A fundamentalist revolution? The new face of Jewish Orthodoxy in Hungary

Abstract

This article examines religious fundamentalism as a modern societal and cultural phenomenon on the subject of contemporary Judaism in Hungary. From a theological perspective, fundamentalism can also be viewed as a patriarchal protest movement that misuses religious tradition as a means to consolidate power. Among various forms of fundamentalism, orthodoxy holds a unique position. It is able to adapt to the conditions and requirements of modern European societies and assume a pro-women, even democratic image. This version of orthodoxy is called neo-Orthodoxy in this article. In a neo-orthodox community, democracy is but an illusion while true power continues to reside in the hands of rabbis, who decide about the freedoms its members, and particularly women, are afforded, or not. In Hungary, neo-orthodox Judaism is currently gaining influence with a rising potential to become a dominant force, while non-orthodox Jewish communities are less active in their engagement and do not proactively strengthen their own Jewish identity.