Israeli cultural institute opens in Budapest

Director Gábor Balázs says the aim of the institute is to show the diversity of Israel's "mosaic-like" culture, including works and performances by Jews, Christians, Arabs, writers and artists, and serve as a focal point of Jewish life in Hungary.

Europe’s first Israeli cultural center opened right here in the Hungarian capital recently. The reason for this, according to Gábor Balázs, director of this one of a kind institute, is the huge and growing Jewish community in Budapest. “Up to a 100,000 Jews live in Hungary, most of them in Budapest,” he explains. “The city of Budapest is a popular hub for Israeli visitors as well, including tourists, students and businesspeople.”

Located at the edge of the former main Jewish Quarter in downtown Budapest, under Paulay Ede Street 1, the Israeli Cultural Institute (ICI) will host and organize concerts, exhibitions, film screenings and club activities for Jews and non-Jews. It will also operate as an educational centre, with native speakers giving Hebrew lessons and courses for translators. “The idea is to present to a broad public the diversity of Israel's "mosaic-like" culture,” Balázs notes.  “With its 1,500 square meter territory over three floors and a garden, ICI’s state of the art conditions grant every opportunity for the highest level of educational and cultural events,” he adds.  “By creating spaces in different sizes and functions the Institute becomes an open air environment where endowing cohesion and a generally positive atmosphere, awaiting guests before, during and after organized events. We wanted to initiate an atmosphere where working, studying, playing and relaxing is possible. The garden, the ‘Kishon cafe,’ the library and the book store named after Gábor Vince, in addition to the future information centre will render the location perfect to attain these goals.”

A little different

According to the director, the establishment of the Center aims to make a difference in many fields. “First of all we see that the image of Israel in the Hungarian society is not always positive,” he notes. “If we look at the way how Hungarian people think about Israel in general we may find sad and in some instances even scary results. When talking about Israel, people usually associate to politics in the middle-east and don't know much about people there, the life they have, how they live on a daily basis,” he explains, adding “I think it is important to have an institute that tries to advertise the cultural and human aspects of Israel as well. Like France, Germany, Britain or other countries also maintain such cultural centers in Hungary successfully, it was time for Israel to have something similar – but, in a way, also different.”

ICI has been set up as a non-governmental organization in cooperation by the Sochnut-Jewish Agency for Israel, sponsors and volunteers. “It will refrain from making any political statement,” Balázs points out.  “Our activity and operation seeks to upgrade existing institutions and projects, support local grassroots initiatives related to Israel and to create new channels that will contribute to a renaissance of Hungarian Jewish identity, culture, life and development and strengthening the Israel connections and relationships. ICI is to create synergies between artists, creators, scientists, educators, innovators and entrepreneurs from Hungary and Israel.”

Speaking at the inaugural event, Natan Sharansky, a famous dissident of the one-time Soviet Union and Chairman of the Sochnut Executive, said the institute would be the best example to demonstrate Sochnut's endeavor to support and strengthen rather than direct the local Jewish communities. He also pointed out that the institute would demonstrate the Jewish Agency's aim to "support and strengthen," rather than direct, local Jewish communities.