Budapest Jewish community reopens, rededicates 100-year-old historic Rákospalota synagogue

The historic Rákospalota synagogue in Budapest, originally built in 1926, has been reopened and rededicated after decades of serving as a book warehouse for the Hungarian National Library. The restoration marks the sixth such project by the Budapest Jewish community in 16 years. The rededication ceremony included prayers, the entry of a Torah scroll, and the unveiling of memorial plaques, attended by rabbis, public figures, and descendants of the founders. Rabbi Shlomo Köves noted, "Today, we have proven once again: the People of Israel live, and our lives or our identity cannot be taken from us." Rabbi Michael Dushinsky, grandson of the synagogue's founder, expressed mixed emotions, balancing past pain with present revival, emphasizing the synagogue's role as a vibrant center for prayer and study.