Rabbi Slomo Koves was preparing to speak about Jewish life at a high school in a small, industrial town in Hungary when suddenly the headmaster had concerns. “The head of the school told me that he wanted me to be careful because most of the kids are first-time voters — and most of them will vote for the extreme-right Jobbik party.” Koves, from Budapest, insisted he would be OK and the first question he asked the students was: “What comes to mind when you hear the word Jew?” Their answer, he says, “was a curse word.” Koves was reflecting on the experience he had several years ago during an election year. He travels throughout Hungary and Europe helping to dismantle prejudices among the young …
