Project Ben-Yehuda (
https://benyehuda.org) is a volunteer-based free digital library expanding access to Hebrew literature for 20 years now. Project Ben-Yehuda aims to make freely
accessible a comprehensive library of Hebrew literature for Hebrew readers (from early piyyut to contemporary fiction),
preserve it and
expose it for new audiences.
Project Ben-Yehuda is the largest open and digitized Hebrew library in the world. We create digital editions of poetry and prose, essays, letters, memoirs, non-fiction and reference works, as well as translations into Hebrew of works from Homer to Virginia Woolf.
Hundreds of thousands of people are exposed to Project Ben-Yehuda every month, most of whom are Jewish people and Israelis living in Israel and all over the world, including teachers, students, amateurs and scholars. In 2019 we had the honor to receive the Presidential Award for Volunteering by Israel’s president, Mr. Reuven Rivlin.
We believe that literature connects people to their culture, to their roots, and across political and geographic boundaries.
Promoting Hebrew literature
In order to enrich the reading experience and to encourage the public to learn through the project, we develop the website constantly. For instance, we have just released a new feature, which enables educators to create anthologies from texts in Project Ben-Yehuda, combined with their own educational material.
In addition, we run awareness projects for the general public and especially for new audiences, in order to ensure that the Hebrew literature of past generations is not forgotten. It includes literary events, filming intellectuals reading works from Project Ben-Yehuda, and special ventures, such as a music composition contest.
Now in Project Ben-Yehuda:
23,000+ literary works
385 Hebrew writers
850 writers in total, including translated authors
1500+ volunteers during 20 years
How can you help?
We invite you to help us preserve Hebrew literature!
The pandemic crisis in 2020 is disrupting cultural activities and cultural institutes all over the world. Project Ben-Yehuda is not in existential danger, because it relies on the work of volunteers. But to continue developing the platform and promoting the content, we need your help.
Join us to create a deep connection to Hebrew culture among readers around the world, so Hebrew literature is preserved and not forgotten.
Which activities will your contribution fund?
- Technological development for the website. (All the software we make is released under a free license for others to use as well.)
- Awareness projects and events creating public engagement with the cultural treasures we host.
- Operation:
- Employing an executive director, our single employee, to ensure the continual growth of the project, coordinate among key volunteers, and create new partnerships.
- Cloud hosting and storage expenses.
Planned expenditures for 2021:
- Technological development : 137,500 USD \ 103,700 GBP \ 450,000 ILS
- Awareness projects and events : 3,050 USD \ 2,300 GBP \ 10,000 ILS
- Operation: Salary & cloud expenses: 76,400 USD \ 57,600 GBP \ 250,000 ILS
The Hebrew Literature Digitization Society is the non-profit organization supporting Project Ben-Yehuda, and it is now able to receive donations in the US and the UK.
Join as a volunteer:
You can join as a volunteer in the project. Help usually means typing and proofreading texts in Hebrew. If you are interested in joining as a volunteer, please connect with the project editors: editor@benyehuda.org.
