Why were the number of Hasidic rebbes in Hungary so much smaller than in other areas of Yiddish speaking Eastern Europe? Why were none of the Bescht’s or Maggid’s students from Hungary? What have been essential themes and masters over the 25 years of lecturing on Hasidism at the Y? And what gives Hasidism its specific relevance and even popularity in our own time? In a way, one might say that Hasidism is in fact, a celebration of human presence and Jewish memory. And since tonight is a special night, because it brings back memories of the last 25 years, perhaps this is the time to acknowledge what I owe the Hasidic masters of whom we have talked here. I would not be the person I am, the Jew I am, the writer I am, had I not been so deeply imbued with their teaching. Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav’s stories nurtured the theme of madness in the novel, Town Beyond the Wall. More generally, what is the relevance of Hasidism today? The movement originated as a rebellion, a synthesis, a protest against fear, despair, and solitude. Similar concerns are with us today. Hasidism also brought a remedy of love and simplicity. With Auschwitz as our past and Hiroshima as our future, the Kotzker Rebbe’s silence, anger, and quest for absolute truth make him our contemporary. And in a similar respect, the Berditchever Rebbe made protest a form of worship. To return to Hungary: the Kalever Rebbe, the sweet singer, was successful because he knew Hungarian. And the lecture ends with a story about the Kalever’s son (read in the original Hebrew) and with singing the Kalever Rebbe’s Hungarian song about the Shechina in exile.