History & Society

Nestled beneath the green slopes of the Alvand Mountains in western Iran lies one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world: Ecbatana, an ancient metropolis that once served as the capital of the Median Empire and later became a favored royal residence of Persian kings. Today, the remains of this remarkable city are found in modern-day Hamadan, where layers of history spanning nearly three millennia continue to fascinate archaeologists, historians, and travelers alike.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, Israel has witnessed one of the largest waves of immigration in its modern history. Over one million Russian-speaking Jews migrated to Israel, fundamentally transforming the country’s social, cultural, and political landscape. Today, Russian Zionists constitute one of the most influential demographic groups in Israel, shaping its identity, domestic policies, and foreign relations—particularly with Russia.