Another Ukrainian by origin, who played a significant role in the establishment of the State of Israel is Yitzhak Ben-Zvi (Shymshelevych) (1886-1963), the second president of Israel, Knesset deputy of the 1st and 2nd convocations, leader of the "Avoda" movement and researcher in the field of history.

Born in Poltava, he studied at a Jewish school – heder, later at Russian gymnasium, was attending the Kiev University of St. Vladimir for a while.

Ben-Zvi was among the founders and leaders of the socialist direction of Zionism, the labor movement, and the Jewish self-defense in Russia and Eretz Yisrael. He has made a great contribution to the study of Jewish communities in Asia and North Africa and the history of the Jews during the period of Turkish rule in Eretz Yisrael .

For the first time Ben-Zvi visited the Land of Israel in 1904, and in 1907, he had already settled there. During the riots of 1905, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi took an active part in protecting the Jews in Poltava. In 1906, during the search the police found in the house of Ben-Zvi in Poltava armory, which was intended for Jewish self-defense forces. After that, the whole family was arrested, and Isaac's father was exiled to Siberia. Ben-Zvi succeeded to escape to Vilna.

In 1952, Yitzhak Ben-Zvi was elected to the post of the Head of the State Israel. He was re-elected to the presidency in 1957 and 1962 and held this position until his death in 1963.

One of the most significant achievements of Yitzhak Ben-Zvi is also his historical research. Most of his scientific researches are dedicated to the Jewish communities in Asia and Africa, as well as to different nationalities - the Samaritans, Karaites and the representatives of Sabbatai community. In his writings, Ben-Zvi was describing many peoples who inhabited the Land of Israel. Ben-Zvi headed the Institute for the Study of Jewish communities in the Middle East, which was founded in 1948. In 1952, the institute was named in his honour "Mahon Ben-Zvi".