Ha-Melits

Ha-Melits was a Hebrew newspaper published in the Russian Empire between 1860 and 1904. It was one of the first Hebrew-language newspapers, initially published as a weekly before transitioning to a daily format in 1886.

Ha'melits street in Tel Aviv, personnal photo.

The newspaper was written in its first year in Hebrew, and later in both German and Hebrew. Many of Russia's Jewish intellectuals, from radicals to moderates, wrote in its pages. Its notable contributors include Yehuda Leib Gordon, Ahad Ha'am, David Frischmann, Moshe Leib Lilienblum, Zvi Kashdai, and Yehuda Leib Levin.

Ahad Ha'am published his famous article "This is not the Way" in Ha-Melits, where he articulated his vision of Cultural Zionism and expressed his opposition to immediate mass immigration and settlement in the Land of Israel.

A Platform for the Haskalah and Early Zionism

Ha-Melits quickly became a central platform for the Jewish Enlightenment (Haskalah) in the Russian Empire. It promoted modernization, education, and engagement with broader European culture, while maintaining a strong commitment to Hebrew as a literary and national language.

Over time, the newspaper evolved into an important forum for early Zionist thought. It reflected the ideological diversity of the Jewish intelligentsia, publishing debates on nationalism, assimilation, and the future of Jewish life in Eastern Europe and the Land of Israel. While some contributors supported practical settlement, others - like Ahad Ha’am - advocated for a cultural and spiritual center in Palestine rather than immediate mass migration.

Legacy and Historical Significance

Ha-Melits played a key role in the revival of Hebrew as a modern written language. By consistently publishing journalism, essays, and literary works in Hebrew, it helped shape a readership capable of engaging with contemporary issues in their ancestral language.

Its influence extended beyond journalism: it contributed to the formation of modern Jewish public discourse and laid intellectual foundations for both Cultural and Political Zionism. Although it ceased publication in 1904, Ha-Melits remains a landmark in the history of Hebrew media and Jewish intellectual life.

Hamelitz newspaper cover in 1861. Source: Wikipedia, puclic domain.