Long time has passed since the last smicha, the last rabbi ordination took place six years
ago. In this year, on 6th September, 2005 - 2nd Elul, 5765, however, with the help of the
Almighty, the old walls of the largest and most beautiful synagogue in Europe could
witness a new ordination ceremony. The huge inner hall almost proved to be insufficient to
host the countless guests, who arrived for this important event.
After the announcer of the program, Mr. Zsolt Kocsi, the former graduate of the JTS-UJS,
the reporter of the Hungarian Television, had informed the large audience about the
details of the ceremony.
Dr. Péter Feldmájer, the President of the
Alliance of the Jewish Communities of Hungary greeted all at present and at the same time
he opened the 128th academic year of the JTS-UJS. In his speech, he pointed out the
importance of preserving the unique Jewish traditions of Hungary and he considered the
ordination of new rabbis as one of the signs of the renaissance of the Hungarian Jewish
life.
Following Dr. Feldmájer's words, the
audience could enjoy Chief Cantor Emil Toth's elaborated performance of Levandowsky's
"Ma Tovu" prayer.
 The first of the ordination speeches was given by
the president of the Rabbi Examination Council, by Chief Rabbi Dr. István Domán, who
referred to the ordination of Yehoshua bin Nun by Rabbenu Moshe in the Tora, mentioning
that the shortest ordination speech can be found in this story: "Hazak veematz"
(Be strong and steadfast.) Chief Rabbi Domán called the attention of the new rabbis to
the importance of the strong faith, the positive attitude towards the challenges of life,
as we can see in the Tora. He also pointed out that Neolog movement is often criticised as
a denier of the true religiosity. He encouraged the young rabbis to always go back to the
words of the Tora and to use these words in their arguments. He also cited the sentence of
the great rabbi and scholar, the former rector of the JTS-UJS, Professor Alexander
Scheiber, who said: "Even violence and arrogance cannot stop us to walk in the path
of the truth."
Chief Rabbi Dr. Domán's words were crowned
by the wonderful singing of the Psalm 100 by Chief Cantor László Fekete.
Next, Dr. Róbert Frőhlich, the Chief
Rabbi of the Dohány Street Synagogue greeted the celebrated new rabbis. He wished them
that they would meet only with good will and love during their ministry. At the same time,
he warned them to remember:"You should follow the truth only. Do not change the
ancient law.", i.e. the new rabbis need to be capable to find the right solutions,
the new paths on the basis of the old Jewish traditions among the challenges of the
modern, always changing life. For this, the rabbi's life and works must be examplary for
the whole community.
Chief Rabbi Dr. Frőhlich's speech was
followed by Rubovitsh's composition, "Sh'ma Israel", sung by Chief Cantor Emil
Toth.
 The series of the
ordination speeches was closed down by the words of the Rector of the Jewish Theological
Seminary - University of Jewish Studies, Chief Rabbi Prof. Dr. Alfréd Schőner. First of
all, he gave thanks to the Almighty for being able to reach this special day. Then, as a
master, he addressed his disciples: first Rabbi Tamás Róna, whom he has known and taught
since his age of three. He pointed out his virtues, which manifested themselves during the
year of his rabbinical studies. Chief Rabbi Prof. Dr. Schőner's other outstanding
disciple, Rabbi István Darvas received a sentence from the actual parashat hashavua as a
"provision for the long journey": "Go and see the kohen, who will be the
master of your time." Finally he greeted the two new rabbis with the words of
HaRambam: "Fix your eyes always on the earthly reality and seek the Everlasting
G-d." The main task of the rabbi is to teach and to study.
At the end of the ceremony the newly
ordained young rabbis said good-bye to their teachers and gave thanks to all those who
supported them during their challenging years of their studies.
Rabbi Tamás Róna expressed his
thankfulness to his parents first of all and then he gave thanks to the Rector, to his
teachers in Hebrew, citing the famous sentence, " The rabbi is the builder of the
synagogue, of his community and of the future."
Rabbi István Darvas, beside his
thanksgiving to his parents, family and friends for their help, he also expressed his
special gratefulness for the great support of the Jewish Community of Budapest and the
Alliance of the Jewish Communities of Hungary during his studies. He closed his words by
reciting a prayer in Hungarian and in Hebrew. Finally on behalf of his companion rabbi, he
asked their masters to bless them with the traditional rabbinical blessing.
The ordination ceremony reached its peak
with the common rabbinical blessing.
 First László Fekete, the Chief Cantor of the Dohány Street Synagogue
recited Psalm 118, then the Rector-Chief Rabbi (standing in front of the aron hakodesh, in
the centre), next to him (from the left) the host of the event, Chief Rabbi Dr. Róbert
Frőhlich and standing on the left side of the Rector-Chief Rabbi, the President of the
Examination Council, Chief Rabbi Dr. István Domán, gave the newly ordered young rabbis
the rabbinic blessing.
Finally the two young men received their
rabbi diploma from the hand of the Chief Rabbi - Rector, Dr. Alfréd Schőner.
The ceremony was closed with the tunes of
the Hungarian and the Israeli national anthems.
Following the formal ceremony, the member
of the Rabbinical Board congratulated the new rabbis, accepting them as their colleagues.
The leaders of our Community and His Excellency David Admon, the Ambassador of the State
of Israel accredited to Budapest expressed their best wishes to Rabbi Tamás Róna and to
Rabbi István Darvas, as well.
Then all the guests, relatives, friends and
acquaintances congratulated the new rabbis wishing them lots of blessings for their future
works and lives.
As a festive closing down, all the guests were invited for a reception in the Goldmark
Hall of the Jewish Community, where the Chief Rabbi - Rector, Dr. Alfréd Schőner greeted
His Excellency David Admon, the Ambassador of the State of Israel in Hebrew. The evening
reached its end with the thanksgiving speeches of the two new rabbis.
written by F.B.S
Sep. 14, 2005 |
