5-Day Israeli Folk Dance Extravaganza Draws Jewish Youth from Across Europe

"Look how big our circle has grown!," shouted a 20-something girl from Yugoslavia. "If you’re Jewish you have to join the Hora!"

That was just one scene among many as hundreds of Jewish youth from across eastern and central Europe gathered to dance, chat and laugh together at that region’s only international Israeli folk dance festival. The 4th annual Machol Hungaria, also known as the Louise Eder Folk dancing festival, was held at the JDC/Ronald S. Lauder Camp near Szarvas, Hungary.

Young adults from Hungary, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and several other countries shed their national identities to join in step with each other, as they learnt new Israeli dances from professional folk dance teachers who were flown in from Israel by JDC.

"It’s just so special," said a sweaty, but happy Katarina from Hungary. "This is a place to meet friends and to make friends."

Many of those attending come from smaller Jewish communities that lack the kind of critical mass necessary to hold dance groups of their own. "Of course, the dancing is beautiful," noted a JDC staffer from Budapest. "But everyone at the festival goes home with more than just the new dances they picked up. They also have all the educational activities that we have packed into the five-day extravaganza."

These activities are designed to imbue the participants with enough spirit and technical know-how to jump-start a whole range of programs in their home communities. One such seminar taught attendees how to use Israeli dancing to increase involvement among children and adults in community events and celebrations.

In this way, Machol Hungaria’s organizers hope, the circle of each community will continue to grow.