“Tales of Teleki Square” at The NEON

The Tales of Teleki Square documentary captures the lives, history, and heritage of the Budapest Jewish community. The Teleki Synagogue, the last shtiebel in Hungary that survived both the Nazis and the communists, has been recently revitalized by young Budapest hipsters through communal art and research projects. Two brothers from Budapest, Gábor Mayer, Producer and András Mayer, Director’s Assistant, went through the journey of their lives to discover the rich and unique Hungarian Jewish heritage. András joins us to discuss their film and share their incredible experience in bringing the Teleki Synagogue back to life.

$9 per person. This event is a collaboration between the JCC’s Film Fest Committee and the Jewish Federation’s Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC)

Gábor Mayer, Producer
Gábor helped create the Jakab Gláser Memorial Foundation, a Non-Government Organization (NGO) that supports the ongoing needs of the Teleki Synagogue project. He also supervises the day-to-day activities, restoration, community building, and event planning for the Teleki Synagogue community.

András Mayer, Director’s Assistant
Born in 1972, he and his brother, Gábor, were raised in a secular Hungarian Jewish family. Being Jewish was a cultural and intellectual identity, a state of mind instead of observing traditions and holidays. As a teen, he immersed himself in rich Jewish experiences through the Jewish Agency for Israel, such as leading the first ever Kibbutz-ulpan-avoda travel trip for young Hungarians to Israel. After being “recruited” into the minyan of the Teleki Square Synagogue by the caretaker (Jakab Gláser), his brother Gábor joined as well. When Jakab Gláser died in 2006, the Mayer brothers took on his mission. With their guidance the Synagogue and surrounding community has flourished.

Hedi Pusztai, Partnership2Gether Representative
Hedi was born in 1986, at the end of Communism, as the first child of a non-religious young couple. As for many young Hungarians in her generation, it has been a long way to find her Jewish identity. Hedi participated in several post-Birthright programs organized by the Jewish Agency for Israel. Since summer 2014 she has been working at the Israeli Cultural Institute in Budapest as a Hebrew teacher, educational coordinator and since autumn 2016 as a representative of Partnership2Gether.

What is Partnership2Gether?
Dayton along with 15 other US communities and Budapest, Hungary has a very special relationship with the western galilee region in Israel. Together we share cultural resources and overseas experiences that strengthen our global Jewish identity through people-to-people relationships, social interactions, and educational programs relating to education, medical innovation, economic development and so much more. Partnership2Gether is a program of the Jewish Agency for Israel.