The core of the important and extensive collection of Hebraica and Judaica of the University of Amsterdam is the library of Leeser Rosenthal (1794-1868) from Hanover. In 1880 this library, which consisted of approximately 6,000 volumes, was donated by Leeser's children (Georg, Nanny and Mathilde) to the City of Amsterdam and housed in the  Municipal Library - afterwards University Library of Amsterdam. Since then the Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana has been enhanced considerably through donations and by pursuing a specific policy of acquisition; the collection ranks among the largest in Europe.
The Bibliotheca Rosenthaliana does not only comprise a large collection of printed books, the earliest of which date from the 15th century, but also periodicals, manuscripts (from the 13th century onwards) engravings, photographs and archival material.

Main focus

• Hebraica and Judaica from the Northern Netherlands from the 17th to the present, including an almost complete collection of Menasseh Ben Israel and Jacob Juda Leon Templo.
• Inquisition material and Sephardic Judaica in the Cassuto collection.
• History of the Jews in the Netherlands and Germany.
• Jewish book history.