Budapest University of Jewish Studies

The growing liberal segment in Hungarian Jewish society, known as Neologs, were interested in secularly-educated clergy and their leaders strove to have a modern seminary.

From there, Adolf Eichmann organized the deportation of thousands of Hungarian Jews and some political detainees into the concentration camps, mainly to Auschwitz.

After the end of communism, thanks to donations from abroad, the seminary building was renovated, the library modernized and some of the valuable old books were restored.

Although at the time of the founding of the seminary, religious subjects were taught mostly in German, which was understandable to students from different regions, serious efforts were immediately made to transition most of the teaching into Hungarian.

A number of well-known professors invited to the seminary (in particular, Moses Bloch) signed contracts containing the condition to master the Hungarian language within a few years and begin teaching subjects in it.

[2] The course of study extended over ten years and was divided into two equal periods; one being devoted to the lower department, the other to the upper.

The former corresponded to an "Obergymnasium"; and the requirement for admission was the possession of a diploma from an "Untergymnasium", or the passing of an entrance examination covering a certain amount of Hebrew and Talmudics in addition to secular studies.

After the completion of the courses offered by the upper department, including attendance under the faculty of philosophy at the university, a year of probation followed.

This was concluded in February by an oral examination after the candidate had presented three written theses on Biblical, rabbinic-Talmudic, and historical or religious-philosophical subjects respectively.