Kazinczy utca Synagogue located in the middle of the historically Jewish VII District is the center of traditional Orthodox Jewish life. Enclosed by residential buildings there is the synagogue, prayer room, kosher restaurant, school, and nearby is the only mikveh of Budapest. Admission is 800 Ft ($4.25/£2.25).
Vasvári Pál utca Synagogue, VI. Vasvári Pál u. 5 just off of Király u (tram: Király u.), is operated by the Shas Chevra Lubavitch Shul and the Budapest Yeshiva. The synagogue entrance is through the courtyard.
Rumbach Synagogue, Rumbach u. off Dob u (no phone), was built in a romantic-Moorish style in 1872. It was closed for years due to it being so dilapidated. However, it reopened in 2006, though its interior and exterior condition is still in a devastated state. When I went to visit in October 2007, it was open, but I was told that it will be closed yet again for renovation. No one knew when and for how long; this "Nem tudom" (I don't know!) is a typical response in Hungary. My best advice is to stop by and check on its status when you are here.
The Leo Frankel Synagogue, II. Frankel Léo u. 49 (tel. 1/326-1445; Tram: 17), was built in 1928, but houses were built surrounding the shul to hide its appearance from outsiders passing by. The Germans used the shul as a stable during the Holocaust. It has recently been restored and is in use by members of the local Buda community. Suggested admission is 600 Ft ($3/£1.55), but any donation is gratefully accepted. Open Monday through Friday 9am to 1pm by prior arrangement. Services are Friday nights and Saturday mornings.
The Rabbinical Seminary at Gutenberg tér has been open since the early 1900s and was one of the few seminaries open during the communist period. It houses a huge library of more than 150,000 priceless volumes of Jewish literature. You will need to make an appointment to visit, but they did not want their number published.
Gozsdu Udvar (Gojdu Courtyard) was a unique part of the Jewish District at one time connecting Dob u. 16 and Király u. 13 by six courtyards and seven attached buildings that were 240m (787-ft.) long. The pavilion-structured houses served as a passageway between the two streets, with apartments on the top floors with 45 shops and workshops on the ground floor. It was this courtyard that served as a Jewish ghetto during the Holocaust. Thousands of Jews were locked in the courtyard by heavy gates.
