A detailed description of the project and its viability
The project is under supervision of the Hungarian Shofar Association (Sofar Egyesület).
The Hungarian Shofar Association
The concept of the Hungarian Shofar Association named New horizons can be viewed as an attempt to form a new overall strategy of 21st century for the European Jewry, with the purpose of sharing information . We are suggesting a brand new approach that could work in a coherent system in trying to reduce or reverse negative tendencies, empowering and speeding the positive ones up while preserving the delicate balance of existing structures, giving free space to organic developments to thrive.
The Hungarian Shofar Association’s concept can be summarized as the following:
Association Shofar offers a common starting point for various Jewish branches and institutions in order to publicize their activities. In addition, it will presents possible meeting points visible and desirable for Jews that do not feel belonging to a community and thus encourage proud Jewish identity and the springing of the communities.
Hungarian Shofar Association offers a concise set of information about Judaism accessible for non-Jews as well, itemizing the reports of the mass media in order to influence positively the image of Jewry in the Diaspora. Instead of fighting against prejudices, which it considers a task for Sisyphus, we will divide, atomize and so neutralize preconceived opinions.
Hungarian Shofar Association offers a chance to various Jewish branches and institutions for a common representation without creating an umbrella organization, while preserving their integrity. It will speed up the streaming of the information, encourage openness, and thus create a fertile ground for using the existing resources more efficiently, as well as the formation of spontaneous cooperation, springing of common denominators.
Hungarian Shofar Association offers a shift in the presentation of the state of Israel stressing everyday existence over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, livening up the war coverage with broadcasts on cultural events and day-to-day existence of the Israeli democracy. It offers a stance that helps to identify and sympathize with the state of Israel and its citizens.
Why have the Association chosen the symbol of the shofar? The shofar is an ancient musical instrument. According to the tradition, Abraham made the first horn from the ram’s horn that he sacrificed instead of Isaac. The shofar sounded during the Exodus, during the announcing of the Ten Commandments, the fall of the walls of Jericho and for the Jewish, the sound of the shofar will signal the coming of redemption, too. This ritual musical instrument has a very special place in the course of Jewish liturgy. The shofar sounded from ancient times to summon our people. It is time to listen to the sound of calling now as well.
Hungarian Shofar Association has set up a radio station named „Radio Zs” as a pilot project that broadcasts 24 hours a day within the Hungarian on the network Hungarian Internet World Radio. „Radio Zs” is a non-profit, grassroots project open to each Jewish organization in Hungary and provides on-air time for them indiscriminately. The broadcasts of „Radio Zs” have been transmitted since October, with the help of an internet program that can be downloaded free from our site as well, under the address: http://sofar.hu . The broadcasting is getting richer week by week, several religious institutions, organizations and schools provide broadcasts of their own. The radio’s correspondences from Israel give live reportage and recommend cultural events. On the other hand, portraits of significant personalities, interviews of current affairs and from the archives, historical series, broadcasts of forums on religious issues and various debates, literary themes are being produced and broadcasted. By January, the radio introduced a new Broadcasting Timetable that devotes half of the time to the broadcasts of the various Jewish organizations, institutions and communities while the other half of the broadcast contains the works of the radio staff on cultural and historical coverage. The long-term objective is to launch the broadcast on radio wavelength as well as from satellite transmission as soon as possible.
Radio ZS
a. Radio ZS will cater for the Hungarian Jewish population in a broad and open manner.
• Fighting against stereotypical image of Israel
• Enabling cooperation between different branches of Judaism
• Jewish traditions and roots
• open up new communication channels for different branches of Judaism, for various groups and for the Jewish population, with its family-related and cultural ties and for the non-Jewish majority, too. Such channels would ecxelerate the stream of information, present Jewish tradition, history and everyday life, a world of many layers and complexities in an open, straightforward and humane manner.
• break down the wall of simplified stereotypes about Jews and Judaism.
• strengthen the identification with Judaism among the younger generations
• widen the circle of supporters and reduce as well as divide the influence of stereotypical thinking.
to shape Jewish identities of the 21st C. If we decided to find a common ground, a common denominator we have to define, first where we have come from and where we are heading. For such reasons we put emphasize on the research of the history of Hungarian Jewry and on outlining common strategies for integration that fits the 21st century. Such well-defined identities would reveal several connecting points that are not widely known and for many Jews that will provide suitable reasons to return to their communities.
• to introduce the life of contemporary Jewry in a rounded but digestible way. Talking from a common ground, it will be clear for everybody that Judaism is not a monolithic abstract system but practically a group of people with different worldviews and cultural backgrounds, attached to its host countries with infinite number of ties, connected by the shared thousands year old Jewish tradition. This argument can divide simplified, stereotypical opinions and so they loose their appeal.
• to sketch a differentiated picture on Israel Day after day we will present the everyday life, problems and achievements, doubts and contradictions of the Israeli society, showing the emotions and ideas of people living there. The listeners obviously can identify with particular person’s lot in life and social phenomena better, than with abstract political processes.
Radio Zs aims to develop into a media that is most reliable and detailed source of information on the issues of news and reportage from Israel . It will function as a community „board” for all the Jewish institutions in Hungary.
In order to accomplish the above mentioned objectives, the following setup is needed:
• Technical support
• Editing, broadcasting
• Administrative support
• Freelance employees, volunteers
• Tools and assets
Technical support of the transmission is provided by Shofar Association. Broadcasting is being transmitted digitally at the moment ,the head of the association being responsible for the technical background and development of the radio and its internet site, as well as supervising and editing of music and broadcasts. The radio station transmits through the web 24 hours a day worldwide.
Internet site of Radio ZS provides information on the transmission and interactive tool in keeping touch with its targeted audience.
Following a period of further development, organizing and networking, the complete system is about to function within a couple of months. Further developmental plans include ground based as well as satellite transmission after receiving the necessary permissions and financial resources.
Broadcasting takes place in Hungarian touching issues of local relevance (communal function) and news coverage from Israel (information flow) based on editing principles of the editorial board, headed by Seres Attila, the director of the Shofar Association. Timetable and assessments are to be defined later.
Administrative support is provided from the Budapest office. Its main task is maintaining close cooperation among the participating Jewish institutes.
Employees, freelance employees, volunteers work in two different locations, based in Budapest and in Israel. In the Budapest office the president, and and his staff /1 person /organize smooth and problem –free transmission. In Jerusalem the editors /2 persons / are responsible for the daily coverage from Israel /1/2 hour / Freelance employees are to be hired by the mentioned staff on an occasional basis.
Volunteers are to be summoned for tasks of promotion and as contact persons of the various institutions involved in the project.
Tools and assets
a.The internet site provides basic information on the ongoing broadcastings, with background information
b. office in Budapest
c. the employees work from home, maintaining e-mail and internet connections
