Jewish Budapest: Monuments, Rites, History [Hardcover]

Geza Komoroczy (Author), Viktoria Pusztai (Author), Andrea Strbik (Author), Kinga Frojimovics (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 9639116386 | ISBN-13: 978-9639116382 | Publication Date: January 1999

This history of the Jews in Budapest, from medieval times to the present day, provides a comprehensive account of their culture and ritual customs. It looks, in turn, at each of the "Jewish quarters" of the city, and demography. The book pays special attention, on the one hand, to the usage of the Hebrew language and to Jewish scholarship and, on the other, to the integration of the Jews into society and to their assimilation, in certain periods.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This book will delight the historian, armchair traveler, and student of Jewish history alike. Assembled between 1992 and 1994, it is the first in a series that will survey East-Central-European society. Although the authors emphasize Jewish life in Budapest from Medieval times to the present, the subtext is a history of the many facets of the culture and peoples of Budapest from earliest times to the present. The rich variety of photographs, maps, and drawings make lore and history come alive. Encyclopedic in scope and detail, this volume will certainly become the basic English text on the Jews of Budapest (and Hungary). The translation is, for the most part, adequate, and the index and bibliography (with English, German, Hebrew, and Hungarian among the literatures covered) are impressive. Highly recommended for large public and academic libraries. [Jewish Book Club selection.]AOlga B. Wise, Compaq Computers Inc., Austi.
-AOlga B. Wise, Compaq Computers Inc., Austin
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"The work will be useful to scholars grappling with Jewish history and Central European identities, yet it may also serve those planning travel or reflecting on their knowledge of this complex city. Excellent bibliography." -- Choice, 1999

"This book is without doubt to be considered the classical work... for Jews all over the world." -- Shlomo Spitzer, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel, 1999

"We congratulate you on this volume...provides a rich source of information on the history and culture of Hungarian Jewry." -- Dr. Jerry Hochbaum, Memorial Foundation for Jewish Culture, 1999

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 597 pages
• Publisher: Central European Univ Pr (January 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9639116386
• ISBN-13: 978-9639116382
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,926,755 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Breathing Life into Your Tour of Budapest, January 18, 2001

By 

Frank Hytken (Dallas, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jewish Budapest: Monuments, Rites, History (Hardcover)

Budapest today bustles, driven by efforts to integrate the formely communist country into Nato and the European Union. The beautiful buildings, bridges and sites dating back to the Austo-Hungarian Empire of the 1800's surprise many tourists from the West. But without knowing the history of this city the tourist has only a fraction of the enjoyment. Jewish Budapest chronicals the long history of Jews in this part of Hungary, working their way from a marginal existance literally on the edge of town to an integral part of Budapest. From this community came Theodore Hertzel, a founder of the Zionist Movement to create a Jewish state in Israel. One of the leading Rabbi's of early Reform Judaism in America served as Rabbi at a Temple in Budapest before emigrating to the freedom of the United States. Although not emancipated until about the 1870's, Budapest's Jewish community achieved remarkable progress in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in this ethnically diverse city. Before World War II, Jews comprised around 25% of the Budapest population including leading industrialists, entertainers, businessmen, doctors, scholars, and civic leaders. Now there are only about 70,000 Jews left. The majestic Dohaney Street Temple, built to the dimensions of the Temple in Jerusalem, stands today as the largest temple in Europe, seating some 3,200 worshipers in a beautifuly restored sanctuary. Jewish Budapest tells about the Jewish community that built this and a number of other temples and synagoges. Architectual information is given about office buildings, schools, apartment building and more that still line Budapest streets. The author goes behind the brick and mortar to tell about the daily lives of the people who lived in the community and how they changed over the centuries. The author includes includes an account of the catastrophe that befell the Jewish community at the hands of various fascist groups during World War II and the heroic efforts of Christians like Raul Wallenberg that saved many thousand men, women and children from the Nazis. Jewish Budapest also describes much about Judaism as practiced in Europe, not just ritual, but also daily lives of the Jews and personalties and conflicts during the centuries within the community and with their neigbors. The religious information is basic enough so that it can be understood by people with little or no knowledge of Judaism and yet interesting for those well familiar with Jewish ritual and customs. I especially recommend this book to people going to Budapest, people who have visited the city, people with ties to Hungary and history buffs.

3.0 out of 5 stars Yes, but . . ., July 12, 2011

By 

J. H. Szalkay (Forest Hills, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Jewish Budapest : Monuments, Rites, History (Paperback)

An excellent history of one aspect of Budapest's history. A good city map with the book would have been helpful to those who either have not lived there or who (like me) left the city over 50 years ago.