PKI Expands LGBTQ & Feminist Library in Jerusalem

On January 4, Project Kesher Israel hosted an event celebrating the addition of 50 new Ukrainian- and Russian-language books on gender, feminism, and LGBTQ+ rights to the library at the Open House of Jerusalem.

This initiative is both cultural and political. In today’s Russia, queer literature is criminalized and destroyed; in Ukraine, war places cultural heritage at constant risk. Against this reality, the contribution of Jerusalem library stands as a clear declaration that identity, language, and culture cannot be erased.

The project holds particular significance for LGBTQ+ immigrants, for whom migration often entails the loss of language and personal narrative. Preserving literature in one’s mother tongue supports an integrative identity—allowing people to carry their past into a new life. At the same time, the library serves as a bridge to Israeli society, offering an inclusive, humanistic vision of belonging.

The launch featured a panel with poets, civic activists, and PKI leaders, who reflected on censorship, displaced literature, and the power of books to preserve memory and identity across generations. This new library reflects PKI’s commitment to safeguarding voices, stories, and culture—especially in times of repression, war, and migration.