September 15, 2011
Reports highlight Jewish issues in Poland, Hungary
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Reports released by a Jewish think tank in London highlighted the need for the reform of Jewish infrastructure in Hungary and support for Orthodox and non-Orthodox alternatives in Poland.
The reports issued Thursday, published by the Institute for Jewish Policy Research, assessed the development of Jewish communities in Hungary and Poland since the collapse of communism, as well as the challenges they face going forward.
Research in Hungary reveals a community reinvigorated over the last 20 years but facing the challenge of low engagement in communal life; only 10 percent of the Jewish population is affiliated with a Jewish organization. The report calls for the Hungarian Jewish communal infrastructure to be restructured to ensure that decisions on issues affecting the whole community are made in a democratic and transparent fashion. It also called for more religious pluralism and more cooperation among groups and initiatives.
The report on Poland calls for continued support for the Orthodox mainstream as well as for the development of non-Orthodox alternatives. It urges support for educational initiatives and the preservation of Jewish heritage.
