The oldest known complete Bible “Codex Sassoon” landed in Israel on Thursday, flying on El Al from New York, after being bought at a record breaking $38 million at auction by former U.S. ambassador Alfred Moses.

Codex Sassoon was moved to its new permanent residence in the ANU – Museum of the Jewish People, following a complex and highly secured operation that will allow the ancient manuscript to be displayed permanently for the public.

Starting in the late 9th-early 10th century, when the codex containing all 24 books of the Hebrew Bible [the Tanakh] was handwritten, switching ownership multiple times throughout the Middle East, mostly being kept concealed in fear of different invading forces.

Its first reemergence was in 1929, when it was purchased by its namesake David Sassoon. The codex continued to switch hands, being kept in private collections, except for one brief public display at the British Library in London.

“Along with very complex and challenging days both in Israel and in the world these days, when we are all looking for the unifying instead of the dividing, we all want to hold on and touch something eternal that has existed for thousands of years and tells the story of our people,” ANU Museum Chairwoman Irina Nevzlin described the significant moment of the Codex Sassoon’s being brought to its home in Israel.