THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF ISRAEL
"Our collaboration will inform, encourage and enrich each other's work, and we hope that it will help nurture ever-growing Jewish literary excellence and creativity."
George Rohr
In 2022, the Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature (SRP) entered into an association with the National Library of Israel (NLI). SRP and NLI, together with NLI USA, share a vision of encouraging the growth of a vibrant international Jewish literary culture and community and are committed to working together towards this common goal.
Home to the largest collection of textual Judaica ever amassed and mandated to serve as the national library for both the State of Israel and the worldwide Jewish community, the National Library of Israel offers singular assets for the collection, preservation, and cultivation of the fruits of Jewish literary creativity. NLI's peerless collections, as well as staff experts and connections to the Israeli literary world, are harnessed to advance shared goals. The National Library of Israel and the Sami Rohr Prize work to develop joint programming and initiatives, including professional networking between fellows of the Sami Rohr Jewish Literary Institute and fellows of NLI’s writers-in-residence program, the Pardes literary incubator.
According to Shai Nitzan, Chief Content Officer of the National Library of Israel: "The passionate vision and activities of the Sami Rohr literary initiatives, paired with the unparalleled collections, mission, and setting of the National Library of Israel, present exceptional opportunities for the joint cultivation of a vibrant literary culture and community."
About the National Library of Israel
The National Library of Israel is the vibrant institution of collective memory for the Jewish people worldwide and Israelis of all backgrounds and faiths, a leading global center promoting creativity, scholarship, and the democratization of knowledge. Founded in 1892, NLI embarked upon an ambitious journey of renewal in the 21st century, opening access and encouraging meaningful engagement with the treasures of Jewish and Israeli culture as never before. The Library’s renewal has centered on a range of innovative educational, cultural, and digital initiatives, culminating in the opening of our iconic new campus, adjacent to the Knesset in Jerusalem, at the end of October 2023. The horrors of October 7th prompted an immediate pivot in terms of plans and priorities, and NLI met the challenge. The Library has mobilized to help the people of Israel and the Jewish people through this painful period in our nation’s history. In the face of inhumanity, NLI reflects and radiates the humanity of our civilization, as we initiate projects in response to current needs and provide tools and support for processing individual and collective experiences.
© Herzog & de Meuron; Mann-Shinar Architects, Executive Architect
Unparalleled Treasures
The National Library of Israel has five core collections: Israel, Judaica, Islam and the Middle East, Music, and the Humanities. These collections tell the historical, cultural, and intellectual story of the Jewish people, the State of Israel, and the Land of Israel and its region throughout the ages. Highlights include significant handwritten works by luminaries such as Maimonides and Sir Isaac Newton; exquisite Islamic manuscripts dating back to the ninth century; stunning illuminated medieval Christian devotional texts; and personal archives of leading cultural and intellectual figures including Martin Buber, Hannah Senesh, Natan Sharansky, and Naomi Shemer. NLI holds the largest collections of Jewish and Israeli music and textual Judaica, as well as world-class collections of manuscripts, historic maps, rare books, photographs, communal and personal archival materials, and more.
The New International Landmark, a Beacon of Pride
The National Library of Israel’s new home, in Jerusalem's National District, is a striking, multi-functional architectural icon. Designed by Herzog & de Meuron, with Mann-Shinar serving as the Executive Architect, the building and its surrounding grounds reflect the central value of opening access to NLI’s treasures for broad and diverse audiences. Within its 45,000 square meters (480,000 sq. ft.) of space, our building provides areas for study, educational programming, exhibitions, cultural events, and more in a secure, sustainable, and state-of-the-art environment.
The lead founding partners in the building renewal project were the Government of Israel, the Rothschild Family through the auspices of Yad Hanadiv, and the David S. and Ruth L. Gottesman Family of New York.
In the shadow of war, the new Library building has taken on added significance as a haven and a source of pride and inspiration.
For more information
Visit National Library of Israel and National Library of Israel, USA.
Debra Goldberg, Director, Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature: debra@samirohrprize.org
Rachel Neiman, NLI International Media & PR: rachel.neiman@nli.org.il