The 13th Budapest Jewish and Israeli Film Festival is also an opportunity to separate everyday life from special celebrations. We bring you the past year’s most valuable and exciting Jewish-themed and Israeli films. Why are films so important to us? Because storytelling through cinema is one of the most powerful and popular art forms of the 21st century. And if there’s anything Judaism is rich in, it’s an endless chain of stories. The films brought to you by ZsiFi offer chances for learning, laughter, reflection, tears, and connection, but above all, togetherness. Instead of watching movies alone at home as we do on ordinary days, we can set aside this time for our broader community and enjoy these creations collectively.

Join us for the screenings this year, and celebrate with us the thirteenth ZsiFi and the thirtieth anniversary of JCC Budapest.

Warm regards,

Marcell Kenesei
Festival Director

It’s that time of year again—ZsiFi is here for the thirteenth time! Some might call thirteen an unlucky number, but from a Jewish perspective, it’s actually very lucky! Boys reach adulthood at thirteen (girls a year earlier), so we can proudly say that we’ve grown up—and that’s certainly worth celebrating! Adding to the festive atmosphere, JCC Budapest is celebrating its thirtieth birthday this year, which is no small feat!

In Jewish tradition, it’s an integral practice to intentionally separate and distinguish things from each other to enhance their value and significance. We separate Shabbat from the rest of the week so that, once a week, we refrain from busyness and work to focus on gratitude for what we have and what surrounds us. We separate what’s fit for consumption from what’s not—kosher from treif—so we’re mindful about what we eat. We set aside part of our earnings for those in need to help create a fairer world for our fellow humans. And we set festive occasions apart from ordinary days to create space to appreciate the world we live in and to honor one another.