Jewish Safety in Budapest: A Beacon in Europe’s Rising Antisemitism

In an era where antisemitism is resurging across Europe, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has made a bold claim that Budapest stands as an exception. “Jewish communities are safer in Budapest than anywhere else in Europe. Zero tolerance for antisemitism, no hate crimes, no violent migrants,” Orbán declared on social media platform X. His statement, coming at a time when Jewish communities throughout the continent face increasing threats, has sparked discussion about the factors that might make Hungary’s capital different from other European cities where Jewish residents increasingly report feeling unsafe. Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli publicly supported this assessment, describing Budapest as “one of the safest and most welcoming European capitals for its Jewish community and for Israeli citizens alike.” Chikli highlighted a telling contrast: while the Swiss city of Basel reportedly declined to host a Zionist Youth Congress of approximately 200 Jewish youths, Hungary stepped forward to welcome the event, even sending a senior minister to deliver a speech. According to Chikli, Hungary’s success stems from “a responsible immigration policy that recognizes the danger posed by radical Islam” combined with “an uncompromising government policy against antisemitism.”

The claims about Budapest’s relative safety come against a troubling backdrop documented by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Their 2024-2025 analysis, “Take Action: Antisemitism Is Escalating in Europe,” paints a disturbing picture of surging antisemitic incidents across the continent. Following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza, countries including France, Germany, and the United Kingdom have seen sharp increases in antisemitic harassment, vandalism, threats, and physical attacks. Many European Jews report feeling unsafe wearing visible religious symbols in public, while Jewish institutions require increasingly stringent security measures. Perhaps most alarmingly, the ADL warns that antisemitic rhetoric is becoming normalized in public discourse across Europe’s political spectrum and online platforms, creating what the organization describes as “a climate of fear even in countries once considered safe for Jewish life.”

Budapest’s status as home to Central Europe’s largest Jewish community—estimated between 80,000 and 100,000 people—makes the safety question particularly significant. Hungary’s Jewish history is both rich and tragic. Before World War II, the country boasted one of Europe’s largest Jewish populations, with approximately 825,000 Jewish citizens. However, following the German occupation in March 1944, Hungarian and Nazi authorities orchestrated one of the Holocaust’s most rapid deportation campaigns, sending approximately 430,000-440,000 Jews to Auschwitz in mere weeks, most murdered upon arrival. Historians estimate that about 564,000 Hungarian Jews—more than two-thirds of the pre-war population—perished during the Holocaust. This devastating history makes the current government’s stance on Jewish safety particularly noteworthy, as it speaks to how modern Hungary reconciles with this painful past while addressing present-day challenges.

Jewish community leaders in Hungary have offered varied assessments of the situation. Some praise the Orbán government for substantial investments in synagogue restoration, Holocaust memorials, and Jewish cultural initiatives, as well as for maintaining strong diplomatic ties with Israel. The government has also taken public stands against antisemitism and has emphasized Budapest’s contrast with Western European cities where Jewish institutions now require heavy police protection and where Gaza-related protests have sometimes turned violent. However, other Jewish voices have expressed concerns about nationalist rhetoric within Hungary and ongoing disputes over historical memory, particularly regarding the country’s role during the Holocaust. This mixed perspective suggests that while Budapest may indeed offer certain advantages for Jewish safety, the full picture is more complex than political statements might suggest.

The debate about Jewish safety in Budapest versus other European cities highlights broader questions about the causes of rising antisemitism and effective strategies to combat it. Orbán’s government attributes Budapest’s claimed safety record to its immigration policies and zero-tolerance approach to antisemitism, implicitly criticizing Western European nations that have accepted larger numbers of migrants from predominantly Muslim countries. This perspective aligns with statements from Israeli officials like Chikli, who specifically mentioned “the danger posed by radical Islam” as a factor. However, the ADL’s findings indicate that antisemitism is spreading across the political spectrum throughout Europe, suggesting multiple contributing factors beyond immigration patterns. These might include traditional antisemitic tropes that persist in European cultures, the spillover of Middle Eastern conflicts into European discourse, and the amplification of extremist views through social media and political polarization.

As Europe grapples with what the ADL describes as an alarming escalation of antisemitism, the Budapest case study raises important questions about effective responses. If Hungarian officials’ claims about Jewish safety in Budapest can be independently verified, what specific policies and cultural factors contribute to this outcome? Can other European nations adopt similar approaches while maintaining their own values regarding immigration and pluralism? Or are there alternative strategies that might work better in different national contexts? What responsibilities do governments, civil society organizations, educational institutions, and media platforms have in combating antisemitism? And how can European societies balance legitimate political disagreements about Israeli policies with firm rejection of antisemitism in all its forms? These questions extend beyond Hungary’s borders, challenging all European nations to reflect on their commitments to protecting Jewish communities as an essential element of democratic societies that truly value diversity, human rights, and the lessons of history.