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With around 80,000 individuals, Budapest's Jewish population is the largest in central Europe. Before the war, there were close to 250,000 Jews living in Budapest, forming one of the most vibrant Jewish communities in the world. The Dohany Street synagogue is the largest synagogue in Europe and one of the largest in the world, but there are many more fascinating sites to discover in Budapest. The former Jewish quarter is now undergoing many changes and many Jewish residents fear that the flavor of the past might be gone forever. Photographer Julian Voloj takes a close look at Budapest's Jewish heritage.

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Julian Voloj was born in Muenster, Germany, and grew up in a Jewish community of just 80 members. His grandparents, Holocaust survivors, had immigrated to Colombia but returned to Germany. His personal background inspired him to explore issues of identity and heritage in his work as a photographer and writer. Voloj immigrated to the United States in 2003. The same year he was awarded with the Second Prize at the Washington Post Annual Photography Contest. In 2006, the Forward commissioned Voloj to photograph prominent New Yorkers such as Ed Koch, Edgar Bronfman and Abe Foxman for its anniversary book (to be released in 2007). Voloj was also commissioned for the exhibition "Germany, Land of Ideas" at the Deutsch-Historisches Museum in Berlin, one of Germany's most prestigious museums. His photographs appeared in the New York Post, the Jewish Week and other publications. Julian Voloj lives and works in New York City. To learn more about his projects, visit the website at www.julianvoloj.com.