The Historical Society of Israel marked the 90th anniversary of the journal ‘Zion’ and launched its annual thematic volume, ‘Megamatenu’.

On Monday, October 26, 2012, the Historical Society of Israel marked the 90th anniversary of the journal Zion with a celebratory event held to launch its annual thematic volume, Megamatenu (“Our Direction”). The event featured opening remarks and two panel discussions that explored the history of the journal, its role within historical research in Israel, and the challenges it faces today.

The event was moderated by Cana Werman, who guided the discussion and incorporated questions that sparked a fruitful dialogue among the participants. In their opening remarks, Shmuel Feiner, Zvi Yekutiel, and Ohad Zimran reflected on Zion’s history, It’s unique contribution to the study of Jewish history, and the evolution it has undergone over the years-while also affirming a commitment to the continuation of his work.

The first panel discussion featured individuals who served as editorial secretaries and editors of the journal over the years: Yerachmiel Cohen, Miriam Frenkel, Israel Bartal, and Yehezkel Hovav. The participants discussed the role of Zion as an academic journal in Hebrew, as well as the challenges involved in addressing a relatively limited readership. Alongside this discussion, the participants shared memories from their respective tenures on the editorial board, recounting moving, humorous, and formative moments that have shaped the journal’s history.

The second panel discussion featured researchers who authored articles published in the volume: Yuval Tal, Havi Dreifuss, and Shulamit Volkov. The three presented aspects of their research and highlighted Zion’s contribution to the academic community in Israel.

The event marked a significant milestone in the history of the journal, which serves as a central platform for historical research on the Jewish people. It also provided an opportunity to reflect on its development over the course of nine decades and to discuss its place and role in the present and the future.