Zahava is a Professor of Psychiatric Epidemiology and Social Work at the Tel-Aviv University, and the former Head of the Adler Research Center for Child Welfare and Protection. She received both her BA (1973) and MA (1976) from the University of Haifa, Israel and her Ph.D. in Psychiatric Epidemiology from the University of Pittsburgh, USA (1980).
Zahava Solomon joined the IDF (Israeli Defense Force) in 1981 and served as head of the Research Branch in the Medical Corps between the years 1981-1992.Her military rank is Lt. Colonel. In 1990 she joined the Tel-Aviv University. During the years 1994-1996 She served as Dean of the Bob Shapell Social Work School at Tel-Aviv. Prof. Solomon served as the Dean of the special programs at Tel Aviv University between 1997-2001. Since May 1997-2009 Prof. Solomon has been acting as head of the Adler Center for the Study of Child Welfare and Protection. Her research focuses on traumatic stress and especially on the psychological sequel of combat stress reactions, war captivity and the Holocaust.