Encounters at the Mádi Synagogue: Let’s visit the Footsteps of Wonder Rabbis!

The starting and ending point of the pilgrimage is one of the fabulous gems of Tokaj-Hegyalja. You should admire the 18th-century braid-style Mád Synagogue, which is a proud member of the 100 Most Beautiful Synagogues in the World and has also received the Europa Nostra Award. The largest Jewish cemetery in Tokaj-Hegyalja is also located in Mád, where the famous rabbis of the religious community have found their final peace. You see, even when you walk down the street, you are fascinated by this place, where there are many former Jewish relics.

As early as the middle of the 18th century, Jews engaged in trade lived here, who were attracted to Tarcal from Poland by the high-quality grapes. Their synagogue — which resembles the dazzling Mád Synagogue — was built in Baroque style and now plays host to exhibitions. You can also visit a Jewish cemetery with hundreds of tombs, where you can pay tribute to the town’s most famous rabbi, James Spira’s tomb.

You can listen to dazzling concerts in the most beautiful building of the town, named after the rightly known Tokaj-Hegyalja. There is also the only functioning Jewish house of worship in the area, and two cemeteries guard the graves of the former inhabitants.

The Memorial House, located at the fourth stop of the pilgrimage, was the former home of one of the most famous wonders, Reb Steiner Saje, whom many legends belong to. The rabbi was famous for his philanthropy: he organized help for the Galician Jews who fled here, for example, during the First World War; but smaller “miracles” such as reconciling a couple about to divorce through prayer also enhanced his reputation. In addition to the Memorial House, the rabbi’s tomb on the side of Dereszla Hill also became a popular place of pilgrimage.

Friedmann Cvi Herschele, the wonder rabbi’s tomb is the one that attracts visitors the most to Olaszliszka - and the cemetery has a breathtaking location here. Besides, a memorial site built on the site of the former synagogue is worth a visit: it interactively commemorates the once populous Jews of Tokaj-Hegyalja.

The first Jewish inhabitants settled here at the end of the 1700s, and soon they established bases for the religious community’s life. Today there is a thought-provoking commemorative plaque on the building of the former bath, it is worth reading, then you can have a walk in the Jewish cemetery.

This is the most popular pilgrimage of Tokaj-Hegyalja, as Mose Teitelbaum wonder rabbi, the founder of the Hungarian Hasidism, rests here. The charismatic rabbi could give helpful advice on every aspect of life, moreover he even cured the believers and he was also known for his literary work.

This small fairy-tale village is surrounded by magnificent mountains, here you can find the only Jewish bath in Tokaj-Hegyalja — which you can only look at now, as its building is awaiting renovation. In the neighbouring town, there is a house where William Fox (Vilmos Fuchs), the founder of the American film studio, was born, and it is also a popular tourist destination.

This small town certainly captivates you – the place is considered a part of the World Heritage Site in Tokaj-Hegyalja, so you should take a long walk in the area. In the fenced cemetery, there are also the tombs of two famous rabbis, Eleazar Lőw and Arje Lőch Lipschütz.

This market town is located in the geometric centre of Europe; there were once three synagogues here at the same time. Today, the cemetery on the outskirts of the village serves as a place of pilgrimage.