What should be a fascinating round-table discussion takes place this week (Sept. 14) in Budapest — experts and stakeholders getting together in public to discuss the future of the Moorish-style synagogue on Rumbach street, one of the three great synagogues that anchor the city’s downtown “Jewish triangle.”
The synagogue, dating from 1872 and an early work by the noted Vienna architect Otto Wagner, has long stood empty, with fitful renovation work stalled and no clear idea of the future use of the building.
Restoration work on the synagogue and its transformation into a “House of Coexistence” is slated to begin again soon, and Wednesday’s meeting gathers Jewish community representatives, preservationists, architects, and others to discuss with the public the renewal of the building and its future function.
The idea, states the web site of the Jewish umbrella Mazsihisz, is to share ideas and discuss how the building can best serve the Hungarian Jewish community once restoration is completed. At the moment, the semi-restored sanctuary is open for tourist visits and used for concerts and other events.
