September 5, 2010 / 26 Elul 5770

Jewish Agency for Israel Chairman Natan Sharansky inaugurated the Israeli Cultural Institute in Budapest Wednesday (Sept. 1), which will serve as a regional center for cultural and educational activities related to Israel.

The center, established by the Jewish Agency with Israeli philanthropist Motti Zisser, will host classes and lectures, a music, theater and art center and serve as meeting place for Israeli and local artists. It aims to serve as a social and educational hub for Jewish youth from Hungary and neighboring countries and to expose Hungarians – Jews as well as non-Jews – to Israeli culture and art.  The center, the first of its kind in Europe, will be run by a board comprised of Jewish Agency and local community representatives and Israeli philanthropists. Today, there are 100,000 Jews living in Hungary, most of them in Budapest.

Speaking at the inaugural event, Sharansky said that the Jewish Agency’s work to found the center underscores its mission to support local Jewish communities and help them build platforms to strengthen Jewish identity and connect with Israel.

  Above: Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky at an exhibition of work by Hungarian-born iconic Israeli cartoonist ‘Dosh’ at this week’s opening of the Israeli Cultural Institute in Budapest, founded by the Jewish Agency. Above (right): Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky speaking to young adults at this week’s opening of the Israeli Cultural Institute in Budapest, founded by the Jewish Agency. The center will serve as a hub for young Jews from Hungary and neighboring central European countries. (Credit: Rafael Horváth/Jewish Agency for Israel)