On an official visit to Budapest, Hungary, Israel’s minister of interior, Moshe Arbel, learned of Chabad’s work and met with Hungarian officials, the Jewish community, and a hostage freed from Gaza.
Israel’s minister of interior, Moshe Arbel was on an official visit to Budapest Hungary on Thursday, meeting with Hungarian counterpart Sándor Pintér and deputy prime minister Zsolt Semjén, as well as leaders of the Hungarian Jewish community.
The meetings were attended by the two brothers of one of the hostages kidnapped on 7 October, Eviatar David. David was kidnapped from the Nova festival and has been held hostage by the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas in Gaza ever since.
In the talks, Arbel thanked Hungary for its “clear and firm” stand on the side of Israel, which was brutally attacked by the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas on the 7th of October, especially on the international stage, such as the UN and the European Union, where Hungary’s stance has often successfully blocked resolutions questioning Israel’s right to self-defense.
“Hungary’s exemplary stance has also had a strong impact on international public opinion, for which the people of Israel are extremely grateful in these very difficult times” — Arbel said.
Arbel also met with prominent Jewish leaders, including Rabbi Shlomo Köves, chief rabbi of EMIH -Hungarian Jewish Alliance and a group of Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries and visited synagogues and Jewish institutions established and operated by the movement.
Earlier in the day, the senior Israeli politician also visited the central synagogue of the Autonomous Orthodox Jewish Community of Hungary on Kazinczy Street, where he was guided by President Gábor Keszler and Rabbi Shmuel Oirechman, the community’s secretary general and director of international relations of the traditional Jewish communities in Hungary.
“Your work is truly remarkable” – said Arbel praising Chabad’s achievement adding, that “the Jewish people are united all around the world in prayer for Israel and its brave soldiers and are hopeful for the safe return of the 130 hostages”. He also thanked Rabbi Köves’, as well as Rabbi Oirechman’s personal efforts.
Jewish life in Hungary is experiencing an unseen revival in the past 20 years, largely thanks to Chabad’s efforts, which operates two Jewish Schools, over 10 synagogues around the country, community centers and various other religious and communal facilities.
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