The holes in this wall provide a glimpse into Jewish life in Budapest, both past and present. On 29 November 1944 the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Arrow Cross organization of Hungary – Gabor Vajna released the Decree on the Establishment of the Budapest Ghetto. The Budapest Jews had to move to the land of the 7th district enclosed by the Dohany, Kertesz, Kiraly, Csanyi, Rumbach, Imre Madach streets and the Karoly ringroad. On December 10 the area was locked down and at the entry the sign appeared: christians forbidden entry. By January the next year almost 70000 people were crowded into the apartments of the area, many simply being stuck outside on the streets. The year 2014 brought the 70th commemoration of the formation of the Budapest ghetto.

Kazinczy Street Synagogue

The Kazinczy Street Synagogue is an Orthodox synagogue located in the VII. district of Budapest, Hungary. It was built between 1912 and 1913 in the Art Nouveau style, and is one of the most characteristic works of Hungarian synagogue architecture before the First World War. The synagogue was designed by Sándor Löffler and Béla Löffler, and was built for the Pest Orthodox Jewish Community, the most tradition-bound of the three branches of the Jewish community in Budapest at the time. The synagogue is a large, imposing building with a richly decorated interior. The main prayer hall is a long, narrow space with a high barrel-vaulted ceiling. The walls are decorated with colorful stained glass windows, and the bimah (Torah reading platform) is located at the eastern end of the room. The Kazinczy Street Synagogue was damaged during World War II, but was restored after the war. It is now a functioning synagogue, and is also a popular tourist attraction.