‘The parchment may be burned, but the letters fly away’ — On the Early Career of Rabbi Miklós Murányi

‘Although Miklós Murányi (Menachem Meron) was an important figure in the post-Holocaust recovery and one of the leading Zionist rabbis of the transitional years, his life story remains relatively unknown. The following presents Murányi’s activities during the transitional years (1945–1950), with particular focus on his writings published in the bulletin edited by the Újpest Jewish community.’

Hungary Weighs Leaving ICC, WHO as Trump Dismantles Liberal World Order Structures

After Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the imposition of US sanctions on officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the Hungarian government is considering reevaluating its relations with both institutions. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has long advocated for the dismantling of the outdated structures of the liberal world order, a process that is now accelerating under Trump’s second presidency.

‘I got so much from this country: a career, a family, a new life’ — A Conversation with Adam LeBor

‘I picked a character—for example, Klára Andrássy or my late father-in-law, Róbert Ligeti—and just wrote out their story. Then, I had the key dates. Then, I wrote out the next one. And then I did it date by date: what was happening in spring 1941? What happened in 1942? Therefore, some chapters cover a shorter time—in 1942 and 1943—and the main story is about diplomacy in trying to change sides. But in 1944, after the Germans invaded, there were many, many stories going on and many characters,’ Adam LeBor told Hungarian Conservative.

Dong Yuan, Xiao and Xiang Rivers (10th century). Palace Museum, Beijing, China

China, the West, and the Global Culture War

‘Debates connected to the culture war, including even on such amorphous issues as the West’s slide into spiritual nihilism or the loss of its inner will, are directly relevant to international politics and even international security. Western strategic thinkers must take these issues into account just as analysts in Beijing or Moscow do. To do otherwise would be a potentially dangerous mistake.’

Hungarian FM Cautions Against Dismissing Trump’s ‘Shockingly Innovative’ Gaza Plan

In an interview with Fox News, Hungarian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó cautioned against underestimating US President Donald Trump’s dealmaking skills concerning the recently announced Gaza plan. Szijjártó drew a parallel to the skepticism that initially surrounded the Abraham Accords, which nonetheless succeeded in bringing a new dimension to life in the Middle East.

The Feast of Purification

‘Under the Mosaic legislation, any woman after bringing a son into the world was considered unclear for seven days; she had to wait for another 33 days before presenting herself in the temple. This so-called spiritual impurity refers to a certain distance from the source of life: God Himself, for she is no longer part of the singular act of creation, the conception of a child.’