Jerusalem, Hebron, Safed, the tombs of the righteous in the Galilee, and… Gaza? Jewish scrolls from the 16th and 17th centuries offer an interesting selection of holy places in the Land of Israel. How did the city of Gaza end up on this list?
The First Night of Captivity: Memories From the Fall of the Jewish Quarter
A text found at the National Library unearthed the story of Aharon Liron, a young soldier captured by the Arab Legion during the battle for Jerusalem’s Old City in 1948. Liron was able to document his experiences as he witnessed the fall of the Jewish Quarter.
The Ayalon Institute: The Secret Facility Hidden Under a Kibbutz Laundry
Deep underground, beneath a kibbutz laundry and bakery, an enormous, clandestine factory was operated by the Haganah: an ammunition factory that worked for three years, almost without stop. This is the story of the Ayalon Institute, whose work ensured the existence of the State of Israel.
Curate and Create: The Poster Competition That United Kids Worldwide With Israel
As Israel turned 75 years old, the National Library of Israel wanted to celebrate with a new and exciting project. Thus, Curate & Create was born, a poster competition for children from all over the world, complete with educational resources and primary sources. With over 600 participants, read about how this NLI project came to be so successful!
Hannah Senesh’s Hanukkah
In December of 1933, a 12-year-old Hannah Senesh composed a Hanukkah poem that concluded with the words: “These candles encourage us at every turn, fear not Israel, the time is yet to come.”
The Story of Israel Told Through Rosh Hashanah Greeting Cards
There was a time when Israeli greeting cards designed to celebrate the Jewish New Year were the most common mail item in the country. These charming postcards expressed the sentiments of their time in every Jewish home in Israel and in Jewish communities around the world
Out of the Vault: Incredible Torah Scrolls Revealed
Check out these clips featuring four of the most stunning and interesting Torah scrolls from the National Library of Israel collection
Haircuts on Lag BaOmer: The First Printed Documentation!
A beautiful illustration from a book printed in 1601 for the Jewish community in Venice contains the first-ever printed documentation of the Lag BaOmer holiday haircut tradition
“My spiritual home destroyed itself”: Stefan Zweig’s Suicide Note
The letter with which Stefan Zweig took leave of the world is preserved today in the archives of the National Library of Israel
Revealed: The Renowned Kabbalist’s ‘Hidden’ Letter
Message sent to ‘The Holy Ari’ reflects his influence at the time, outside the mystical realm
