Wise men consider that cognition of the world starts from the book shelf.  At all times the Jews were the people of a Book. 

Our library invites readers from 5 up to 120 years old and brings them to exciting and manifold world of Jewish Tradition.  Our stock counts over  3000 books on Judaism, Jewish history, culture, memoirs by well-known Jewish figures, belles-lettres, children’s literature, periodicals in Russian, Ukrainian, Polish, English, Hebrew and Yiddish. The library offers a wide choice of exhibitions, presentations of new books and educational program:  “Smalim: History of Jewish symbols”, “Jewish world in figures and facts“, “Literary parties”, ”Israel today” and many others.

The program “Talking book” takes under its wing blind and people with poor eyesight. Its stock counts 300 literary and 100 musicals records. Here you can also loan necessary audio equipment. The library takes an active part in yearly book, theatrical and applied arts festivals and in numerous Hesed’s events.  It successfully cooperates with Club, Day Center and children’s programs, assists with informational support warm homes and branches of Hesed in Drohobych and Ivano-Frankivsk. The Jewish cultural heritage is always waiting for you in your “soul pharmacy”.

Communal Festival of Jewish book has become permanent and important event for Jewish communities. Initiated by “Joint” it is directed to Jewish revival and strengthening of interest to Jewish culture and books, glorifying of Jewish heritage and its uniqueness.
 
The peculiarity of this Festival implies in its influence not only on Jewish community but also on the outer world. In other words it carries to the society  information about the values of Jewish culture, what contributes to the mutual penetration of cultures, to mutual understanding and prevention of contradictions.

Festival program includes exhibitions, lectures, discussions, poetic readings, concerts and programs for children.  The exhibitions present items of Judaism, rare books, Jewish art, antiquary and even Jewish cartoons and movies.

Festival events are widely covered in mass media.

There are many various ways of involvement into Jewish tradition. Some people deeply learn Jewish classical sources, others consider it is enough to celebrate Jewish holidays, another are fond of Jewish songs or are keen on Jewish cuisine.  But our library has introduced a very interesting way to get acquainted with Jewish tradition through symbolism. We live in the environment of symbols including Jewish ones but sometimes even do not have any idea what could they mean.  There are so many Jewish symbols around us. That is why we prepare a big cycle “Smalim” (“Symbols”) which will consist of 10 literary-musical programs.

The first program “ Symbolism of light in Judaism” took place in June 2006. Library readers, clients of Club, Day Centre and Family Club enjoyed it very much. They learnt a lot about polysemantic meaning of “light” in Jewish tradition, could hear poems and songs about Saturday and Hanukah candles, menorah.

We sincerely believe that our project will be very interesting and useful not only for the Jews of our city but also beyond its bounds.

Olga Fadeyeva   (Library manager)