The Zalman Shazar Center

The Zalman Shazar Center (Hebrew: מרכז זלמן שזר) is a Jerusalem-based institution dedicated to the research, teaching, and dissemination of Jewish history. It was established in 1973 by the Israeli Historical Society together with the Government of Israel, in honor of Zalman Shazar, the third President of Israel, upon the conclusion of his presidency. In 2010 the Knesset passed the Zalman Shazar Center for the Study of the History of the Jewish People Law, which reconstituted the center as a government corporation. The center operates a research institute for the study of Jewish communities in the Diaspora, develops curricula and textbooks on Jewish history for the Israeli school system, and hosts the main conference of the Israeli Historical Society as well as international conferences in cooperation with universities abroad. It also runs seminars and teacher-training programs, and maintains a large historical library largely based on Zalman Shazar's personal library. Its publishing house issues historical documents and academic works on events, figures, and historical phenomena, as well as Hebrew translations of historical studies originally published in other languages. Since 2005 it has published the series "Great Minds and Creators of the Jewish People" (גדולי הרוח והיצירה בעם היהודי), whose first editor was Aviezer Ravitzky and, from 2010, Anita Shapira. The series includes biographies of figures such as Rabbi Judah the Prince, Saadia Gaon, Rashi, Maimonides, Nahmanides, Baruch Spinoza, Moses Mendelssohn, Theodor Herzl, Ahad Ha'am, Haim Nahman Bialik, S.Y. Agnon, Martin Buber, and Leah Goldberg. The center also distributes the journals of the Israeli Historical Society — "Zion," "Historia," and the society's newsletter — and is responsible for distributing the historical journal "Zmanim," published by Tel Aviv University Press. The center administers the Shazar Prize for the Study of Jewish History, which encourages research in the field and includes awards for outstanding high-school final projects in Jewish history. Its public council is composed of public figures, economists, and historians, and elects a board of directors every four years. Zvi Yekutiel served as director of the center from 1978 to 2015. In August 2023, the chairman of the Zalman Shazar Center resigned amid sharp criticism, as reported by Haaretz.

The Zalman Shazar Center was founded in 1973 by the Israeli Historical Society and the Government of Israel, named in honor of Zalman Shazar, the third President of Israel, upon the end of his presidency. It was established as a center for the research, teaching, and dissemination of Jewish history, aimed at historians, students, and the general public. In 2010, the Knesset passed the Zalman Shazar Center for the Study of the History of the Jewish People Law, 5771–2010, which turned the center into a government corporation. The center's public council, composed of public figures, economists, and historians, elects a board of directors every four years. Zvi Yekutiel served as director from 1978 to 2015. In 2005, the center began publishing the series "Great Minds and Creators of the Jewish People," first edited by Aviezer Ravitzky and from 2010 by Anita Shapira. The series includes biographies of major Jewish figures from antiquity to modernity. The center also distributes the journals of the Israeli Historical Society (Zion, Historia, and the society's newsletter) and the journal Zmanim published by Tel Aviv University Press. It administers the Shazar Prize for the Study of Jewish History, which includes awards for outstanding high-school final projects. In August 2023, the chairman of the center resigned amid sharp criticism, as reported by Haaretz.

• 2023

  Chairman resigns amid sharp criticism (Haaretz, August 28, 2023).

• 2010

  Knesset passes the Zalman Shazar Center Law, making it a government corporation.

• 2010

  Anita Shapira becomes editor of the "Great Minds" series.

• 2005

  Begins publishing the series "Great Minds and Creators of the Jewish People."

• 1978

  Zvi Yekutiel becomes director, serving until 2015.

• 1973

  Founded by the Israeli Historical Society and the Government of Israel, named after Zalman Shazar.

A government-backed academic and educational institution for the study and dissemination of Jewish history, operating a scholarly press and public programs.

• Great Minds and Creators of the Jewish People (series)

  Biography series launched in 2005, edited by Aviezer Ravitzky then Anita Shapira, covering figures such as Rabbi Judah the Prince, Saadia Gaon, Rashi, Maimonides, Nahmanides, Spinoza, Mendelssohn, Herzl, Kook, Bialik, Berdichevsky, Agnon, Buber, and Leah Goldberg.

• Zion (journal)

  Journal of the Israeli Historical Society, distributed by the center.

• Historia (journal)

  Journal of the Israeli Historical Society, distributed by the center.

• Zmanim (journal)

  Historical journal published by Tel Aviv University Press, distributed by the center.

1. 1בית להיסטוריה יהודית - מרכז זלמן שזרshazar.org.il
2. 2The Zalman Shazar Center - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3מרכז זלמן שזר - Wikipedia (Hebrew)he.wikipedia.org