Former Soviet political prisoner, Israeli politician and chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel (Sochnut) Natan Sharansky is seen beside "Srulik", an illustrated character who symbolizes Israel after announcing the opening of the new Israeli Cultural Institute, housed in Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, Sep. 1, 2010. The World's first Israeli Cultural Institute will open its gate for the public on Friday. During the Holocaust some 550,000 Jews were killed, while some 100,000 Jews live in the country today, mostly in Budapest.
(AP Photo/Bela Szandelszky)
Israeli cultural institute to open in Budapest
Former Soviet political prisoner, Israeli politician and chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel (Sochnut) Natan Sharansky is seen beside "Srulik", an illustrated character who symbolizes Israel after announcing the opening of the new Israeli Cultural Institute, housed in Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, Sep. 1, 2010. The World's first Israeli Cultural Institute will open its gate for the public on Friday. During the Holocaust some 550,000 Jews were killed, while some 100,000 Jews live in the country today, mostly in Budapest.
(AP Photo/Bela Szandelszky)
BUDAPEST, Hungary—Officials say the world's first Israeli cultural institute will be opening in Budapest.
Director Gabor Balazs says the aim of the institute opening to the public Friday is to show the diversity of Israel's "mosaic-like" culture, including works and performances by Jews, Christians, Arabs and other writers and artists.
Natan Sharansky of the Jewish Agency says the institute was set up in Hungary partly because of the country's large Jewish community, estimated at 100,000.
Local Jewish businessmen and entrepreneurs have also partnered with his agency, which deals with Israel's relations with Jews abroad.
Israeli cellist Hillel Zori is due to perform at the institute on Saturday with Hungarian Roma pianists.
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