Jewish texts saved from destruction at New Zealand’s National Library
Following concerns raised over reports that the National Library of New Zealand planned to destroy a large number of books, including religious texts, the Jewish community is welcoming a positive resolution.
Earlier this month, widespread media reports sparked alarm about the planned disposal of tens of thousands of books as part of the Library’s ongoing collection review process. Among the affected volumes were several Jewish religious and historical texts.
Representatives from the New Zealand Jewish Council (NZJC), including Steven de Jong from Auckland Hebrew Congregation and a NZJC spokesperson, held a series of meetings with senior Library staff to clarify the situation and advocate for the preservation of culturally significant material.
The Library has “managed to locate the Jewish texts and will be keeping them in their collection,” said the NZJC representative. “There were some misunderstandings in the media coverage, but the Library’s engagement with us has been thorough, respectful, and reassuring.”
The National Library has also committed to working with other faith communities to ensure that any religiously significant materials identified in the deaccessioning process are treated appropriately.
“This was an extremely constructive and collaborative outcome,” the NZJC representative added. “Our thanks go to everyone who contributed to this result.”
The NZJC encourages any concerned community members to reach out directly for further clarification, noting that much of the concern stemmed from initial misinterpretations.
Get J-WIRE on WhatsApp
