About Otzarot

"Discover what is seemingly hidden and revive what has seemingly been revealed."

Zalman Shazar

The history of Israel and the Jewish people belongs to us all. It is the story of people who dreamed, acted, founded, and fought, but also loved, raised children, and cooked soup. These people wrote to people who loved them, sharing bits of life and thoughts. Through their letters we get a glimpse of the past, touch it, and bring history to life – from the big stories to everyday living.

Otzarot, an initiative of the Zalman Shazar Center, collects the letters and makes them accessible to all. Letters written over the past century by Jews and Israelis, worldwide and in Israel. Letters kept by many families, possibly including your own… These letters provide a basis for study and research, as well as educational and social projects designed to establish personal, family, and communal connections with the story that belongs to us all.

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Vision & Values

Boosting the bond with Jewish

The Zalman Shazar Center, which initiated the Otzarot project, is a government corporation spreading knowledge about Jewish history and promoting historical awareness in Israeli and Jewish society.

Following the legacy of the third President of Israel Zalman Shazar, the Center strives to bolster the bond with Jewish history and connect the Jewish people to their past.
Experience the past through letters

Every letter contains a treasure. The personal letters in your possession reflect life as it was long ago. Some tell exceptional stories not to be found in textbooks or research.

We believe that every letter has value, even if it seems simple or insignificant. Every letter gives another angle, connects us to another person, enables us to experience a morsel of what happened here long ago.
Share personal and family memories

Upload your letters! If you have old letters, share them here to preserve personal and family memories. By sharing letters we remember people who were important to us.

Sharing also enables study and research, as well as a special connection with our personal past and the history of our family and community.

Partners

לדילוג על הפוטר הקש אנטר

In the treasures you will find letters that tell the story of the Jewish people and the State of Israel in the last hundred years. Read, learn, be excited.