A library holding Isaac Newton's theological secrets and the history of Jewish heritage.

Cultures · Published 30 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The National Library of Israel is more than a repository for over five million books. It is a complex cultural vault housing everything from rare medieval manuscripts to the controversial archives of Max Brod and thousands of volumes labeled as abandoned property from the 1948 conflict.

The origins of the National Library of Israel trace back to the vision of Joseph Chazanovitz, a Russian subject who sought to create a home for all Jewish-authored works. His initial collection of 15,000 volumes formed the core of what would evolve from the B'nai Brith library, founded in Jerusalem in 1892, into a major institutional force. By 1925, this collection became the library for the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, eventually moving to a dedicated building in Givat Ram in 1960.

The library's legal status shifted significantly in 2007 with the passage of the National Library Law, which established it as an independent entity jointly owned by the Israeli government, the Hebrew University, and other organizations. Today, it serves as the primary repository for Israeli publications, requiring by law that two copies of all printed matter—and since 2001, non-print media—be deposited within its walls. Its mission extends globally, aiming to collect all material concerning the Land of Israel, Judaism, and the Jewish people regardless of where or in what language it was published.

Beyond standard collections, the library holds remarkable treasures, including Isaac Newton’s theological manuscripts on mysticism and the end of days. It also manages sensitive historical materials, such as the 'AP'—or 'Abandoned Property'—collection, consisting of approximately 6,000 books taken from Palestinian homes in 1948. The institution’s trajectory reflects the region's turbulent history, from the 1948 displacement of its university collection to the 2023 opening of its new Jerusalem home, which was delayed by the outbreak of the Gaza war. Today, it continues to digitize thousands of rare manuscripts to ensure global access to its diverse and often contested cultural holdings.

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