In 2025, six Jewish cemeteries across Hungary—Barabás, Csákvár, Császló, Lónya, Sényő, and Vámosújfalu—were successfully restored and preserved thanks to the collaboration between the Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities (Mazsihisz) and the German-based European Jewish Cemeteries Initiative (ESJF, Gemeinnützige Gesellschaft zur Erhaltung und zum Schutz jüdischer Friedhöfe in Europa mbH).
The village of Barabás, in the northeastern Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County, once had a significant Jewish community, accounting for around 10% of the local population. Tragically, only two survived the Holocaust. The cemetery, which contains gravestones dating from 1864 to 1943, had long been overgrown, leaving just 33 stones visible.
Following restoration, the cemetery is now a protected and orderly site. The last gravestone marks the resting place of Ignác Iczkovics, whose descendants expressed heartfelt gratitude for the preservation of the cemetery.
In Csákvár, Fejér County, the Jewish cemetery had long been obscured by dense lilac bushes. While the overgrowth protected the gravestones from both natural decay and human interference, it also hid them from view. Careful clearing of vegetation and detailed research allowed the original boundaries of the cemetery to be identified, fulfilling the Torah’s instruction: “Do not move the ancient boundary your ancestors set.”
From a community that once numbered around fifty, only two survived the Holocaust. With few locals aware of its existence, the cemetery had fallen into neglect. Today, the Vértes Museum Friends Association maintains the site, making it a visible and active part of the town’s cultural heritage.
The Jewish cemetery in Császló, also in Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County, required urgent intervention. Surrounded by active Christian cemeteries, its boundaries had blurred over decades, with some burials gradually encroaching upon it. Dense vegetation and wildlife, including foxes, posed direct threats to the graves.
Gravestones date from 1843 to 1930. The cemetery’s fencing and landscaping have clearly defined and protected the sacred site, preventing further damage and unauthorised encroachments.
In Lónya, located at the northeastern tip of Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg County along a busy road, around twenty gravestones survived. Their condition indicated that without intervention, the last visible remnants of the cemetery would soon be lost. Signs of animal activity also posed a direct threat to the remaining graves.
Restoration work defined the original cemetery boundaries and erected a durable concrete-panel fence to protect the entire site, including areas without visible gravestones. The local municipality now maintains the cemetery, with special recognition for Mayor Ernő Nagy, who personally prioritised the project.
Sényő’s Jewish cemetery, situated at a crossroads near Nyíregyháza, faced hazards from traffic and potential vandalism. It contains eighteen intact gravestones, dating from 1880 to the early 1940s. The local Jewish community, which numbered 68 before the Holocaust, belonged to the Kemecse congregation. A striking mausoleum on site houses the Blau family’s tomb, a rare feature in rural Hungarian Jewish cemeteries. The newly constructed fence and cleared grounds have restored the cemetery to a protected and orderly state, making it a distinctive landmark for passersby.
The restoration of Vámosújfalu’s cemetery, in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County, presented one of the year’s greatest challenges. Though historical records confirmed its existence, the cemetery had become almost entirely concealed by dense woodland. Its location along a traffic route made it virtually invisible.
Rabbinical surveys helped identify the site, allowing careful clearing of vegetation while prioritising the preservation of gravestones. Around twenty gravestones, mostly from the first half of the 20th century, were restored. The first Jewish families settled in Vámosújfalu in the early 19th century, maintaining close ties with the nearby Olaszliszka community and the large Tolcsva congregation led by Rabbi Jungreis.
