Calvin Synod Herald, 1987 (87. évfolyam, 1-5. szám)
1987 / 1. szám
CALVIN SYNOD HERALD — 6 — REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA THE AMERICAN-HUNGARIAN “MUSEUM-WITHOUT-WALLS” PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY -The “brainchild” of Kalman and Judith Magyar, who have achieved international fame with their Hungarian Folk Dance Ensemble, the American- Hungarian Museum of the American-Hungarian Folklore Centrum was ceremoniously opened to the general public six years ago on February 22, 1981. It was housed, by special arrangement with the Pastor and Trustees of the St. Stephen R.C. Magyar Church, in an old, vacant, convent building owned by and adjacent to the church. The gala opening ceremonies on that day six years ago was attended by the Mayors of three cities, congressional representatives, state officials, Hungarian clergymen, parishioners, and many others. Speaking in response to the remarks presented by Kalman Magyar on that occasion, Father Bela Torok, the Pastor of the St. Stephen’s R.C. Magyar Church, said: “I am not a man of dreams. He (Kalman Magyar) is the man of dreams. I only gave the building for use, where the beautiful Hungarian culture can be shown.” Soon after its Grand Opening, the American-Hungarian Museum began attracting visitors, not only from throughout the State of New Jersey, but also from all over the United States and Canada. Soon, it became such, a “treasure house” of Hungarian artifacts and folklore that Kalman and Judith Magyar were invited by the State of New Jersey to exhibit them at the State Museum in Trenton. This exhibition, one of the very first of its kind, extended over a period of months and, for the first time in their lives, thousands of non-Hungarian men, women, and children had an opportunity to become acquainted with Hungarian history, art, music, dances, customs, folklore, and the like. It was, indeed, a significant achievement on behalf of the Hungarian heritage in America, and a source of great pride for the Hungarian community in New Jersey, in particular. Meanwhile, as the Magyars made public appearances with their outstanding Hungarian Folk Dance Ensemble throughout the United States and Canada, the existence of the American-Hungarian Museum became well-known and, because of this kind of publicity, it attracted more and more visitations and financial support in the form of grants from state agencies. It also generated evergrowing support from the public sector. But, suddenly, on November 27, 1986, the American-Hungarian Museum became a “ museum-withoutwalls”. Its right to tenant the annex building of the St. Stephen’s R.C. Magyar Church, which it had helped to put into usable repair, was revoked by the church’s Pastor for reasons not yet explained or made public. The lockout and eviction of the American-Hungarian Museum in the manner in which it was done has triggered a firestorm of controversy among supporters of the museum, parishioners, local residents, and the Hungarian community in New Jersey at-large. Some day soon, it is hoped, the motivation behind Father Bela Torok’s action will be publicly explained. But, meanwhile, the American- Hungarian Museum remains homeless with no place to go. Worse yet, its invaluable collection of Hungarian artifacts is gathering dust in a temporary, “make-shift” warehouse. Whatever the reasons may be for the eviction of the American-Hungarian Museum from its firmly established headquarters, the fact still remains that ethnic pride demands that something constructive be done about it such as, for example, an organized effort to make it possible for it to be re-housed in a new facility. Of course, to find a new home for such a purpose will cost a considerable amount of money. Some has already been contributed. But much more is needed. AMERICAN-HUNGARIAN FOLKLORE CENTRUM P.O. Box 262 Bogota, New Jersey 07603 The above article was copied from the Hungarian Her i tage Rev i ew, P.O.Box 2203 Union, NJ 07089
