“These are treasures that Israel doesn't allow anyone to check out of its national library. Kafka's Hebrew vocabulary notebook. The first written evidence of the Yiddish language. And the Crowns of Damascus, Bibles smuggled out of Syria 20 years ago in a Mossad spy operation so classified that their very existence in Israel was kept secret for years. Many nations maintain official libraries of their countries' most prized historical manuscripts. Israel's is unique: It seeks manuscripts from every country in the world where Jews have ever lived.

Now the National Library of Israel is dusting the cobwebs off some of the most prized jewels of its collection as it seeks to draw attention to a new effort to preserve – and publicize – these treasures. It's pioneering a worldwide initiative to digitize every Hebrew manuscript in existence. It's building a new home next to the Israeli parliament. On Sunday, it sent a prized manuscript handwritten by medieval Jewish philosopher Maimonides to France accompanied by bodyguards for a first-ever display at the Louvre Museum.

Later this month, the library is convening what it calls a Global Forum of luminaries – philanthropist Lord Rothschild, former U.S. diplomat Elliott Abrams, Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman and others – to raise the profile of the collection. This week, the library in Jerusalem opened its vaults and gave The Associated Press a rare glimpse at its most prized treasures. Some had not been made public in years. Others have never had public viewings”. – Daniel Estrin via The Associated Press

In this photo taken Sunday, October 5, 2014, a library official shows a 13th-century German prayer book containing the earliest evidence of the Yiddish language, at Israel's National Library in Jerusalem. This week, Israel's National Library gave The Associated Press a rare peek at a selection of rare historical manuscripts in its collection. (Photo by Sebastian Scheiner/AP Photo)

In this photo taken Sunday, October 5, 2014, a conservation expert repairs a manuscript at Israel's National Library in Jerusalem. (Photo by Sebastian Scheiner/AP Photo)

In this photo taken Sunday, October 5, 2014, a library official shows celebrated author Franz Kafka's Hebrew vocabulary notebook at Israel's National Library in Jerusalem. (Photo by Sebastian Scheiner/AP Photo)

In this photo taken Sunday, October 5, 2014, a library official shows celebrated author Franz Kafka's Hebrew vocabulary notebook at Israel's National Library in Jerusalem. (Photo by Sebastian Scheiner/AP Photo)

In this photo taken Sunday, October 5, 2014, a library official shows Israeli Nobel laureate S.Y. Agnon's masterpiece “Shira” at Israel's National Library in Jerusalem. (Photo by Sebastian Scheiner/AP Photo)

In this photo taken Sunday, October 5, 2014, a library official shows scraps from Israeli Nobel laureate S.Y. Agnon's masterpiece “Shira” at Israel's National Library in Jerusalem. (Photo by Sebastian Scheiner/AP Photo)

In this photo taken Sunday, October 5, 2014, a library official shows Newton's theological writings at Israel's National Library in Jerusalem. (Photo by Sebastian Scheiner/AP Photo)

In this photo taken Sunday, October 5, 2014, a library official shows Newton's theological writings at Israel's National Library in Jerusalem. (Photo by Sebastian Scheiner/AP Photo)

In this photo taken Sunday, October 5, 2014, a library official shows a 13th-century German prayer book containing the earliest evidence of the Yiddish language, at Israel's National Library in Jerusalem. (Photo by Sebastian Scheiner/AP Photo)

In this photo taken Sunday, October 5, 2014, a library official shows a 13th-century German prayer book containing the earliest evidence of the Yiddish language, at Israel's National Library in Jerusalem. (Photo by Sebastian Scheiner/AP Photo)

In this photo taken Sunday, October 5, 2014, a library official shows a 13th-century German prayer book containing the earliest evidence of the Yiddish language, at Israel's National Library in Jerusalem. (Photo by Sebastian Scheiner/AP Photo)

In this photo taken Sunday, October 5, 2014, a library official shows a Jewish manuscript smuggled into Israel from Damascus in a Mossad spy operation in the early 1990s, in Jerusalem. (Photo by Sebastian Scheiner/AP Photo)

In this photo taken Sunday, October 5, 2014, a library official shows a Jewish manuscript smuggled into Israel from Damascus in a Mossad spy operation in the early 1990s in Jerusalem. (Photo by Sebastian Scheiner/AP Photo)

This photo taken Sunday, October 5, 2014 shows a Jewish manuscript smuggled into Israel from Damascus in a Mossad spy operation in the early 1990s, in Jerusalem. (Photo by Sebastian Scheiner/AP Photo)