Join the National Library of Israel in celebrating Hanukkah this year with eight stories, eight historical treasures, eight languages, and eight candles; part of the National Library’s “A Look at the Jewish Year” series.
First candle
Join Dr. Aliza Moreno-Goldschmidt, head of the Israel and Judaica Reading Room, as she explores a small, rare booklet of Ladino Hanukkah verses, printed in the Ottoman Empire:
Check out these stories about Sephardic culture and heritage:
Memories from my Sephardic Grandparents
Also check out our world-leading collection of digitized, fully searchable historic Jewish press, including numerous titles in Ladino and Spanish.
Second candle
Join Ariel Viterbo, an archivist in the National Library’s Archives, for a look at a late 19th century Tuscan Hanukkah flyer, including texts in Hebrew and Italian:
Discover more Italian Jewish culture and heritage:
Did a Woman Really Read from the Torah in the 15th century?
The Disappearing Headstones from the Jewish Cemetery of Ferrara
Meet Emilia Morpurgo: A Female Ritual Slaughterer from Italy
“I-Tal-Ya Books”, an exciting new initiative to create a unified listing of all Hebrew books in Italy for the first time ever
Third candle
Join Tadeusz Woleński, a project manager in the Culture Department, for a look at two Polish Hanukkah treasures, one from just before the Holocaust and one from just after:
A Moment Before Desolation: Rare Photographs of Polish Jewry
Not Traveling? Visit Stunning Jewish Sites Across Poland from Home
The Feminist Revival of Tu B’Av, the Jewish Festival of Love
Also check out our world-leading collection of digitized, fully searchable historic Jewish press, including dozens of titles in Polish and Yiddish.
Fourth candle
Join Dr. Amalia Kedem of the Music Collection and Sound Archive for a listen to the official candle lighting ceremony at the Israeli president’s residence in 1957:
Discover more:
Hanukkah Songs and Sounds From Across the Globe
Bringing Darkness to Light: Singing Hanukkah Songs Through the Holocaust
Diverse musical treasures from the NLI collections
Listen to the full recording of the ceremony described in the video
Fifth candle
Join Emmanuel Fulop, R&D Manager and Architect, for a look at a rare French Jewish text that mentions latkes before potatoes had even made their way to Europe!
Discover more:
Latkes, Hanukkah Donuts and the Head of Holofernes
How the Anti-Semitic Dreyfus Affair Led to the Creation of the Tour de France
Also check out our world-leading collection of digitized, fully searchable historic Jewish press, including dozens of titles in French.
Sixth candle
Join Chaya Meier-Herr, head of the Edelstein Collection, for a look at a 1914 Hanukkah publication for German Jewish soldiers:
Seventh candle
Join Alexander Gordin, coordinator of the Special Collections Reading Room, for a look at a rare Hanukkah text from the Bukharian Jewish community:
Eighth candle
Join Daniel Lipson, expert reference librarian, for a look at rare Hanukkah posters printed in India:
Discover more:
Items relating to Kolkata in the National Library’s Digital Collection
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These films are part of “A Look at the Jewish Year,” a series presented by the National Library of Israel, which provides insights into the Jewish calendar and holidays through the lens of the National Library’s world-leading collection of Jewish manuscripts, books, printed materials and more.
They have been produced as part of Gesher L’Europa, the National Library of Israel’s initiative to connect with people, institutions and communities across Europe and beyond, through storytelling, knowledge sharing and community engagement.
