The National Library of Israel (NLI) is thrilled to announce that its flagship publication, 101 Treasures from the National Library of Israel, has won the Jewish Book Council’s 74th National Jewish Book Awards in the Visual Arts category.
101 Treasures from The National Library of Israel is a fascinating and inspirational volume that provides a thematic journey through the Library’s rich and diverse collections. Selected by the Library’s curators and collections experts, this fine-art volume presents 101 of the most precious items in the Library’s collections, from 5th century Babylonia to modern day Tel Aviv, and shares illuminating stories and anecdotes about these significant works and the people behind them.
The book showcases items in different formats and genres: manuscripts, books, periodicals, archives, maps, posters, photographs, music, and digital acquisitions. Highlights include a copy of Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah with margin notes in the Rambam’s own handwriting; a 10th century Hebrew Bible codex known as the “Damascus Crowns”; theological ruminations of Isaac Newton; love poetry by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent; 10-13th century documents from the Afghan Geniza; the Offenbach archives of retrieved books looted by the Nazis; Hannah Szenes’ last poem; rare materials documenting Israeli history; and many more select items housed at the National Library of Israel in Jerusalem.
“On behalf of our authors, I want to thank the Jewish Book Council for recognition of what was, for all of us, a labor of love,” Dr. Raquel Ukeles, Head of Collections at the National Library of Israel, said. “Our decision to present these pieces thematically, not chronologically, was deeply intentional. We strove to convey the fascinating stories that these items carry. Understood in context, we see that there has always been a thriving dialogue with the cultures around us. We wanted to signal that conversation and show that this movement, this interchange, is ongoing and dynamic.”
Book designer David Haliva said, “Working on this book was a unique opportunity to showcase, in a contemporary way, an institution that embodies Jewish and Israeli history and culture. The medium of print itself is not modern, certainly, but this award is living proof that visual media still holds the power to breathe life into these narratives, for which I’m very gratified.”
“We are delighted by this recognition from the Jewish Book Council for what marks the dawning of a new era for the Library, as this book was released in tandem with the opening of our new building,” said Oren Weinberg, CEO of the National Library of Israel. “This book is both a keepsake for visitors and — for those who have not yet had the opportunity — 101 reasons to come to the Library, out of many more.”
The first edition of 101 Treasures from the National Library of Israel has sold out on Amazon and is available for purchase, in both English and Hebrew versions, from the Library book shop, in-person or online: https://shop.as-promised.com/en. A second edition will be issued shortly.
