Education, Heritage, Remembrance

Walking tours of Jewish Józsefváros

About this project

The Teleki Square shtiebel, operating continuously since 1911, is the last Orthodox house of prayer in a private home in Budapest, moreover, in the country, from before the war. The notorious places of the 8th district witnessed many events of the previous century, yet we hardly know anything about them. Therefore, Jakab Gláser Memorial Foundation, the prayer house's NGO, started its research of Teleki's '44 local history in 2012. Two years later, we stepped outside the four walls and organized urban walks where urban space is transformed into a cultural space with symbolic functions and meanings.

Why is it important?

Our walks are tools to recall and retain memories; interpreting the invisible. When it comes to the Jewish history of the capital, both the academic and the lay public almost exclusively focus on the communities of 7th (Erzsébetváros), 5th (Lipótváros), and 13th district (Újlipótváros), and somehow the 8th district is ignored. However, the capital's other neighborhoods had their modest Jewish quarters, which could have a place in the discourse and historiography of the Jewish community of Budapest. It has become our mission to showcase the former kosher 8th district. In doing so, we add new values and perspectives to Budapest's Jewish past, the capital's history.

Why is it special?

With the thematic walks, the participants meet a populous community that once lived here, a neighborhood with the life of classes in a certain place, at a given time. The political, sociological, and socio-historical context concluded from this is none other but the result of the very meticulous research initiated and conducted by the community of Teleki. These guided tours are like exhibitions. With our guidance, the participants can view the 'exhibition', a part of the past, on a specific itinerary, while the personal discovery of the installation, the environment, and the locations brings the visitor closer to the theme.