Aish UK hosts 180 British students for unforgettable Shabbaton in Budapest
Students from Yavneh, JFS, JCoSS, North London Collegiate, Immanuel College, City of London and Habs create the largest gathering in the city synagogue since the Holocaust
Almost 200 students joined Jewish educational charity Aish UK for a Friday night dinner in Budapest last week.
Currently spending their post-A level summer inter-railing across Europe, Shabbaton participants hailed from schools including Immanuel (Bushey), Yavneh College (Borehamwood), JFS (Harrow), JCoSS (Barnet), Haberdashers’ Boys and Girls (Elstree), City of London (St. Paul’s) and North London Collegiate (Edgware).
The event began with students gathering in the courtyard outside the shul for drinks, followed by a meaningful Kabbalat Shabbat service held at the historic Kazinczy Synagogue, built in 1913. The presence of more than 180 attendees marked the largest gathering in the synagogue since before the Holocaust.
A traditional Friday night dinner then took place in the Hanna Garden Restaurant, part of the synagogue complex, complete with good food, singing and a profound sense of unity and community.
The evening extended beyond the meal, with students staying to socialise and play board games with fellow students and the Aish staff led by Rabbi Rafi Stemmer and Rabbi Ari Kayser, who created a profoundly Jewish haven for the students.
Yavneh College student Ben said: “The Friday night dinner was a big highlight of the trip. It was really special to all be together to celebrate Shabbat in a different country. A big thank you to Rabbi Rafi for organising the weekend and to all the Madraichim who came.”
Josh, from Immanuel College said: “The Aish Shabbat in Budapest brought together young Jews to celebrate in a place where a once thriving and vibrant Jewish community was decimated by the Nazis. To sing, drink and eat together as a community in a place with such a dark history was deeply meaningful to me and a strong symbol of Jewish continuity and resilience, particularly in these challenging times when Jewish life in Europe is once again threatened and people all over the world call for the destruction of the state of Israel.”
Rabbi Rafi Stemmer, Aish UK said: “It was beautiful to see students from a variety of backgrounds, affiliations, and communities, uniting to spend their Friday night together. In a city where 80 years ago Jewish life was obliterated, we demonstrated that the Jewish people are vibrant, alive, and committed to continue spreading our eternal message of light, peace, and hope to the world.”
Gabor Keszler, President of the Hungarian Jewish Community added: “This year marks the 80th anniversary of the tragedy of the Holocaust. Now, as we remember our ancestors, I believe that all of their souls are filled with joy, as on this Shabbat the sound of Lecha Dodi sang by nearly 200 children filled the walls of the Great Synagogue on Kazinczy Street.
“The last time this synagogue has seen such simcha, with this many children, was in the pre-Holocaust era. We, as a community have to thank Aish UK and be grateful for giving us the opportunity to be part of this beautiful, heartwarming Shabbat.”
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