Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street
First Floor
Room 111
New York, NY 10018
212-930-0601
Directions
Fully Accessible
Open today
10 AM–7:45 PM
Regular Hours
Dorot Jewish Division
Day Hours
Monday: 10 AM–5:45 PM
Tuesday: 10 AM–7:45 PM
Wednesday: 10 AM–7:45 PM
Thursday: 10 AM–5:45 PM
Friday: 10 AM–5:45 PM
Saturday: 10 AM–5:45 PM
Sunday: CLOSED

About the Division

Archival image of cooking guide partially written in Hebrew.

The Dorot Jewish Division administers, develops and promotes one of the world’s great collections of Hebraica and Judaica. The collection contains a comprehensive and balanced chronicle of the religious and secular history of the Jewish people in over a quarter of a million books, microforms, manuscripts, newspapers, periodicals, and ephemera from all over the world. Primary source materials are especially rich in the following areas: Jews in the United States, especially in New York in the age of immigration; Yiddish theater; Jews in the land of Israel; Jews in early modern Europe, especially Jewish-Gentile relations; Christian Hebraism; antisemitism; and world Jewish newspapers and periodicals of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

The Dorot Jewish Division welcomes research questions related to the field of Jewish studies, including Jewish history, culture, languages, literature, and the varied religious denominations within Judaism. Our specialized subject librarians provide excellent reference support and personalized guidance to empower your research journey and assist in developing effective research methods and information literacy for independent study and discovery of materials in the Library’s collections. Visiting for research? Email us in advance or schedule a consultation. Explore our online catalog, research guides and databases beforehand to make the most of your visit.

On View Now: The Rose Family Seder Books

Exhibition featuring two colorful, illustrated Seder books.

Through May 11, 2024

The Rose Family Seder Books are unique collections of Passover-themed artwork. This year's display features illustrations by Joseph Hirsch (1910–1981) and Will Barnet (1911–2012). Learn more and visit. 

Celebrating 125 Years of the Dorot Jewish Division

A historic scroll displaying an illuminated manuscript.

Explore more than 100 items from the collections in our online exhibition, including rare manuscripts; treasures of early book printing; materials describing the meeting of tradition and modernity in the 18th and 19th centuries; vital documents that bear witness to the tragedies of the 20th century and the resilience of Jewish communities; and items that offer insight into Jewish life in New York and the United States. Learn more. 

Request a Class Visit

Three researchers sit at a table filled with books in the Rose Main Reading Room.

Our staff welcomes students and instructors to explore the collections and resources at our landmark 42nd Street building. We work with educators to design class visits that use the Library's remarkable collections to foster creative inquiry, build critical thinking and information literacy skills, and inspire wonder and excitement around the process of research. Learn more. 

Visiting the Collection

Can researchers access the collection without an appointment?
Patrons are encouraged to book an appointment to access materials in the Dorot Jewish Division. Same-day appointments can be made in person pending availability.

Can I book an appointment to speak with a librarian about my research or on the best ways to get started?
Patrons are welcome to book a consultation with one of our librarians to discuss their research projects and to prepare for a visit to the Library. You do not need to have a consultation before your visit to the Dorot Jewish Division. 

What else do researchers need to know about accessing the collection?
Use the catalog to browse collections that may be useful to you in order to request them for your visit. Some collections are stored offsite and require 2–3 days for delivery.

Who can researchers contact with further questions?
Please email us at dorotjewish@nypl.org with any additional queries or fill out this form: Ask a Question

Learn more about this division