Saul Goldstone wrote:

I would like to know if there is something similar to the "State Historical
Archives" which exists for Lithuania in Hungary. Is there a place one can
write to look for birth and/or death records?>>

In addition to Vivian Kahn's suggestions, all Hungarian researchers should
check out the LDS Family History Library catalog for Hungarian Jewish community
vital records.

Most of the Jewish community microfilms held by the Hungarian State archives,
and some regional archives dating >from the 1830s through 1895 when civil
registration began, were filmed by the Mormons many years ago and copies are
held at the SLC Family History Library and in many larger Family History
Centers throughout the world. For a small fee these microfilms can be ordered
by your local branch.

Many of these microfilms have already been indexed by the H-SIG, so check there
first to see if your town has been done. This will facilitate your locating the
proper film and record for your ancestor.

http://www.jewishgen.org/databases/Hungary/

If not then you can go to the direct link for an LDS catalogue search at:

http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp

Do a keyword search under: Izraelita Hitkozseg and you will get 453 entries for
towns they have microfilmed that were in pre-Trianon Hungary.

If you know the spelling of you town, enter that as well, but remember that
there are many variations in town names, and this search engine doesn't offer
soundex options. Searching through all the entries may be your safest bet.

As an example, my search on my ancestral town name of Karasz yielded these
results:

Registers of Jewish births, marriages and deaths for Kárász, later called
Nyirkarasz.
Anyakonyvek, 1876-1895

So...luckily for me both versions of the town name, which I believe changed in
the 1960s, are provided.

Another search yielded:

Registers of Jewish births, marriages and deaths for Bátorkeszi, Hungary, now
Vojnice, Czechoslovakia Anyakonyvek, 1834-1867

Showing how communities now outside of Hungary are also represented, with both
regional town names offered.

Having the original vital records available on microfilm for viewing and copying
is fortunate for Magyar researchers searching for pre-1895 information. Even
though the most important details are included in the H-SIG indexes, including
maiden names, towns of birth, mohels and midwives, occasionally there are
comments written in the margins that may be of interest, and there's nothing
like viewing the actual document.

Pamela Weisberger
Santa Monica, CA
pweisberger@...