Budapest University of Jewish Studies

The Budapest University of Jewish Studies, formerly the Rabbinical Seminary.

The Budapest University of Jewish Studies (Hungarian: Országos Rabbiképző – Zsidó Egyetem, or Országos Rabbiképző Intézet / Jewish Theological Seminary – University of Jewish Studies / German: Landesrabbinerschule in Budapest) is a university in Budapest, Hungary. It was opened in 1877, a few decades after the first European rabbinical seminiaries had been built in Padua, Metz, Paris and Breslau. Still, it remains the oldest existing institution in the world where rabbis are graduated.

History

19th century

The Seminary building in 1902.

Orthodox Hungarian rabbis were very much against a rabbinical seminary. In order to prevent its establishment in Budapest, they sent a delegation to Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria in Vienna. However, the Emperor was favorable to the rabbinical school and even financed its construction, giving back to the Hungarian Jews the money they had had to pay 30 years before as a war tax after the Hungarian Revolution of 1848.The growing liberal segment in Hungarian Jewish society, known as Neologs, were interested in secularly-educated clergy and their leaders strove to have a modern seminary.

On October 4, 1877, the seminary was opened in József körút. Its first principal was Moses Löb Bloch, who was assisted by David Kaufmann and Wilhelm Bacher.

Second World War

On March 19, 1944 German troops marched into Budapest (Operation Margarethe). The next day, the rabbinical seminary was confiscated by the SS and turned into a prison. From there, Adolf Eichmann organized the deportation of thousands of Hungarian Jews and some political detainees into the concentration camps, mainly to Auschwitz.

Just in time before the German invasion, the most valuable manuscripts had been brought into an underground safe. Still, an important part of the library was seized by the Nazis. 3000 books were dispatched to Prague, where Eichmann planned the construction of a "Museum of an extinct race" in the former Jewish quarter. Only in the 1980s were the books discovered in the cave of the Jewish Museum of Prague and brought back to Budapest in 1989. The library remains a source of pride for the university. It is considered one of the most important collection of Jewish theological literature outside Israel.

After the war, Communist era

Immediately after the defeat of the Nazis, the Rabbinical seminary resumed its activity and was reopened two months before the surrender of Germany. However, the number of students was not sufficient for keeping the gymnasium department. Instead, a pedagogical college was arranged for religion and Hebrew teachers to be graduated.

Despite the anti-religious policy of the Communist government, the rabbinical seminary in Budapest remained alive. It was the only one of its kind in Eastern Europe, but strongly dependent on national authorities. Religious life was regulated by the Ministry of Religion which was responsible for filling vacant rabbinical posts in Hungary.

Being the only place of its kind in the Eastern bloc, the Budapest seminary had a special mission. Students came from all countries of Eastern Europe, from the Soviet Union and even from Israel, to be graduated as a rabbi or cantor. They lived, partly with their families, in small simply furnished boarding rooms.

From 1950 until his death in 1985, Sándor Scheiber was director of the seminary who edited important publications on Jewish studies from the Middle Ages to the 20th century.

After 1989

After the end of communism, thanks to donations from abroad, the seminary building was renovated, the library modernized and some of the valuable old books were being restored.

Organization

The institute was under the supervision of the ministry of religion, which appointed the teachers upon nomination by the council (consisting of twelve clerical and twelve lay members), of which M. Schweiger was president and Dr. J. Simon secretary, ever since 1877. The course of study extended over ten years and was divided into two equal periods; one being devoted to the lower department, the other to the upper. The former corresponded to an "Obergymnasium"; and the requirement for admission was the possession of a diploma from an "Untergymnasium", or the passing of an entrance examination covering a certain amount of Hebrew and Talmudics in addition to secular studies. The diplomas from this department were recognized by the state, and commanded admittance into any department of the universities or schools of technology. After the completion of the courses offered by the upper department, including attendance under the faculty of philosophy at the university, a year of probation followed. This was concluded in February by an oral examination after the candidate had presented three written theses on Biblical, rabbinic-Talmudic, and historical or religious-philosophical subjects respectively. At graduation he received a rabbinical diploma, which was recognized by the state. To supplement the regular course of training there were students' societies in both departments.

The library of the institute contained about 25,000 volumes of manuscripts and printed works, which were accessible to all in the reading-room.

External links

• or-zse.hu

References

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Gotthard Deutsch & Ludwig Blau (Blau Lajos) (1901–1906). "LANDESRABBINERSCHULE IN BUDAPEST (Országos Rabbiképzö Intézet)". In Singer, Isidore; et al. Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company. 
• Moshe Carmilly-Weinberger: The Rabbinical Seminary of Budapest, 1877-1977: A centennial volume. Sepher-Hermon Press, New York 1986. ISBN 0-87203-148-9

Bibliography (Jewish Encyclopedia)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Budapest University of Jewish Studies.

• József Bánóczi, Gesch. des Ersten Jahrzehnts der Landes-Rabbinerschule (Supplement to the Annual Report for 1887-88);
• Ludwig Blau, Brill, Sámuel Löw, pp. 27–32, Budapest, 1902;
• S. Schill, A Budapesti Országos Rabbiképzöintézet Története, Budapest, 1896;
• Annual Reports (with literary supplements)

Coordinates: 47°29′36″N 19°04′12″E / 47.49333°N 19.07000°E / 47.49333; 19.07000

Budapest
Landmarks	Bridges Árpád Bridge Elisabeth Bridge Liberty Bridge Margaret Bridge Megyeri Bridge Petőfi Bridge Rákóczi Bridge Széchenyi Chain Bridge Castles and palaces Buda Castle Danube Palace Gresham Palace Hotel Astoria Hotel Gellért Labyrinth of Buda Castle Nagytétény Castle New York Palace Vajdahunyad Castle Government Budapest City Hall Hungarian National Bank Hungarian Parliament Building House of Magnates Sándor Palace Memorials Holocaust Memorial Center Kossuth Memorial Liberty Statue Little Princess Statue Matthias Fountain Shoes on Danube Bank Museums and galleries Aquincum Museum Ethnographic Museum Geological Museum Kunsthalle Hospital in the Rock House of Terror National Gallery National Museum Natural History Museum Railway History Park Koller Gallery Memento Park Metropolitan Ervin Szabó Library Müpa Budapest Museum of Applied Arts Museum of Fine Arts National Széchényi Library Transportation Museum Southeast Asian Gold Museum Parks and gardens Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden City Park City Park Ice Rink Gellért Hill Haller Park Fiume Road National Graveyard Margaret Island Népliget Normafa Óbuda Island Places of worship Dohány Street Synagogue Gellért Hill Cave Lutheran Church of Budavár Matthias Church Palace Chapel Rumbach Street Synagogue Szilágyi Dezső Square Reformed Church St. Stephen's Basilica Tomb of Gül Baba Sports venues Alfréd Hajós National Swimming Stadium Bozsik Stadion Budai II. László Stadion City Park Ice Rink Szusza Ferenc Stadion Groupama Aréna Hidegkuti Nándor Stadion Hungaroring-Formula One Illovszky Rudolf Stadion Kincsem Park Kisstadion Puskás Ferenc Stadion Szőnyi úti Stadion Squares and Streets Andrássy Avenue Citadella Danube Promenade Deák Ferenc Square Ferenciek Square Grand Boulevard Heroes' Square Hungary Boulevard Kossuth Square Liberty Square Oktogon Small Boulevard Széll Kálmán Square Váci Street Vörösmarty Square Móricz Zsigmond Square Theaters and opera Comedy Theatre Court Theatre of Buda Erkel Theatre Hungarian State Opera House Magyar Theatre National Theatre Vigadó Concert Hall Thermal spas Gellért Baths Király Baths Lukács Baths Rudas Baths Rácz Thermal Bath Széchenyi Medicinal Bath Other Café Gerbeaud Elizabeth Lookout Fisherman's Bastion Great Market Hall Gundel Restaurant Hungarian Academy of Sciences Millennium Underground Railway F-4 Object
Districts	I. Várkerület II. 2nd district III. Óbuda-Békásmegyer IV. Újpest V. Belváros-Lipótváros VI. Terézváros VII. Erzsébetváros VIII. Józsefváros IX. Ferencváros X. Kőbánya XI. Újbuda XII. Hegyvidék XIII. 13th district XIV. Zugló XV. 15th district XVI. 16th district XVII. Rákosmente XVIII. Pestszentlőrinc-Pestszentimre XIX. Kispest XX. Pesterzsébet XXI. Csepel XXII. Budafok-Tétény XXIII. Soroksár
Events and traditions	Budapest Fashion Week Budapest Fringe Festival Budapest Spring Festival Budapest Opera Ball Café Budapest Contemporary Arts Festival Hungarian Cuisine Hungarian National Ballet LOW Festival Sziget Festival
Universities	Budapest Business School Budapest University of Technology Corvinus University Eötvös Loránd University Hungarian University of Fine Arts Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design National University of Public Service Óbuda University Semmelweis University University of Physical Education Academy of Drama and Film Andrássy University Aquincum Institute of Technology Budapest Metropolitan University Budapest University of Jewish Studies Central European University International Business School Károli Gáspár University of Reformed Church Pázmány Péter Catholic University
Economy	Budapest Stock Exchange Economy of Budapest List of companies based in Budapest Budapest Metropolitan Area
Transport	Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport Budapest Metro Budapest Tram Network Budapest Commuter Railway BuBi Bicycle M0 Ring Road Eastern Railway Station Western Railway Station
History of Budapest Budapest Commons Category

Universities in Hungary
Public Universities	Budapest Budapest Business School Budapest University of Technology and Economics Corvinus University of Budapest Eötvös Loránd University Hungarian University of Fine Arts Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design National University of Public Service Óbuda University Semmelweis University University of Physical Education University of Theatre and Film Arts Counties Szent István University Széchenyi István University University of Debrecen University of Dunaújváros University of Kaposvár University of Miskolc University of Nyíregyháza University of Pannonia University of Pécs University of Szeged University of West Hungary
Private Universities	Budapest Andrássy University Budapest Aquincum Institute of Technology Budapest Metropolitan University Budapest University of Jewish Studies Central European University International Business School Károli Gáspár University of the Hungarian Reformed Church Pázmány Péter Catholic University Counties Debrecen Reformed Theological University Kodolányi János University of Applied Sciences
Other Hungarian- language Universities	Babeș-Bolyai University (Romania) Ferenc Rákóczi II. Transcarpathian Hungarian Institute (Ukraine) Sapientia – Hungarian University of Transylvania (Romania) Selye János University (Slovakia) University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Târgu Mureș (Romania)
Category Commons List