Language:
שפה נוכחית
In our innovative exhibition hall, filled with a sense of mystery and under gentle lights necessary to preserve ancient ink, some of our most precious and important artifacts are displayed to the visiting public.
In the “A Treasury of Words” exhibition, you are invited to embark on a journey through time, and through words.
You will see age-old holy scriptures up close. You will draw inspiration from the handwriting of Nobel laureate S.Y. Agnon, Israeli songwriter Naomi Shemer, and other well-known cultural icons. You will discover what magical words were once inscribed on mysterious incantation bowls, and gain a deeper understanding of how words shaped our history and culture here, in this place.
In this exhibition, you will see with your own eyes the original writings that shaped our reality. Hear the stories behind them and understand why they are so important to us.
This exhibition will leave you with a sense of discovery and inspiration that will stay with you long after you have left the building.
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An exhibition marking 100 years since the death of Franz Kafka – among the most influential authors of the 20th century. The exhibition will present for the first time 80 original rare items. These items will help tell Kafka's comprehensive life story – focusing on his personality, his family, his social circle, his body of work and his special relationship with Judaism, Zionism and the Hebrew language. The exhibition will also relate the fascinating story of Kafka's literary estate, the publishing of his works by his friend Max Brod, as well as Kafka's influence on the world of literature and culture.
Image: Ron Fahima, from "The Sea of Mice", 2024
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Seen from above, the National Library building resembles a deep well of knowledge.
Every day new materials enter our collections, adding up each year to tens of thousands of printed volumes, hundreds of thousands of archival documents and photographs, and terabytes of digital materials. Some materials are purchased, some are received by legal deposit, and many others arrive through the generosity of donors and partners from Israel and around the world.
Every item tells a unique story; cumulatively, they enrich our understanding of ourselves, our region, and humanity as a whole. The NLI's five main collections – Judaica, Israel, Islam and Middle East, General Humanities, and Music – reflect these intersecting circles of inquiry.
This exhibition invites you to peer into the depths of the well and view a selection of recent acquisitions and donations.
Entry to the exhibition is granted as part of a guided tour of the National Library. You can purchase tickets here.
Please note - the exhibition is located in the heart of our reading halls, therefore visitors are kindly requested to maintain silence
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A number of unique artworks by talented artists are scattered throughout the Library building. Some of these pieces were created specifically for the new National Library, while others were donated or loaned to the library to adorn and enhance the national book house. All the artworks in the National Library resonate with the essence of the Library, as a sanctuary that venerates Hebrew writing and letters, and as a place that preserves Jewish and Israeli history and culture through the ages.
Photograph: Broken Time | Michal Rovner. Level -2
Find more artworks here