Dohány street Synagogue

• 1074 Budapest, Dohány u. 2-6.

The temple is not only a marvelous landmark of Budapest, but it has always been a symbol of Hungarian Judaism and its rich traditions. Just as if a piece of the fabulous east burst upon our view in the heart of a Central-European capital. Nowadays, the Jewish community of Budapest counting 80,000 people also organizes concerts in addition to its regular worships between its ancient walls; the respect towards arts complements the religious reverence. It was similarly in earlier times as well: Ferenc Liszt (just as the great French composer, Saint-Saens) performed here more than once on its organ, and the prayer of excellent cantors filled even the most remote and hidden corners of this architectural masterpiece. For this reason was the biblical text “And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them” carved into the wall just above the entrance. It is interesting, though, that this citation out of Moses’ Second Book is often wrongly translated in Hungarian as “hogy benne lakozzam” – “that I may dwell in it”. You should not build a sanctuary for God to live in it, but rather to live and be present among the people… (…)

The restoration of the Synagogue was recently finished. The new exterior, however, has a reassuring and cheering effect on the domestic and foreign Jewish community as this temple – in the eyes of the entire country’s and world’s Jewry – has become a symbol of the Hungarian Jewish community and culture. Many years ago, its forefront hosted the great symposium of Hungarian Judaism, the Summer Jewish Festival, announcing its opening, and the Hungarian Jewish Book Exhibition that are on program regularly today.                                                                                

A biblical sentence promulgates above the façade of the renewed edifice the presence of Almighty: “And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them”. It’s not God who needs the temple, but rather us, in order to feel him, our brothers, sisters and fellows among us on the wings of our prayers and the values of culture. Let this synagogue of great historic past and unrivaled beauty be truly a “House of Gathering”…

Programs at Dohány street Synagogue