The Organization
The Bible Society in Israel serves local churches of all denominations to supply their scriptural needs. It is our mandate to translate, publish, and distribute the Bible throughout the Land in both Hebrew and Arabic, reaching out to Israelis, Arabs, new immigrants, foreign workers, and visitors. BSI is part of a worldwide organization of 140 Bible societies operating in about 200 countries, making the United Bible Societies the largest publisher of Bibles.
Historical Perspective
The Bible Society is a living testimony of God's faithfulness to preserve and provide His Word in the Holy Land. The first representative was sent to Israel in 1816 and five years later Joseph Wolff, a Jewish believer, came with 20 camels loaded with Bibles. BSI has served in several locations, but in 1979, the main office was established on Jaffa Road across from the Municipality plaza near the Old City walls. The first complete Hebrew Bible was published in 1959 and, in 1976, the New Testament was translated and published in modern Hebrew. In 1993, the Bible Society received the Israeli government's highest literary award for its complete Bible.
Present Situation & Future Vision
Today there are three Bible bookstores operating in separate cities — Jerusalem, Tel Aviv (the only Bible bookstore in the Gush Dan region) and Galilee. The Bible Society is dedicated to disseminating the Word of God to all people groups in their languages at an affordable price.