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How the three worst places on earth for Jews have turned the tables on autocracy
Click below for responses to common Holocaust denial claims
During the Holocaust, more Jews from Poland (3 million), Hungary (565,000) and Ukraine (1.5 million, as part of the Soviet Union) perished than from any other country, including Germany. But now, with the defeat of Victor Orbán last Sunday, a trifecta of wins against Putin puppets in each of these countries has transformed the political equation of Europe. Those three countries have led the way in throwing off the kind of autocratic government that made life unsafe for Jews and other minority groups. And a vibrant Jewish life is returning to all three places.
There could hardly be better news this week, for all freedom loving people, despite some skepticism among what seems like a minority of Jews, primarily from the right, in Hungary.1
Let’s look at each of the Big Three:
While the history of Jews in Ukraine has hardly been without blemish (a vast understatement), the country currently ranks as one of the least antisemitic in Europe. Three of the first four Israeli prime ministers came from present-day Ukraine, including Golda Meir, and some of the greatest literary figures and spiritual leaders of all time, including Nachman of Bratzlav and Chaim Nachman Bialik.
And did I mention that they have a Jewish president? President Zelensky is holding up his end amazingly as a contemporary Jewish hero, having replaced the corrupt pro-Putin leader Viktor Yanukovych, who was chased out in 2014. True, there have been some blemishes on the Ukrainian record, like the 1648 Cossack massacres (also a black mark for Poland) and Babi Yar; but Ukraine also houses the real-life Anatevka and Uman is a site of euphoric pilgrimage (called the Jewish Burning Man) to the grave of Rabbi Nachman.
See also The stormy, yet rich history of the Jews in Ukraine. Also, the YIVO Encyclopedia article on Ukrainian Jewry.
And then there’s Poland. When I went to Poland with my congregation in 2017, we saw a country struggling to come to grips with its dark side. But we did not see outright denial of that history. In Warsaw’s spectacular Polin Museum commemorating 1,000 years of Jewish life in Poland, one display speaks with an admirable honesty about the topic, stating, in Polish and English:
What was the attitude of Poles to the Jewish tragedy? Few chose to risk their lives and the lives of their families by trying to save Jews. Many were simply too preoccupied with everyday hardships of the occupation to concern themselves with the fate of Jews. Some Poles denounced Jews to the Germans or murdered them themselves. How did those on the Aryan side react to the Warsaw Ghetto uprising? Some sympathized with Jews and admired their heroism. Most, however, were indifferent, while others made antisemitic comments.
While it may understate the degree of antisemitism that existed at that time, this hardly sounds like a whitewash. The museum was created by a unique partnership of the Polish government and the private sector, including Jewish groups. It has been praised universally and is part of an impressive and expanded array of memorials, museums and restored synagogues in Poland.
As the Holocaust recedes into history, it is becoming even more important for Jews to visit these places. The Polin Museum also describes the vibrant Jewish life that preceded the rise of the Nazis, when Warsaw was the second largest Jewish city in the world, trailing only New York, and its cultural life was unrivaled.
In assessing the complicated historical relationship between Poles and Jews, let’s acknowledge that Jews share quite a bit with the Poles. While horrible things happened to Jews in Poland, horrible things — though considerably less horrible — happened to Poles too.
Here’s something else Jews, Poles and Ukrainians share — the concern for an alarming erosion of fragile democratic norms all over the world, through dangerous demagogic tactics of strongman leaders who pit one group against another.
Which brings us to Hungary, the newest member of this Eastern European Axis of Democratic Rejuvenation. In Poland and Hungary, and to a lesser degree Ukraine, far-right wing governments consolidated power by following a familiar playbook. They demonized the press, co-opted the judiciary and directed the anger toward familiar scapegoats, especially the Jews.
If this Budapest congregation read from a yahrzeit list before the mourner’s kaddish, as we do, the list would have 1,000 names on it every week. So enormous has been their loss.
A Shabbat in Budapest
And now, following this week’s shocking defeat for Orbán, the truth can now be told about how terrified Jews felt in Hungary under this regime. I believe those stories will quickly emerge, as Jews and other vulnerable groups emerge from metaphorical hiding.
When my congregation visited Hungary, We joined the Frankel Synagogue, one of the city’s most active congregations, for a Friday night service, and before that, we spent about a half hour conversing with the rabbi and his wife, an author and educator. The congregation comes from a branch of Judaism unique to central Europe – called Neolog. It’s sort of a fruit salad of Orthodoxy and Conservative. For example: there is separate seating, but the women get the better seats.
We came away from the conversation amazed at the vibrancy of the community – and we came away equally concerned for its future.
Before the Shoah, this was a thriving community - nearly a quarter of Budapest’s population was Jewish. But during the war, of the more than 800,000 Jews living in Hungary, nearly 620,000 died or were deported. In Budapest, Jews had a somewhat better chance of survival at first, until the notorious Arrow Cross – those rabid Hungarian nationalists who tried to out-Nazi the Nazis, took over, herded Jews into the ghetto beginning in December 1944, took as many as 20,000 out to the banks of the Danube, shot them and threw their bodies into the river. We saw the memorial that has been set up right by the riverbank, a sculpture depicting the shoes that were left behind. It’s incredibly moving, but equally problematic, because the memorial does not specify that the victims were Jewish.
The current Jewish population is about 100,000, they think – and that number is based on those who have received reparations for the Holocaust. But no one really knows, because the vast majority of Jews are afraid to be identified. They remain in the closet - literally, sometimes, because many still remember that proverbial knock on the door. While physical attacks are rare, anti-Semitism is plainly practiced by the extreme right-wing government and is embedded in the culture. I wrote about the antiSemitic poster campaign that popped up all over the country when we were there. Vandalism of Jewish gravestones and synagogues is commonplace. I asked the rabbi whether he wears a yarmulke in public, and he said no. Most Jewish children encounter anti-Semitism in school from a young age. The word “Jewish” is often used as a curse word in the vernacular.
Just imagine, their culture has, almost without a break, gone from medieval Christian antisemitism, to the Cossacks, then the racism and eugenics of the Nazi era, to Soviet-era antisemitism and right to Orbán’s castigation of “globalism” and castration of potential opponents in politics and the press.
And then, to add to antisemitism, there is Jewish illiteracy. After the Nazis were defeated, the country was “liberated” into nearly half a century of communist rule, where anyone living an openly Jewish lifestyle was subject to ridicule and discrimination. After the horrors of Auschwitz, most Hungarian Jews had little place for God in their lives anyway, so while the practice of Judaism wasn’t expressly forbidden, it was for all intents and purposes forgotten.
Yet despite all this, what we saw that summer was remarkable: Jewish life was rising in Budapest like a phoenix from the ashes. Despite impossible odds.
There is thriving summer camp called Szarvas near Budapest, which serves Jewish communities all over Europe. Many campers recall being dropped off and asking their parents why they were being sent to a Jewish camp. At that point, the parents would tell them, while driving off, “By the way, you’re Jewish.”
The Shabbat service at the Frankel synagogue was one of our most cherished moments on the trip back in 2017. There were a number of young families with kids there – well over a hundred people. The rabbi mentioned that very few Jewish groups visit them, so they were curious to meet their guests from America. I felt really good that we were there, as many Jewish heritage tours of Eastern Europe only visit the dead. We were determined to visit living Jewish communities too. It was another tearful moment. We were there to tell the Jews of Budapest that they are not alone.
And at the end of the service, we did the kiddish and ha-motzi prayers all together, because, we were told, very few of the congregants know how to do Shabbat at home. And there is often no grandparent to ask, because Bubbe and Zayde were murdered by the Nazis or Iron Cross.
If this congregation read from a yahrzeit list before the mourner’s kaddish, as we do (and they don’t), the list would have 1,000 names on it every week. So many were lost.
But even more to the point, they didn’t do the rituals at home because so many were afraid to. Their Jewish lives have been confined to their synagogue, a building so heavily barricaded that you almost expected Jean Valjean to make an appearance there too. The building is not visible from the street.
I came to Budapest to help people back home remember the last Holocaust, and I left Hungary more determined than ever to prevent the next one.
But that was back in 2017. I don’t know how the Jewish community was doing now, in the leadup to the elections. Trying to avoid politics, no doubt. I’m hoping to find some community members to interview as soon as the dust begins to settle.
And now, the people of Hungary have a fresh start - and the Jewish community too. They were apparently divided over whether to vote for the dictator, but given the final tally, I’d be surprised if many did. After defeating the Nazis, Soviets and Orbanist Illiberals, they are finally free. Like their Polish and Ukrainian cousins, they’ve thrown off the yoke of Putin, and centuries of irrational hate.
With the resounding defeat of the dictator, it feels like a new day is at hand.
From Ha’aretz, article by David Issacaroff.
‘It Won’t Get Worse’: After 16-years Under Orbán, Hungary’s Jews Are Split Over What Comes Next - Europe
Jews in Budapest have offered mixed reactions to Péter Magyar's resounding upset victory in Hungary's election on Sunday, ending the 16-year rule of Viktor Orbán, the most prominent European ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Hungary is home to one of the largest Jewish populations in central Europe, with an estimated 80,000 to 100,000 Jews in the country today.
In his first press conference as incoming prime minister, Magyar outlined his policy toward Israel, signaling a shift from the Orbán government by pledging to recommit Hungary to the International Criminal Court. Orbán withdrew amid arrest warrants for Netanyahu over alleged Gaza war crimes. "It is in Hungary's interest to be part of it, " he said.
Magyar also vowed to maintain the "special relationship" between Jerusalem and Budapest, highlighting the country's "strong" Jewish community and affirming that Hungary "maintains zero tolerance for all forms of antisemitism, " a policy he said would continue. He added that he aims for "pragmatic" ties and that his government will "carefully" examine every EU decision related to Israel, which Orbán had repeatedly vetoed.
Shlomo Köves, Chabad's chief rabbi in Hungary, told Haaretz that his community is confident "fruitful cooperation" will continue under Magyar, urging him to maintain the "uncompromising enforcement against antisemitism" and Hungary's "strong and steadfast" friendship with Israel. The Chabad leader, whose movement maintained close ties with the outgoing far-right prime minister, praised the "substantial shift" the Hungarian right underwent during Orbán's leadership from its historical antisemitism. He also commended policies introduced during his tenure, including restrictions and bans on demonstrations expressing support for Hamas and elements of the broader pro-Palestinian movement.
The streets surrounding the Chabad House in Budapest's Jewish Quarter were quiet after a night of dancing and partying across the city, celebrating Magyar's win. Tourists visited the Dohány Street Synagogue, the center of Hungary's liberal Neolog community, while a kosher restaurant nearby stood empty. Its owner said that, due to the fallout from the Iran war, Israeli tourists have largely stopped visiting the city, with only a handful of flights operating compared to around 10 daily flights from Tel Aviv in the past.
Sitting inside was Éva, a Hungarian Jewish woman in her 60s, who said she had more questions than answers the day after the election. She said she had "no idea" what Magyar's Tisza party stands for when it comes to the Jewish community, adding that the state of the economy is the most important issue for Jews. "There is a significant amount of Israeli and Jewish capital in the city, especially in real estate, " she said. Eli, 52, an Israeli business owner in the quarter, warned against Magyar. He said he does not care about Hungary's internal issues, noting that both the outgoing and incoming ministers are right-wing. "We wanted Orbán, " he said, adding that "for us, the main interest is Israel's situation, " citing Orbán's EU vetoes and withdrawal from the ICC. He estimated that because Magyar wants to repair ties with the EU, "he will be forced to allow some level of Muslim immigration, " which he believes would increase antisemitism. "We hope to continue having Likud ministers come here and be hosted by the community, " he said, referring to frequent visits by senior members of Netanyahu's party to the capital.
Attila Novák, 58, disagreed. A historian and Hungarian Jew, he said, "The new government will be better for us, and as a Jew I am not afraid at all – it won't get worse." He added that, given Magyar's "strong" anti-immigration stance, he does not expect a large influx of refugees. However, Novák noted that because of the personal relationship between Orbán and Netanyahu, "ties will now be good and not as special." Overall, he said, "This is not a dramatic change when it comes to Israel and Jews."
Over the past decade, Orbán had been criticized by Jewish groups for engaging in Holocaust relativism and of scapegoating Hungarian-born financier and Holocaust survivor George Soros for his country's problems, including accusations that he had masterminded a migrant "invasion" of the country.
The editorial team of Szombat magazine, a Hungarian Jewish cultural and political publication published by Mazsike, the Hungarian Jewish Cultural Association, welcomed the fall of Orbán's Fidesz government while outlining its illiberal policies throughout its 16-year rule. At the same time, they praised Orbán's "outstanding" diplomatic relationship with Israel and Netanyahu, "who is illiberal like him, " saying it "brought joy to many in the Hungarian Jewish community" amid what they described as global "one-sided criticism of Israel" during the Gaza war. "While the efforts to restore democracy and the rule of law in Hungary delight most Hungarian Jews, some are concerned that the special relationship with Israel will deteriorate and that the new government will become similarly critical of Israel as Western governments, " the editorial warned.
Rachel Suranyi, 39, a sociologist in Budapest who has researched Hungarian Jewry, cautioned against that framing, describing it as an ambivalent reflection of where parts of the Jewish community stand. "I am super happy with the results, " she said, adding that she took her son to watch the results and later celebrated with the crowds after Orbán conceded defeat. Despite having questions about Magyar's Tisza party, Suranyi said, "Orbán and Fidesz cannot be undone in four years, and that's why Tisza needs to prove a lot" as it takes power. "We have virtually no idea what Magyar's relationship with Israel is, " she said, adding that she hopes he will not invite Netanyahu to Budapest.
"It was not to Orbán's credit that Jews were safe here. Some say it's because there are no Muslims, but I choose not to believe that narrative. Maybe Jews are simply well integrated," she said. "Orbán has been inciting hatred intensively. I don't consider him very pro-Jewish, but rather supportive of right-wing Jews, "
Suranyi added, amid allegations that large sums of government money were directed toward supportive groups like Chabad. "Jewish civil organizations in Hungary today are suffering after his years in power, " she said. Suranyi hopes the Jewish community and its central institutions can draw lessons from Magyar's victory: "Our community also needs a new generation and a refreshment of its membership."
