Szegő Dóra - Szegő György: Synagogues - Our Budapest (Budapest, 2004)
The Synagogue in Bethlen tér
Tshortkovo was a centre of Galician Hasidism in today's Ukraine.) Although their language was, as suggested by the synagogue's name, Yiddish, the Teleki tér community differed from the Ashkenazi communities of the city who had their roots in Germany. They lived according to the Galician Hasidic traditions traceable to the rites of the Sephardi Jews of Spanish-Turkish origins. This lifestyle centred on the custom of continuous and joyful studies and celebrations permeating the everyday lives of these people. The synagogue was set up in two rooms in a corner at the back of the interior courtyard. Its traditionally plain layout allowed for no more in the way of decoration than a puritanical star of David on the ceiling, slabs inscribed in Hebrew, memorial plaques, and painted calligraphic quotations on the walls. "Preserver of Israel! Preserve what remains of the people of Israel lest Israel should perish," reads the archaic Hebrew inscription filling the entire Eastern wall in large lettering, which is both Southern and Oriental in character. Arching over the Ark is a semi-circular field featuring the Cohanite hands joined in the Priestly Blessing, the two rampant lions guarding the tablets of the law, the star of David, and two eagles. The synagogues of the Tshortkovo Hasidim, mostly itinerant merchants and pedlars, were built in the market squares of their native town. That was the case in Teleki tér also, in a square where a flea-market had been in operation since the late i8oos. The "Teleki" enjoyed near-legendary status in Pest as a market noisy with bargaining where anything could be bought at a reasonable price. It was a suburban centre for the poor Jewry of Hungary and Galicia travelling to Teleki by train in search of a decent livelihood. Another aspect of the district’s profile is the fact that it was at the pub of Mihály Kaiser at No. 8 Teleki tér, a square inhabited by Jewish merchants, that the Anti-Semitic Party—formed after the Tiszaeszlár blood libel trials by Győző Istóczy—held its meetings. Several other buildings in the square were appropriated by the Arrow Cross, the Hungarian Nazi party, in 1944. It was here that Jews arrested on the streets or abducted from their homes were interned by the Arrow Cross thugs. The Jewish population of the square and its environs was further depleted when the municipality moved the "Teleki" market to Kispest. Since then, the days of the exotic synagogue in the square were numbered. The Synagogue in Bethlen tér The building to house the synagogue had originally been constructed for the National Israelite Institute for the Deaf and Dumb (1876) to plans by Vilmos Freund. Construction of the late historicist building was financed out of the estate 74
