Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem

The museum, as a universal and pluralistic institution, presents the history of human civilization from a biblical perspective through the lens of the ancient Near East as it intersects with the Bible and the cultures of the region. Based on our extensive past conversations, here is a synthesis of the purpose, mission, and goals of the Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem Amuta: --- ## The Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem — Amuta Overview ### Origins & Legal Structure The BLMJ is registered as an **Amuta** (עמותה) — an Israeli nonprofit association governed by the Amutot Law (1980). It was founded in **1992** when Dr. Elie Borowski, a Holocaust survivor and passionate collector, donated his private collection to establish a cultural and educational institution for the public good. The collection comprises over **12,000 artifacts** from ancient Near Eastern civilizations. --- ### Core Purpose The Amuta exists to steward and activate one of the world's most significant archaeological collections of ancient Near Eastern cultures — Babylon, Egypt, Assyria, Greece, and beyond — in the service of **public education, cultural dialogue, and human understanding**. As Dr. Borowski believed: *"The future of humanity draws from the roots of the past — only by understanding our history can we build a better future."* --- ### Mission The museum, as a **universal and pluralistic institution**, presents the history of human civilization from a biblical perspective — meaning through the lens of the ancient Near East as it intersects with the Bible and the cultures of the region. It is the **only institution** offering the comprehensive context needed to understand the reality in which we live in the Middle East. Its mission is to create a **living connection between past and present**, enabling a deep understanding of identity: *who we are, where we came from, and where we are going.* ### Goals **Educational & Cultural** - Present the ancient Near Eastern world and its direct relevance to contemporary life in the Middle East - Give voice to artifacts whose original meanings are easily lost in display — to reconstruct narratives, beliefs, and knowledge systems from material culture - Serve as a **hub of knowledge, dialogue, and contemplation** across cultures and centuries **Community & Social** - Operate as a **meeting place** — for artifacts and art, for communities and questions, for ancient heritage and modern identity - Engage diverse audiences: Jewish, Arab, Christian, secular, religious, local, and international - Foster **cross-cultural understanding** in one of the world's most contested cities **Institutional** - Maintain a collection of international significance in accordance with museum best practices (conservation, registration, research, publication) - Achieve and sustain **nihul takin** (ניהול תקין) — proper management certification from the Registrar of Amutot - Build a sustainable financial base through earned revenue, government support, and philanthropy - Grow the museum's impact through partnerships, exhibitions, and programming — including in times of national crisis **Crisis Response (as evolved under your leadership)** - The museum has explicitly expanded its social mission to include **trauma-informed programming** and cultural resilience work, particularly since October 7, positioning itself as an institution that responds to the human needs of its moment, not just its collection. --- The through-line of the Amuta's entire purpose is that ancient objects are not relics — they are **living voices** that, properly interpreted, answer the most urgent human questions of the present.