National Library of Israel

Tomorrow marks 105 years since Hannah Senesh was born. She was a Hungarian Jew who parachuted behind enemy lines to help save Jews during the Holocaust, was captured, and was murdered at 23. But before all of that, she was a young woman writing in her diary. She wrote about where she wanted to live, what she was feeling, and poured poetry between the lines. I came to the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem to see her diary in person. This is the place keeping her words, and millions of others, alive for all of us. In total, they have 4.5 million books including mine. Jewish tradition is obsessed with learning, with reading, with words. These books are what kept us together. What kept us alive. 🇮🇱

A reminder that during exam season, the National Library is of Israel is open for extended hours, with additional study spaces available to Research Card holders! nlisrael.org/4aVPLqV Video credit: Tomer Hadad, National Library of Israel

A beautiful and uplifting evening with Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, one of the great Jewish leaders of our time, at the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem.

The smiling man in this picture is Michel Bacos, captain of Air France Flight 139 from Tel Aviv to Paris which was hijacked by Palestinian terrorists and diverted to Entebbe, Uganda in July of 1976. This photo was taken in Israel following the successful ‘Operation Entebbe’ rescue mission by the IDF, led by Yonatan Netanyahu. Imagine the immense relief that Michel and the other hostages must’ve felt upon arriving to safety in Israel. 🇮🇱 📷: Danny Gotfried, the Dan Hadani (IPPA) Collection, the Pritzker Family National Photography Collection at the National Library of Israel

A special moment this week as the Israel Ireland Friendship League & @NLIsrael presented the latest volume of Stuart Rosenblatt's Genealogical History of the Irish Jewish Communities. Ambassador McGuinness: "Fantastic to see our history preserved, celebrated and cared for"

Read more about this, here: nlisrael.org/4eQJVtb

@RabbiPoupko @billmaher Here's the English version😁: blog.nli.org.il/en/seinfeld/?u…

You are a Jewish athlete wanting to compete in the Maccabia games in Jerusalem and don't have the money to fly your delegation to compete? Easy. Ask Jerry Seinfeld, @billmaher, and Billy Crystal to put a comedy show together with proceeds supporting your trip! Circa 1985 via @NLIsrael Photo by Joe Seligman blog.nli.org.il/seinfeld/

Did you know the National Library of Israel holds one of the pens used by Harry Truman to recognize the Jewish State? As well as other historic artifacts from that momentous occasion? Who was the Jewish-American baseball player sent to assassinate a German nuclear scientist? How do you say, "Why don't you eat more?" in Yiddish? Check out this special project dedicated to Jewish-American history: nlisrael.org/4fgAsLK

As I look toward America's 250th Birthday, I reflect on the tremendous pride I feel as an American. One of many reasons I am proud to be American - America was the first country to recognize the State of #Israel, as evidenced by this piece of history currently on display at @NLIsrael.

The National Library of Israel had a strong presence at the Association for Jewish Libraries Conference in Chicago, June 22-24 ❤️ Sigal Arie Erez, Dr. Ahava Cohen, Dr. Chaim Meir Neria, and Abby Horowitz presented riveting updates about the Library's advancements this year, including its collection and digitization efforts in the aftermath of October 7th both inside of Israel and globally.

“Look at Jewish history. Unrelieved lamenting would be intolerable. So for every ten Jews beating their breasts, God designated one to be crazy and amuse the breast-beaters. By the time I was five I knew I was that one.” - Mel Brooks Wow! It's been 100 years of Mel Brooks! Read our article about this super-mensch❤️: nlisrael.org/4uZNlyq And Mazel Tov Mel - Stay crazy! @MelBrooks

Watch the complete event here: youtube.com/watch?v=7ohy51…

"Imagine a world without the United States. Imagine what kind of world we would have had without America's involvement in the two World Wars of the twentieth century. What kind of democracy would there be? What kind of liberty? Think about the State of Israel, about a million immigrants. Would that have happened without the United States' firm stance against the Communist bloc? And what kind of world would we have without America's enormous contributions to science, research, medicine, and technology?" These were the words of National Library of Israel Chairman Sallai Meridor at a special event held this week at the National Library, marking the 250th anniversary of American independence and honoring the extraordinary contributions of American Jewry across the generations. During the festive concert, "Sounds of Liberty," the Student Choir and Big Band Jazz Orchestra of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance performed works by two greatest Jewish-American composers: selections from George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess and Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story, alongside beloved gems from the American musical tradition. The concert was conducted by Yishai Steckler and Katia Toobool. We were honored by the presence of Mr. Isaac Herzog, President of the State of Israel, and Mr. David Brownstein, Chargé d'Affaires at @usembassyjlm. @IsraelPresident 📷 Photos: Dor Pazuelo See below to watch the complete event❤️

Read more about it here❤️: nlisrael.org/4epJq9e

Western Wall plaza in 1967, after the Six-Day War, likely during Shavuot, via the National Library of Israel.

On World Refugee Day, we remember this powerful moment in history: a young Jewish refugee from Europe arrives in Israel (c. 1948). Via: National Library of Israel

In 1969, he was crowned: Yacov, Queen of the Kitchen, First of His Name Read the full story here: nlisrael.org/4vCeaJL

#Chance | @NLIsrael Resnick Fellowships for senior academics and emerging scholars | 1–2 month residency in Jerusalem from Spring 2027 | Details: jewishstudies.de/de/nachrichten… #jtwitter #PostDocs Deadline: June 30, 2026

In 1768 The royal newlyweds Wilhelm V, Prince of Orange and Prussian Princess Wilhelmina, were invited by the local Jewish leaders to visit the Ashkenazic congregation in Amsterdam. A booklet of prayers and psalms in honor of the visit is found in the National Library of Israel.