The president of the Federation of Hungarian Jewish Communities, or Mazsihisz, resigned over criticism that he did not challenge Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s statements on anti-Semitism in the country.
Peter Feldmajer quit May 12 following a non-confidence motion and several hours of fierce debate at the annual meeting of Mazsihisz at the Budapest Jewish community headquarters. He has led the organization since 1991.
Following Feldmajer’s resignation, the entire leadership of the Jewish community — including the two vice presidents and seven others —resigned.
Gusztav Zoltai, Mazsihisz’s managing director, who resigned, was subsequently reelected by the delegates, the only member of the leadership to retain his position.
Feldmajer was blamed for being too soft on Orban after the prime minister offered his perspective about anti-Semitic acts in Hungary in a speech at the recent World Jewish Congress General Assembly in Budapest. In the speech, Orban condemned anti-Semitism in Hungary, but critics said he did not go far enough in condemning the far-right Jobbik party in his own government. — jta