He was an engineer and physicist who struggled with chronic physical pain, when he developed a unique theory of movement which attracted masses of practitioners and trainers around the world. One of these was Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, who succeeded in doing a headstand for the first time in his life, at the age of 70. This is the story of Moshe Feldenkrais.
Hollywood in the Holy Land: The Story of the First (and Last) “Matzah Western”
The Israeli film industry has known its share of successes despite a whole range of challenges. But the dream of setting up an international film studio producing Hollywood-level movies in the Holy Land never really got off the ground. This is the story of the plan to transform the resort city of Eilat into Israel’s filmmaking capital and its connection to Gregory Peck and the first “Matzah Western.”
A Journey to Israeli Socialism
The story of German-Mexican anarchist Augustín Souchy’s experiences in Israel in the early 1950s: an outsider’s journey through kibbutzim, moshavim and the working-class city of Holon
The Man Who’s Been Documenting the People of Ofakim Since October 7
Nadav Mishali founded the cinematheque in the southern Israeli city of Ofakim. His personal story is bound up with that of the city itself and its brave and exceptional residents. Mishali has now taken on an even bigger mission – to document the stories of hardship and heroism that took place in Ofakim on Saturday, October 7, 2023
Every Hostage Has a Story: A New Exhibit at the National Library of Israel
We at the NLI felt we needed to help people around the world realize that the hostages held in Gaza are human beings, not just numbers and faces on a poster. We wanted to illustrate how there is an entire life behind each of these faces, each of these men, women and children. To do this, we decided to make use of the books that fill our library…
The Be’eri Printing Press: Israel’s Print Shop
For over seventy years, Be’eri Printers – Kibbutz Be’eri’s famous printing press – has touched the lives of all of us in Israel. On October 7, many dozens of Be’eri’s sons and daughters were murdered. Despite this disaster, the printing press was back in operation less than ten days later. This is the story of a pioneering project that has risen from the ashes, like a phoenix.
When the People of Ofakim Opened Their Hearts to Vietnamese Refugees
How of a group of refugees stranded off the shores of Vietnam somehow ended up in a small town in southern Israel…
Who Was the Soldier Who Pleaded for His Life in David Grossman’s Classic Book?
A signed copy of David Grossman’s book, “To the End of the Land”, reveals the link between the author’s pain over the death of his son and a tragic event that happened fifty years ago. This is the story of how Grossman made use of rare recordings from the Yom Kippur War in an attempt to ease the burden of a harsh reality
Curate and Create: The Poster Competition That United Kids Worldwide With Israel
As Israel turned 75 years old, the National Library of Israel wanted to celebrate with a new and exciting project. Thus, Curate & Create was born, a poster competition for children from all over the world, complete with educational resources and primary sources. With over 600 participants, read about how this NLI project came to be so successful!
The Ugly Duckling Is Set Free
The story of how a fighter in the Palmach, a Jewish underground organization from the pre-state era, managed to translate a popular children’s classic while incarcerated in Jerusalem’s central prison…
