Visiting the Budapest Jewish Cemeteries

Last Sunday morning, we spent time with Tibor's cousin, Aliz. Driving a very small Toyota Yaris, she picked us up at the hotel at 8 am and drove to the Neolog cemetery on the outskirts of Budapest.

Our first stop was at the grave of Rabbi Shimon Oppenheim. Born in 1751, he died in 1851 at the age of 100. He served as rabbi of the Orthodox community of Budapest for over fifty years. He was known as a wonder worker, and guaranteed that whoever visits his gravesite and gives charity for his soul, " the All Merciful will hear his cry for help." That's why there are so many stones and notes on his grave.

The Neolog Cemetery is large and full of uniquely designed mausoleums and headstones.

We then drove to the Orthodox cemetery nearby where we placed stones on the graves of Tibor's family - his grandparents, his aunt Ethel, his cousin Idi, and his sister Magda. Aliz cares for these graves in a cemetery that is largely overgrown.

At the tomb of Moses Schaechner, Tibor's grandfather.

Tibor's grandmother's grave and that of his Aunt Ethel, who died during the Hungarian Revolution in 1956.

And the grave of his sister, Magda, who died on January 14, 1945, four days before the liberation of the Budapest Ghetto by the Russians.

After Aliz went to put a stone on her father's grave, we then drove across the Danube to the Buda hills for lunch at Aliz's house. Along with marinated eggplant and egg salad, we had fish soup and crepes Suzette to finish. There are fabulous views from her windows to the city below. After lunch we visited a while longer, then Aliz drove us back to the hotel, where we rested for the remainder of the afternoon.

To end this busy day, we went out for dinner with Kati Kenedi and her daughter and son-in-law at Bagolyvar, a restaurant known for its home-style Hungarian food. Kati's husband was Otto, Ferenc and Agnes Klein's cousin, so she and Tibor enjoyed catching up. Mariska and Laszlo talked about life in Hungary and the resurgence of the ultra-right faction which recently gained 16% of the votes in the Hungarian Parliament.