"Published to celebrate the autumn 2023 opening of the new NLI building in Jerusalem, designed by world-renowned architects Herzog & de Meuron, the book is full of fascinating insights and manuscripts. It is akin to a greatest-hits collection from the Jewish world over the past 1,500 years." — Jewish Link

This fascinating and inspirational new volume provides a thematic journey through the rich and diverse collections of the National Library of Israel and the Jewish people worldwide. 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 intriguing people behind them. Highlights include Maimonides’ autograph copy of his Commentary on the MishnaDamascus Crowns including a vitally important 10th century Hebrew Bible codex; theological ruminations of Isaac Newton; love poetry by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent; manuscripts from leading Jewish and Israeli writers, such as Martin Buber, Stefan Zweig, Franz Kafka, Naomi Shemer, and Shai Agnon; and rare materials documenting Israeli history. High-quality photographs illustrate the stories, and the introduction sets these collections within their cultural and historical context.