Exhibitions at the National Library of Israel

Permanent Exhibition – “A Treasury of Words"

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.

Discover the exhibiton
Photo: Ofrit Assaf-Arye

Photo: Ofrit Assaf-Arye

Encounters of Beauty

Encounters of Beauty: Hebrew Manuscripts from the Braginsky Collection and the National Library of Israel

The exhibition is a rare encounter between two collections of the most beautiful, colorful and elegant manuscripts of the Jewish people, both highly important but different in nature and scope: the private collection of Rene Braginsky of Switzerland, and the publicly available collections of NLI, the National Library of the State of Israel and the Jewish people.

"Encounters of Beauty" creates a dialogue between the two collections that is a tribute to Hebrew script and the written word. The exhibition displays manuscripts, painted inscriptions, illustrated Esther Scrolls, illuminated Passover Haggadot, and other outstandingly beautiful masterpieces.

Among the rare items exhibited: a miniature illustrated Hebrew Bible from Spain from the year 1300, a magnificently illuminated 14th century "Mishneh Torah" manuscript, rare Passover haggadahs, and more

Curators: Emile Schrijver, Yigal Zalmona, Netta Assaf

Discover more
Ms. heb. 4295-003

Ms. heb. 4295-003

Works of art in the National Library

Throughout the National Library, unique artworks by talented artists are scattered. 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.

In the picture: Broken Time | Michal Rovner. Floor -2

Discover more
Photo: Gil Bozaglo, Wikipedia

Photo: Gil Bozaglo, Wikipedia