The Society for 'Mekitzei Nerdemim' was founded in the city of Lick, Prussia, in 1861 by the editor of "The Maggid," Eliezer Lipman Silberman. The purpose of the society is to publish manuscripts of works that have not yet seen print, both works well-known in the Jewish bookshelf and rare and forgotten works known mainly to researchers. Initially, the society published books in scientific editions and later also short works as articles in the journal "Kabetz al Yad," which continues to be published to this day. During its early years of activity, the society's members included some of the greatest Jewish scholars of the nineteenth century, including Shmuel David Lutzo, Abraham Berliner, Abraham Eliyahu Harkabi, David Kaufman, and more. The society operated intermittently until 1932 in Europe (from 1909 its headquarters were in Berlin) and in 1933 its activities resumed in Israel, and among its leaders here were Chaim Nachman Bialik, S.Y. Agnon, Ephraim Elimelech Orbach, Gershom Shalom, Israel Ta-Shema and more. To date, this publishing house has published hundreds of scientific publications that have become cornerstones of Jewish studies. The executive committee of the Sleepwalkers is currently headed by Prof. Shulamit Elitzur.