Crossroads and Connections

In celebration of the 2023 opening of the National Library of Israel (NLI), Israel’s 75th birthday, and the publishing of 101 Treasures of the National Library of Israel, NLI USA has been working with the Library on creating a traveling exhibition of 18 featured treasures that represent the diversity of the Library’s holdings and the rich tapestry of Israel. Together, the 18 items in this exhibition–including high quality images of rare photographs, manuscripts, maps, archives, books, drawings, and music sheets–reflect Israel as a place of crossroads and connections throughout history.

The exhibition is now available! You can view the exhibition in the preview above or on the National Library of Israel’s site. You can request access to the downloadable exhibition files by contacting sarah@nliusa.org.

Though the exhibition is timed to be available for Israel’s 75th birthday, the theme remains relevant following Israel’s Independence Day, and the exhibit will be available throughout 2023 and beyond. It can complement your existing plans for Israel’s birthday, serve as the centerpiece of your celebration, or enrich your community later in the year.

The exhibition is designed for adults and young students alike. Synagogues, schools, JCCs, universities, organizations, and conferences in Washington, DC, New York, Idaho, Illinois, Massachusetts, Virginia, Pennsylvania and more, as well as in communities in Canada and Europe, are in conversations with us about hosting this exhibition. Educational resources will be available to teachers in conjunction with the exhibition. To learn more about available resources, please contact sarah@nliusa.org.

In addition to the high quality images, each image will be accompanied by a caption which tells the story of the treasure, such as its history, meaning, and how it came to be housed in the Library. Additional information, such as blog articles and resources for educators, is available on the National Library of Israel’s site. If you would like to schedule a webinar or host an NLI speaker in conjunction with the exhibition, please contact sarah@nliusa.org.

The exhibition is available in four different formats:

1. Digital Exhibition

This digital version of the exhibition can be viewed on or offline.

2. Poster Style Prints

This printing style allows for more flexibility within a space and could be mounted on the wall or on easels.

The prints include the image and caption on one panel, and each panel is uniform in size. Image files and printing instructions will be available to download for free. Organizations and venues must send these materials to a printer of their choice. Contact sarah@nliusa.org to receive the files.

3.  Museum-Style Prints (True-to-size)

This printing style mimics a museum exhibition with images and captions mounted separately.

The prints are available true to the size of each treasure. Some treasures, such as notes or letters, will appear quite small, while other images, such as manuscripts and maps, will appear larger.

Image files and printing instructions will be available to download for free. Organizations and venues must send these materials to a printer of their choice. Contact sarah@nliusa.org to receive the files.

4. Uniform Style Prints 

This printing style mimics a museum exhibition with images and captions mounted separately, and each image panel is uniform in size.

Image files and printing instructions will be available to download for free. Contact sarah@nliusa.org to receive the files. Organizations and venues must send these materials to a printer of their choice.

NLI is a resource for communities around the world and is committed to making its treasures as accessible as possible to the global community. NLI does not charge for access to the digital exhibition and printable files.

It is free, and was prepared in high resolution to allow for excellent printed images. Each institution bears its own costs of printing and mounting the exhibition. If you choose to download and print the exhibition files, the cost of printing and mounting will vary. We estimate the total cost of printing and mounting to range from $500 to $2,500 or more.

Although we will not be on site at your exhibition, we will provide instructions related to digital formats, printing, and mounting. We will also be available to answer questions as you make plans for the exhibit.