Top Stories
An Unexpected Comeback: Hand-Written Letters From the Battlefield
When Dudi Alon, current Head of the software development Team at the National Library, was called up for reserve duty on October 7, he never imagined that words written from Gaza on torn-out notebook pages would become the bridge to his wife and seven children back home – children he would not see for many long months.
October 7
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An Unexpected Comeback: Hand-Written Letters From the Battlefield
When Dudi Alon, current Head of the software development Team at the National Library, was called up for reserve duty on October 7, he never imagined that words written from Gaza on torn-out notebook pages would become the bridge to his wife and seven children back home – children he would not see for many long months.
True Loving-Kindness: From the National Library to ZAKA Volunteering
When Aviad Rosenberg, a cataloging specialist at the National Library of Israel, made his way to the western Negev after October 7, he went in his other capacity: as a ZAKA volunteer. He knew that he was about to carry out one of the most difficult yet important tasks on the long road toward ensuring a proper final resting place for those murdered in the massacre. This is his story.
Painting Over Fear: The Artists Transforming Northern Israel’s Bomb Shelters
Ever since the October 7 war began, an immigrant couple, who arrived in Israel shortly beforehand, have created bright scenes on otherwise drab concrete, transforming ominous structures into art.
The People in the Safe Room
The documentary “Safe Room” captures the story of survivors brought together by chance on October 7, who unexpectedly become a family on the worst day of their lives. The film will be screened later this month as part of Docutext, the National Library of Israel’s documentary film festival.
Lives Lost: The Works of the October 7 Fallen
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David’s Light Still Shines
“To be able to have coffee whenever we want” – that was how David Meir, of blessed memory, defined economic independence. He worked to help those around him gain financial literacy. David grew up in the community of Kochav HaShachar, founded by his parents, and served in the IDF’s elite Sayeret Matkal unit. On October 7, he was among the first to reach the Gaza border communities and was killed in battle at Kibbutz Be’eri. A special edition of the book “The Psychology of Money” has now been released in his memory.
A Musical Gift Left Behind: Remembering Guy Illouz
Guy Illouz, 26, was carving a career in the music business. Hamas terrorists shot Illouz at the Nova festival and kidnapped him to Gaza. Illouz died there of his wounds.
Remembering Yonatan Richter
Yonatan (Shafik) Richter was an exceptional person. He lived a life full of practical achievements as well as great spiritual awareness, the kind of life that can serve as an inspiration to us all. He was a family man with a thriving career who also sought greater meaning and hoped to share his insights with others. On October 7 2023, he volunteered as a mental health supporter at the Nova festival, where his life was cut short.
Hannah Kritzman: The Storyteller of Kibbutz Be’eri
At age 15, Hannah Kritzman ran away from home to Kibbutz Be’eri, where she became a beloved preschool teacher and founded the local children’s library. 73 years later, on October 7, after spending hours hiding with her caregiver in her safe room, Hannah was shot by a Hamas terrorist, just as the two were being rescued. The memoir she completed shortly before her death offers us a glimpse of what a wonderful woman she was.
American Jewry
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When Hollywood First Found Its Voice, It Sang “Kol Nidre”
On the evening after Yom Kippur, October 6, 1927, a film premiered that many consider to be the first full-length talking feature. At its climax, an actual cantor can be heard chanting the prayer “Kol Nidre.” How did the film that brought the promise of sound to Hollywood come to focus specifically on the son of a cantor? How was the film received by Jewish communities in the United States and in the Jewish community in the Land of Israel? And why is the film considered controversial in the United States today and largely relegated to the sidelines? Here is how Jewish Hollywood changed the history of the film industry…
September 11, 25 Years Later: “A Moment of Collective Trauma”
When reflecting on the most lethal terrorist attacks ever to take place in the United States, the parallels with Israel’s own recent history come into focus.
Recalling the March on Washington and a Pilgrimage That Never Was
American civil-rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King was a supporter of Zionism, who even planned to lead a delegation to Israel and hold a service near the Sea of Galilee.
Sid Gillman: Innovator and Star Jewish NFL Coach
Gillman succeeded at both the collegiate and professional levels of American football, with his innovative methods inspiring others and bringing greater excitement to the game.
History of Israel
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Painting Over Fear: The Artists Transforming Northern Israel’s Bomb Shelters
Ever since the October 7 war began, an immigrant couple, who arrived in Israel shortly beforehand, have created bright scenes on otherwise drab concrete, transforming ominous structures into art.
The Trials and Tribulations of the First Hebrew Elephant
Even before setting foot in the country, he demanded VIP treatment, had to “call in sick,” and inspired poems of praise by the poet Leah Goldberg… Here is the story of Bungo, the first Zionist elephant, who taught the Tel Aviv Zoo an important lesson about married life.
An Eternal Love Song: 10 Classic Israeli Hits Inspired by the “Song of Songs”
A tour through the Bella and Harry Wexner Libraries of Sound and Song – Legacy Heritage Foundation at the National Library of Israel reveals the biblical Song of Songs is ever-present in contemporary Israeli music
Between Seoul and Jerusalem
Each summer, South Korea marks its independence and the end of its pivotal war. Early on, Israel worked to bring peace to the far-away land.
Life on the Border: A Tribute to the Communities of the Gaza Border Region
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The Lovers’ Garden of Kibbutz Nir Oz
A 50-year-old news article illuminates the deep bond between Oded and Yocheved Lifshitz from Nir Oz, who nurtured not only their love but also a unique and remarkable garden in their kibbutz. Both were abducted from their home on October 7, and now Yocheved waits for her beloved Oded’s return.
When the Farhud Came to Be’eri: October 7 and the Legacy of an Iraqi Pogrom
“We made Aliyah from Iraq to Israel so that Arabs wouldn’t be able to enter Jewish homes and murder us,” said Kibbutz Be’eri members who survived the pogrom known as the Farhud. In Be’eri, founded in part by Iraqi immigrants, there is a monument to the victims of the Farhud, suffered by the Jews of Iraq over 80 years ago. They couldn’t know that years later, their children and grandchildren would face a similar horror – but this time, in the Jewish state.
Nir Oz Will Blossom Again: The Story of a Legendary Kibbutz Gardener
In the early days, members of Kibbutz Nir Oz suffered from terrible sandstorms that made it difficult to move, see and even eat. Ran Pauker, the kibbutz’s legendary landscaper, was called to solve the problem, and along the way, Nir Oz became a green, ecological gem. When asked about the future of the kibbutz that suffered a fatal blow on October 7 – he says the vegetation will be restored within a year, as for the community: “We’ll have to wait and see”
We Shall Return: The Spirit of Kibbutz Nirim Will Prevail
“We shall return” – these were the words printed in Hebrew on t-shirts made by the survivors of Kibbutz Nirim. These words embody a history of heroism, pioneering, culture and Zionism which should serve as a model for all of us. Kibbutz Nirim, founded in 1946, faced a desperate battle for its very existence just two years afterwards. It survived then and survives now thanks to the unique spirit of its members.
The Man Who’s Been Documenting the People of Ofakim Since October 7
Nadav Mishali founded the cinematheque in the southern Israeli city of Ofakim. His personal story is bound up with that of the city itself and its brave and exceptional residents. Mishali has now taken on an even bigger mission – to document the stories of hardship and heroism that took place in Ofakim on Saturday, October 7, 2023
Jewish Communities
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The Birth of the American Jewish Book
As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, we set out on a journey through the books that accompanied the growth of American Jewry – from small communities that depended on volumes shipped from Europe, to a bible translated into the language of Native American tribes, the earliest books printed in Hebrew in America, and the emergence of one of the world’s major centers of Jewish publishing.
A Conversation with Rabbi Angela Buchdahl
Participants gathered at the National Library of Israel on July 12 to hear a fascinating conversation with Rabbi Angela Buchdahl. The first Korean-born rabbi and cantor in North America, Rabbi Buchdahl is Senior Rabbi of the Reform Central Synagogue in New York City and a major voice today within the American Jewish community. Buchdahl was speaking with Dr. Raquel Ukeles, Head of Collections at the National Library.
Abe Foxman: A Life Fighting Hate and Shaping Jewish Leadership
Foxman, who passed away on May 10, recently deposited his archive at the National Library of Israel. He was a defining voice in the struggle against antisemitism.
From Belarus to Shanghai: The Mir Yeshiva’s Journey of Survival
The extraordinary story of hundreds of yeshiva students who crossed Russia by train, sailed to Japan, and reunited in Shanghai. A story of enduring faith, of a library rebuilt under impossible conditions, and of a journey that helped shape the future of the yeshiva world.
