NEWS ALERT: Persecuted Hungarian Rabbi Raj Dies; Funeral Underway
Wednesday, March 10, 2010 (5:25 pm)
By Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief reporting from Budapest
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Rabbi Tamás Raj has died at age 70.
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY (Worthy News)– A funeral service was underway Wednesday, March 10, for a former Hungarian chief rabbi who was persecuted under Communism because of his involvement in spreading the Jewish faith,the Federation of Jewish Communities in Hungary (MAZSIHISZ) confirmed.
Tamás Raj, who died Monday, March 7 at the age of 70, was to be buried in Kozma Street Cemetery, the largestJewish cemetery in Hungary's capital Budapest, MAZSIHISZ added in a statement.
Raj supervised the revival of Judaism and Jewish culture in Hungary, despite opposition from atheisticCommunist authorities. He was ousted by Communist police in 1970 because his "inspiring meetings" led to renewed interest in the Jewish faith, his supporters said.
In 1985 Raj was allowed to continue his job as chief rabbi. His efforts eventually cultimated in the annual Jewish Summer Festival in Budapest, held since 1997 as one of Europe's largest Jewish cultural events.
CHURCH RELATIONS
Raj also played a key role in improving ties between Jews and churches following the collapse of Communism in 1989.
That relationship had been tense since World War Two, when 600.000 Hungarian Jews died in the Holocaust.
Hungary was a close ally of Nazi-Germany till late 1944.
Raj was also active as a lawmaker in the early 1990s for the liberal Alliance of Free Democrats, a partyfounded by former dissidents. He used his political contacts for his activities for over 100,000 Hungarian Jews still living in Hungary, including Holocaust survivors.
MANY BOOKS
The rabbi also published about Jewish issues and was involved as a professor and historian in several theological institutes, universities and other educational organizations.
Raj's funeral Wednesday, March 10, came amid international concerns about the rise of far right groups in Hungary and elsewhere in Central and Eastern Europe.
There have been reports of attacks against the Jewish and Roma, or gypsy, communities.
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