THE LIBRARY'S COLLECTIONS

At present, the Library houses  over 3 million books including incunabula, manuscripts, periodicals, personal archives, music, maps, photographs and audio recordings. These are divided into four main collections: Judiaca, Israel, Islam and Humanities

  • JUDAICA

    The Judaica collection is among the most important in the world. It contains a wealth of material on Judaism, Jews, and Jewish culture, as expressed in writing, music and art.  

    Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, 1300-1350, 'Ahava' (Love), detail, NLI
    Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, 1300-1350, 'Ahava' (Love), detail, NLI
    A Jewish marriage contract (Kettubah) from Trieste, Italy (1699 CE), NLI
    A Jewish marriage contract (Kettubah) from Trieste, Italy (1699 CE), NLI
    Festival prayer book of the Worms community in Germany (13th century) was in use until 1938, NLI
    Festival prayer book of the Worms community in Germany (13th century) was in use until 1938, NLI
    A Jewish marriage contract (Kettubah) from Segura, near Zaragoza (1480 CE), NLI
    A Jewish marriage contract (Kettubah) from Segura, near Zaragoza (1480 CE), NLI
  • ISRAEL

    The Israel Collection serves as the repository for the 'National memory' of the State and the Land of Israel. It contains all private and governmental material published in Israel, as well as ephemera, internet material, photographs, and the personal archives of prominent artists and cultural figures.

    Celebrating the UN´s decision to establish a Jewish State in Palestine, Tel Aviv, 30.11.1947, NLI
    Celebrating the UN´s decision to establish a Jewish State in Palestine, Tel Aviv, 30.11.1947, NLI
    Poster issued by the Jewish National Fund encouraging agricultural education, NLI
    Poster issued by the Jewish National Fund encouraging agricultural education, NLI
  • ISLAM AND MIDDLE EAST

    The Islam and the Middle East collection deals extensively with the Middle East - past and present- and Islamic culture and history. The collection contains material relating to the classical languages of the Islamic world-Arabic, Persian and Turkish- and the literature written in these languages over the generations. The collection includes books, journals, archival material, and a rich collection of 2,500 Arabic, Persian and Turkish manuscripts.

    Manasik al-Khajj, rituals of the Khajj (18th century), NLI
    Manasik al-Khajj, rituals of the Khajj (18th century), NLI
    Dala'il al-Khayrat, an illuminated Islamic prayer book, Yahuda collection (18th century), NLI
    Dala'il al-Khayrat, an illuminated Islamic prayer book, Yahuda collection (18th century), NLI
  • HUMANITIES

    The Humanities collection specializes in fields that have interacted historically with Jewish and Israeli culture, such as the Ancient Near East, the Mediterranean Basin and Western culture. The collection also provides research material to complement the other core collections. Highlights include ancient and medieval Christian manuscripts and the theological writings of Sir Isaac Newton.

    The Kiss of Judas, Book of Hours, Manuscript, 15th century, Bruges, NLI
    The Kiss of Judas, Book of Hours, Manuscript, 15th century, Bruges, NLI
    Paradise, opening page of an illuminated Armenian manuscript of the History of the World, 1693, NLI
    Paradise, opening page of an illuminated Armenian manuscript of the History of the World, 1693, NLI
    Map of Asia according to Ptolemy's Cosmographia (2ed cent.), printed in Ulm 1486, with hand-drawn illustrations. Laor Collection, NLI
    Map of Asia according to Ptolemy's Cosmographia (2ed cent.), printed in Ulm 1486, with hand-drawn illustrations. Laor Collection, NLI