The library of the Jewish Community of Berlin was founded in 1898. It opened its doors in 1902 in the community’s administration building on Oranienburger Strasse and quickly became a highly popular scientific resource, open to Jewish community members and the general public. By the time the National Socialist regime dissolved the Jewish community and forced its library to close, the institution had nine branches with more than 100,000 volumes, nearly all of which were lost in the war.

1959 saw the start of reconstruction of the library in the new Jewish community centre on Fasanenstrasse. Publications on Judaism, history and culture were acquired. In 1987, the rapidly expanding library opened an attractive, user-friendly browsing room. Another library was also established in the eastern sector of the city, on Oranienburger Strasse, in 1974. In 1989, following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of the Jewish community, the two libraries were combined in Fasanenstrasse. As in pre-war days, the library’s purpose is to maintain, promote research into and preserve the Jewish legacy and culture. It is open to the public.

Today, the library has about 80,000 volumes – including: books, magazines, audio-visual media, microfilms and microfiche. The public has access to books on religion, scientific research, light fiction, technical literature, books for children and young adults, literary works, as well as music, lyrics and films. Material can be found in German, English, Russian, Hebrew and Yiddish.

The library’s focal point is Judaism. Media is available covering the following themes:

• Jewish religion
  • Hebrew Bible and Bible studies
  • Classical Judaica, halacha, Midrash
  • Jewish thought and philosophy
  • Religion
• Jewish history
  • General history
  • History organised by regions and countries
  • Biographies
  • Anti-Semitism and persecution
  • History of the Shoah and its outcome
  • Zionism and the State of Israel
• Culture
  • Literature
  • Theatre
  • Visual arts
  • Music
  • Languages
  • Sport
  • Jewish contributions in the field of the humanities, social and natural sciences

In its collection of pre-war German-language Jewish literature, the library holds literary works, non-fiction books, newspapers, magazines and other treasures that escaped destruction by the National Socialist regime.
 

The library has a Russian-language department whose collection encompasses approximately 5,000 volumes divided into the same categories as listed above.