Chabad has seized properties belonging to the traditional Hungarian Orthodox community! After Chabad flagrantly ignored the rabbinical court ruling that sided with the native community, the situation is now tied up in secular court, and we are appealing to the Hungarian government to ensure it is returned.

In order to grasp the severity of the current crisis within the traditional Orthodox community of Budapest (MAOIH) – which is the subject of a hostile takeover by Chabad – it is crucial to understand that Chabad is a external entity whose customs and application of halakha (Jewish law) are completely foreign to the native Hungarian Jewish community, which existed for hundreds of years.

The first Chabad family arrived in 1989, first they were working with the local Hungarian Jewish community. They offered help to rescue Budapest Jewry from extinction in the aftermath of the Holocaust and decades of communist oppression.

In 2004 they appropriated the historic Jewish brand "Status Quo," to register their state-recognised "religious denomination." 

Starting in 2021, following a playbook Chabad had successfully used in many other places such as Darkhei Shalom in Moscow and the Old New Synagogue in Prague, Chabad of Hungary used deception, infiltration, and phantom memberships to gain control of the traditional Orthodox community’s board which they accomplished in October, 2022. In May, 2023 they succeeded in taking full control of its buildings and other real estate, valued in the millions of dollars.

This includes the historic synagogue on Kazinczy Street.

The traditional Hungarian Orthodox community brought in a new Chief Rabbi, Aryeh Mordechai Rabinowitz. Chabad, without notice closed MAOIH’s main synagogue on Kazinczy Street and several of the other locations stolen from MAOIH, ostensibly for “renovations.” However, the real reason  was to lock out the Kazinczy Street’s congregation. Stunned by Chabad’s behavior, they prayed mournfully on the street outside their locked synagogue.

 

 

 

 

A mildly disabled congregant was forced to sit on an overturned garbage can because there were no chairs. Chabad also closed other locations stolen from MAOIH, also for “renovations.”

 

It is unconscionable that a multi-billion dollar international Jewish organization has aggressed against a small indigenous Jewish community, effectively consigning it to extinction. Gone are the traditions. Gone are its unique prayers. No effort has been made to honor or respect the Jewish life that exists. The tragedy is that this small Jewish community which has withstood the Holocaust and the ravages of COVID is now being colonized and destroyed by Jews.  

We the undersigned demand Chabad immediately withdraw and return to MAOIH the synagogues and other properties.

Thank you.