. Participants are reminded that weather conditions cannot be

predicted and cancellations or changes to visits may be unavoidable.

 

Further information:     Contact Debbie Zuberi:  Tel: 972-54.2212503,  Fax: 972-2-5700005

                                        Email: JHSeminars@gmail.com.   www.JewishHistoricalSeminars.com

                                        The trip is run in conjunction with Ayala Tours, Jerusalem