The Center for Jewish Art at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem was established in 1979 by the late Prof. Bezalel Narkiss, an Israel Prize Laureate, to preserve for perpetuity the precious Jewish visual heritage through documentation, research and education. Each year, the Center sends expeditions throughout the world to document the visual culture of Jewish communities and has documented synagogues, cemeteries, ritual objects and Hebrew illuminated manuscripts in 41 countries. Priority has been given to the many Jewish communities whose rich Jewish heritage is endangered due to neglect and lack of awareness. Thanks to the Center's documentation and research, these national treasures of the Jewish people are virtually preserved for generations to come. The documentation and research are accessible in the Bezalel Narkiss Index of Jewish Art at http://cja.huji.ac.il
