The Friends of JCC Budapest is proud to support JCC Budapest — the address for Jewish life in Hungary today.
The Hungarian Jewish community was broken twice — first by the Holocaust, then by decades of communism. When the Iron Curtain fell, it opened the door for Jews to reconnect with their heritage, but after nearly fifty years without open Jewish life, many did not know where to begin. Rebuilding takes far longer than destruction, and JCC Budapest exists precisely for that work.
JCC Budapest equips a new generation with the knowledge, confidence, and excitement needed to reclaim Jewish identity. Its educational programs emphasize Jewish literacy and lived practice — customs, holidays, tradition, and the challenges of embracing Judaism in the 21st century. Through experience, learning, and leadership development, the JCC empowers individuals to deepen their connection to Jewish life and actively shape the future of the Hungarian Jewish community.
At JCC Budapest, our work is structured around a consciously designed Jewish engagement pathway built on three pillars: experience, knowledge, and action, with empowerment as a constant that runs through all three. This structure responds to a specific reality: Jewish life in Hungary did not evolve gradually across generations, but was interrupted, fragmented, and had to be actively rebuilt. Our approach reflects the understanding that rebuilding Jewish life requires more than programs — it requires a sequence of encounters that rebuild confidence, competence, and responsibility.
Experience is the entry point by design. These are open, joyful encounters with Jewish community life that require no prior knowledge and no declarations of identity. Programs such as Judafest, family holiday celebrations, and camping experiences allow people to experience Jewish life as something lived, shared, and pleasurable — deliberately challenging the notion that the only common Jewish reference point is historical trauma.
Knowledge follows when curiosity deepens. Here, participants begin to ask questions: about customs, rituals, values, and what it means to live a Jewish life in the present. Through learning frameworks such as all-night Shavuot study and open university programs, JCC Budapest creates spaces for debate, reflection, and intellectual engagement with contemporary Jewish life — rebuilding the cultural and religious literacy that was disrupted for decades.
Action is where learning and belonging become responsibility. Grounded in tikkun olam, JCC Budapest mobilizes its community to act beyond itself — standing with marginalized groups, engaging in humanitarian response during crises affecting Ukrainians and Israelis, and advocating for LGBTQ+ inclusion. These actions are not framed as charity, but as an expression of Jewish values: we act not because others are Jewish, but because we are.
JCC Budapest was founded in 1994, at a moment when Jewish life in Hungary was beginning to re-emerge after decades of rupture, silence, and disconnection. Following the fall of communism, there was an urgent need for open, welcoming institutions that could help rebuild Jewish community life, education, and culture in a visible and confident way.
Established with the vision and support of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), JCC Budapest became one of the first modern Jewish community centers in post-communist Hungary. From the very beginning, the JCC was shaped by American Jewish community-building approaches—emphasizing openness, pluralism, lay leadership, and experiential engagement—adapted thoughtfully to the Hungarian context through sustained mentorship, professional guidance, and partnership from JDC.
Over the past three decades, JCC Budapest has grown into a central platform for Jewish life in Hungary, serving as a trusted entry point into community, learning, culture, and civic engagement. Its role extends beyond programming: the JCC functions as connective tissue within the Jewish ecosystem, supporting individuals, families, partner organizations, and emerging leaders across generations.
In 2022, JCC Budapest entered a new phase of institutional maturity by becoming an independent NGO with its own international governance structure, while maintaining close strategic partnerships. In 2024, the community marked its 30th anniversary—celebrating not only longevity, but the enduring transatlantic relationships and shared values that continue to strengthen Jewish life in Hungary today.
Lay leadership at JCC Budapest begins with rebuilding confidence in lived Jewish practice, particularly through the Holiday Ambassadors program. Community members receive practical knowledge, resources, and hands-on support—such as holiday toolkits, guidance, and shared learning—that empower them to host Jewish holidays and rituals in their own homes and peer networks. By lowering barriers and focusing on learning through doing, the program enables families and individuals to celebrate Jewish life with confidence, often for the first time. Alongside this, youth leaders (madrichim) develop as informal educators through year-round engagement, while Mini Boards, governance roles, and committees invite committed community members to shape programs, strategy, and institutional direction. Together, these pathways foster ownership, shared responsibility, and long-term leadership within the community.
Giving Is Kosher responds to a generational gap in visible role models of Jewish giving. After the Holocaust and decades of state socialism, many community members grew up without seeing how individuals sustain Jewish life through everyday acts of support. While international partners played a vital role in rebuilding institutions, local giving developed more slowly and often remained private. Giving Is Kosher makes support visible again—through peer ambassadors, shared stories, and public recognition—normalizing community responsibility and helping a new generation experience giving as a natural part of Jewish life.
A passionate team of Jewish leaders bringing community, culture, and connection to life.
What does it mean to be Jewish in the 21st century? At JCC Budapest, this question guides how we think and what we do. JCC Budapest is a vibrant community whose aim is to strengthen Jewish identity, help people find their roots, and celebrate the diversity of Jewish life.
This work is personal. I grew up in 1980s Hungary and never had the chance to explore my Judaism. Forgetting Judaism was how my family survived Communist rule — and we almost lost track of our roots. Almost.
Thanks to JDC and American philanthropists, my generation revived Hungarian Jewry before it was lost to history. In Jewish schools, summer camps, youth movements, and institutions such as JCC Budapest, we rediscovered Judaism, and embarked on a mission to ensure that Hungary has a lively, resilient Jewish future.
JCC Budapest is more than just a place; it is a passionate team of Jewish leaders who create community and bring programs to life. As JCC Director, I am so proud to lead this team of talented individuals and introduce them to you here.
We invite you to be a part of our story. Together, we can write the next chapters of Hungarian Jewish history!
— Marcell Kenesei, JCC Director
Director
Deputy Director
Operations Director
Creative Director
Finance Director
Head of Fundraising
Global Engagements Coordinator
