Jewish Quarter, Budapest

Monday morning (April Fools) visit to Budapest Jewish Quarter, Dohaney Street Synagogue (Europe’s largest, also known as the Great Synagogue of Budapest) and Museum, and what is essentially Budapest’s Fairfax District with some kosher restaurants, cafes, Judaica shops, other shuls, and more interspersed with a gentlemen’s club and other businesses. This is assimilation. And the glatt kosher restaurants are open on Shabbat. Had great flodini—a traditional Hungarian Jewish layered coffee cake dessert—at Spinoza cafe in the quarter, where we met with a 27-year old local woman to discuss how the younger generation is embracing (or not) their religious and cultural heritage. Despite vastly different histories and contexts, some fundamental issues are not that different than in the American diaspora. A good conversation. And while several nascent efforts at a shiddach with eligible American young men were broached by the aspiring yentes in our group, she left our meeting still unattached.Read more