Budapest’s oldest synagogue is back at the center of local life. At 163 Lajos Street (Lajos utca 163) in Óbuda (District III), the Óbuda Synagogue is more than a monument: it’s a symbol of a revived Hungarian Jewish community that refused to settle for less than what the neighborhood’s deep history demanded. Decades after socialism pushed Jewish life to the margins, locals are redrawing Óbuda’s Jewish face with weekly family programs, pop-up culture talks, challah mega-bakes, and brain-boosting workshops. Here’s what’s on through June and beyond—and where else to plug in nearby.
Wednesdays Are for Kids (and Parents)
KiddieTime takes over every Wednesday from 16:30 to 18:00 in Óbuda for children aged 3–10. It’s music, learning, play, and movement, all with a Jewish twist and grouped by age. First up, kids and parents dive into a music session together. Then the children learn about Judaism through games while parents slip out to brush up on their Hebrew in a language class. Everyone reunites at the end to close with Krav Maga. The aim is simple: build joy, culture, and confidence, together.
Upcoming KiddieTime dates at Óbuda Synagogue, 1036 Budapest, 163 Lajos Street (Lajos utca 163): May 27 and June 3, both 16:30–18:00.
Stage Legends, Secrets, and a Quiz
The hit theater-history series rolls on with stories of three iconic actors of Jewish origin: Kálmán Latabár, Juci Komlós, and József Székhelyi. Expect a fast-moving mix of backstage secrets, anecdotes, and razor-sharp one-liners, led by theater historian Ágnes Szebényi of the Bajor Gizi Actors’ Museum. Székhelyi, celebrated far beyond the stage, was also honored with the Miklós Radnóti Anti-Racist Prize—proof that his courage wasn’t merely theatrical. Where did that bravery come from? Come find out, then test what you learned in a live quiz.
Talk: May 27, Óbuda Synagogue. Theater Quiz: June 8 at 10:00, same venue. Tickets: 2,000 HUF (about 5.60 USD), or 1,500 HUF (about 4.20 USD) with a Haver Card.
Mega Challah Bake: One Recipe, Many Generations
June 7 brings the year’s most anticipated community bake. The Mega Challah Bake has become a tradition—a joyful, women-led gathering where generations knead, braid, and sing. This time, social media sensation Lili Lantos and her mother are the faces of the event, joining in person and hands-on to make it extra special. The music’s in good hands, too: Liora arrives to lift voices and spirits. Buy a ticket, watch your inbox for a follow-up form, and choose the team you want to braid with. This is the Mega Challah Bake – Generations Bake Together.
Venue: Óbuda Synagogue, June 7.
Memory Lab: Keep the Mind Fit
Memórialabor is a brain-training workshop designed primarily for those over 50—a kind of mental aerobics to refresh and improve cognitive function, memory, and concentration—but it’s open to all ages. As Anders Hansen writes in Brain on Exercise (Edzett agy): “Memories are like winding paths between brain cells. The well-trodden path remains; where we’ve walked only a few times, the path grows over and disappears.” This session helps keep the paths clear.
Next date: June 1 at the Óbuda Synagogue site (1036 Budapest, 163 Lajos Street/Lajos utca 163).
More Learning Hubs Across the City
Havruta – House of Learning meets on Wednesdays and other days at 1 Újpest Embankment (Újpesti rakpart 1) in District 13, including a discussion with Rabbi Baruch Oberlander on May 27 at 17:30. The Vasvári Pál Street Synagogue (1061 Budapest, 5 Vasvári Pál Street/Vasvári Pál utca 5) hosts ongoing Kabbalah classes with Rabbi Oberlander on June 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29, plus a special architecture and liturgy walk, Who Owns the Temple? on May 28, exploring how Jerusalem’s Temple shaped synagogue and temple design.
Tea & Torah with Rabbi Shalom Ber runs Tuesdays in Kecskemét (12 Kecskemét, József Katona Square/Katona József tér 12) on June 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30. In Szentendre (6 Patriarch Street/Pátriarka utca 6), look out for Fusion Foods on June 7, the June communal bake on June 18, and a self-defense session for women, Women’s Defense? Self-Defense! (Nővédelem? Önvédelem!), on June 14. Budapest’s Újbuda hosts Show or Sacred Life? on June 11 (32 Bartók Béla Boulevard/Bartók Béla út 32). There’s also Blood Libels, Old and New, a seminar with Professor Rachel Elior on June 1, and multiple Sunday School sessions at Zsilip (1 Újpest Embankment/Újpesti rakpart 1).
Walks, Books, Camps
Explore Jewish heritage on the city walk series, In Search of Crypts and Tombstones / Stetl Jewish City Walks (Kripták és síremlékek nyomában / Shtetl zsidó városi séták) on May 31, or go hands-on with Cake-Pop Making (Sütinyalóka-készítés) the same day. Chess lovers can join a simultaneous exhibition with Ádám Bohus on May 31.
Mark June 24 for a powerful book event: Michael Calvin – Naftali Schiff: Miracle – Hungarian Boys Who Escaped the Gas Chamber (Csoda – Magyar fiúk, akik megmenekültek a gázkamrából).
And for the summer: Camp Balaton returns July 5–16 in Balatonőszöd. Registration is open.
Where to Stay and Eat Nearby
If you’re traveling in for events, Óbuda and the northern Buda riverside offer plenty of options. Family-run pensions with around 20 rooms sit near two of Budapest’s beloved water complexes, the Csillaghegy Bath and Római Beach Bath, offering air-conditioned standard rooms with shower bathrooms. In the leafy northern outskirts, small hotels feature double rooms and two apartments with private bathrooms, satellite TV, and mini-fridges. Along the Római-part, guesthouses provide twin rooms with showers, cable TV, drink bars, and garden access, plus nearby tennis courts, beaches, shopping, and riverside nightlife. Holiday Beach Budapest Wellness Hotel with Sauna Park is a unique, ship-shaped property right on the Danube, with pools and free Wi‑Fi, three minutes from the nearest bus stop.
Further afield, budget-friendly hostels in Buda’s green belt offer free parking; tourist houses on the National Blue Trail provide 50 beds across 14 rooms with a large common area and equipped kitchen; and the Márton Áron College network supports cross-border Hungarian students with accommodation and talent programs in Budapest, Debrecen, Szeged, and Pécs.
As for food, you’re covered from breakfast to dinner with fresh, healthy plates across Óbuda. The 39ers’ Restaurant (39-esek Étterme) in Flórián Courtyard (Flórián Udvar) is the newest cafeteria spot in the district. Down on the Római-part, Hely Restaurant (Hely Étterem) mixes international and classic Hungarian flavors with live music, Danube views, a huge garden, and a calm, green vibe. If you want variety and open-air fun for families, the Miamor Rómaim yard blends food and leisure with space for birthdays, gatherings, and team-building, with activities for kids and adults alike.
Óbuda’s synagogue has always been a landmark. In 2026, it’s a living room—busier, louder, and more welcoming than it’s been in decades.
