Israel Society for Military History

The Israel Society for Military History (Hebrew: העמותה הישראלית להיסטוריה צבאית) is an Israeli non-profit association devoted to the study, teaching and public dissemination of military history. It was founded in 1962 as an association to commemorate Major General Assaf Simhoni, established by Lt. Col. Prof. Mordechai Gichon and Moshe Shilo alongside the military library known as the "Assaf Simhoni Library," which the Ministry of Defense transferred to Tel Aviv University. The society is a member of the International Commission of Military History and serves as its Israeli affiliate. The society's stated purpose is to conduct activity in the field of military history that raises public awareness and engagement, for the benefit of the security of the State of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces in particular. It promotes research and dissemination of military history in writing and orally, in contact with all relevant parties in Israel and abroad. Its areas of activity are defined in three circles: the Jewish people and the Land of Israel, the Middle East arena, and the global arena. Its chronological coverage spans antiquity, the Middle Ages, the modern era, the modern era up to World War II, and the struggle for the existence of the State of Israel and Israel's wars since 1948. On financial matters the society relies on Ariel University, and until 2010 it relied on Tel Aviv University. The society does not solicit donations and does not charge membership dues; participants pay separately for each activity. Its mailing list contains about 1,500 email addresses, and most members are veterans of the IDF and the security establishment. Board members have included Dr. Mati Meizel, Brig. Gen. (res.) Dr. Dani Asher, Prof. Aharon Shei, and Col. (res.) Prof. Zeev Drori. The administrative manager and event producer is Yossi Fogel; the society secretary is Adv. Kobi Segal, with previous secretaries Moshe Shilo, Arie Hashavia and Avraham Zohar. Activities include support for research, lectures, seminars, study days, tours in Israel and abroad, publications, and ties with institutions and associations in the field of military history worldwide. The work is carried out through a core of activists organized in the management, an academic committee, a bibliographic committee and the secretariat. The society has no permanent hall or building of its own; seminars and lectures are held 4–6 times a month, most often at Yad Tabenkin in Seminar Efal and the Palmach House Museum, with additional venues in Herzliya, Ramat Gan, Modi'in and Yavne. Tours of battle and settlement-security areas in Israel take place about twice a month, and longer tours have included repeated trips to Eilat and, in 2019, a three-day tour along the borders with Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Tours abroad have been held in Crete, Sicily, Malta, Russia, France and elsewhere, guided by Col. (res.) Dr. Benny Michelsohn. During the COVID-19 lockdown the society held computer-based meetings and lectures.

The Israel Society for Military History was founded in 1962 as an association to commemorate Major General Assaf Simhoni, established by Lt. Col. Prof. Mordechai Gichon and Moshe Shilo as an association alongside the military library known as the "Assaf Simhoni Library," which the Ministry of Defense transferred to Tel Aviv University. This occurred immediately after the arrest of Israel Bar, head of the chair of military history at Tel Aviv University, on espionage charges. Gichon, who retired that year from the IDF in his last role as commander of the IDF School of Military Intelligence and moved to academia, was asked to fill Bar's place at the university in the field of military history studies. For 10 years the Simhoni Association worked to enrich the military library, from 3,000 volumes initially to about 15,000 as part of the Elias Sourasky Central Library, and held meetings of its members on various military history topics. After 12 years of activity, in 1974, the Assaf Simhoni Association saw its commemorative role as complete and was institutionalized as a society based at Tel Aviv University, operating within and from it. The connection to the university appeared in the name "The Israel Society for Military History at Tel Aviv University." In this capacity the Israel Society for Military History operated for twenty years. In 1993, at the initiative of the university president, Prof. Yoram Dinstein, the society became an association (amuta). However, it maintained its connection to the university and was called "The Israel Association for Military History at Tel Aviv University." Prof. Dinstein became the first chairman of the association, while Prof. Yehuda Wallach, the previous chairman of the society, became its director. In 2000, Prof. Yoram Dinstein retired and Prof. Yehuda Wallach was appointed chairman in his place, serving for about three years. In 2003 Prof. Gideon Biger was elected chairman, and in 2004 Prof. Arie Shmuelevitz, and upon the latter's death, again Prof. Mordechai Gichon, who served from 2005 to 2010. In February 2010, Prof. Gichon announced that he could not continue in his role due to his age (87), and Col. (res.) Dr. Benny Michelsohn was elected chairman in his place. At that time, Tel Aviv University announced that it had "lost interest" in the military history association, despite having been the main founder and supporter since its establishment. The association sought another university in Israel to support its activities and found support from Ariel University in Samaria. The society's chairmen have been holders of senior ranks in the IDF and respected status in academia. The society is a member of the International Commission of Military History and serves as its Israeli affiliate. Its activities have included support for research, lectures, seminars, study days, tours in Israel and abroad, publications, and ties with institutions and associations in the field of military history worldwide. The work is carried out through a core of activists organized in the management, an academic committee, a bibliographic committee and the secretariat. The society has no permanent hall or building of its own; seminars and lectures are held 4–6 times a month, most often at Yad Tabenkin in Seminar Efal and the Palmach House Museum, with additional venues in Herzliya, Ramat Gan, Modi'in and Yavne. Tours of battle and settlement-security areas in Israel take place about twice a month, and longer tours have included repeated trips to Eilat and, in 2019, a three-day tour along the borders with Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Tours abroad have been held in Crete, Sicily, Malta, Russia, France and elsewhere, guided by Col. (res.) Dr. Benny Michelsohn. During the COVID-19 lockdown the society held computer-based meetings and lectures.

• 2019

  A three-day tour along the borders with Jordan, Syria and Lebanon was held.

• 2010

  Prof. Gichon stepped down due to age; Col. (res.) Dr. Benny Michelsohn elected chairman. Tel Aviv University announced it had "lost interest" in the association, which then found support from Ariel University.

• 2004

  Prof. Arie Shmuelevitz elected chairman; upon his death, Prof. Mordechai Gichon returned as chairman.

• 2003

  Prof. Gideon Biger elected chairman.

• 2000

  Prof. Yoram Dinstein retired; Prof. Yehuda Wallach appointed chairman.

• 1993

  Became an association (amuta) at the initiative of university president Prof. Yoram Dinstein, who became its first chairman.

• 1974

  Reorganized as the Israel Society for Military History at Tel Aviv University, based at the university.

• 1962

  Founded as the Assaf Simhoni Memorial Association by Lt. Col. Prof. Mordechai Gichon and Moshe Shilo, alongside the Assaf Simhoni military library at Tel Aviv University.

Non-profit scholarly and commemorative association for military history, affiliated with the International Commission of Military History and serving as its Israeli affiliate.

• Sefer ve-Sayaf (ספרא וסייפא)

  Journal of the Israel Society for Military History, edited by Arie Hashavia and others, issues published from 1976 to 1988.

• International Review of Military History, No. 42

  Edited by Arie C. Hashavia, Tel Aviv, 1979.

• The Struggle for Israel's Security (המאבק לביטחון ישראל)

  Edited by Benny Michelsohn, published by the Society, Tel Aviv, 2000.

• The Six-Day War: Forum of Commanders and Researchers

  Summary of the seminar "Issues in Israeli Security," 1996, published by the Society and Effi Meltzer, Modi'in, 2003.

• The Yom Kippur War: Forum of Commanders and Researchers

  Summary of the seminar "Issues in Israeli Security," 1998, published by the Society and Effi Meltzer, Modi'in, 2013.

• Battlefield: Decisive Battles in the Land of Israel (זירת קרב – קרבות הכרעה בארץ ישראל)

  Edited by Arie Shmuelevitz, published by the Society, Tel Aviv, 2007.

1. 1Israel Society for Military History‏wikidata.org
2. 2העמותה הישראלית להיסטוריה צבאיתhe.wikipedia.org