Chaim Weizmann - the first president of Israel

The first President of Israel, Chaim Weizmann, was the one who dedicated his whole life to the establishment of the hearth of his people in Palestine. He was destined to live two wars, lose his son, but become the one who will lead his people in the new Israel.

Youth

Chaim Weizmann was born on 11/27/1984 in the village of Motyli near Pinsk (modern Belarus). His father worked as an official in the office, which was engaged in rafting the forest. The family had six daughters and two sons.

Children were brought up in an atmosphere of Jewish traditions, but with elements of enlightenment. Initially, Khaim was brought up in a heder, after which he continued his education in a real school, which he graduated in 1892.

The subsequent education a young man received in Germany and Switzerland. With a doctorate he becomes a teacher first at the University of Geneva, and later in Manchester.

The beginning of political career

During his studies, Chaim Weizmann joined the Zionist circle. His representatives were inspired by the ideas of T. Herzl. Weizmann began to advocate the idea of building a university for Jews, which was to become the spiritual center of Zionism.

At the same time, Chaim Weizmann was an opponent of the so-called Uganda plan, which was supposed to create a temporary Jewish national center away from historical lands.

After settling in Manchester, he formed pro-British views. Here he marries Vera Khatzman, who was a university student. By 1910, the teacher received British citizenship and became acquainted with Lord Balfour. Chaim convinces his close friend (the future British foreign minister) that it is necessary to create a Jewish national house on the Land of Israel.

During the First World War

With the outbreak of the war, the Zionist circle took a neutral position. Although some of its representatives, for example Vladimir Jabotinsky, decided to form the Jewish Legion as part of the British army. He was to liberate Palestine from the power of the Turks.

Jaybotinsky's plans were supported by Chaim Weizmann. It was he who organized the meeting with Lord Kitchener, who was the military minister of Great Britain.

During the war, Weizmann was able to provide a significant service to the British army. The armed forces needed acetone, which was used to produce smokeless gunpowder. Before that, acetone was imported from the US, but everything changed with the presence of German submarines in the Atlantic Ocean in 1915. Chemist was able to deploy the production of acetone on the island. For its creation, starch from grain was first used, but this began to influence the provision of the domestic market with grain crops. Therefore, it was decided to use the horse chestnut fruit, which had no nutritional value. In the collection of chestnut, even schoolchildren took part.

Thanks to this, Weizmann acquired important ties among the ruling circles of Britain. He was able to get the British authorities to show interest in Zionism. As a result, in 1917, the Balfour Declaration was signed. The document marked the beginning of the restoration of the Jewish center in Palestine.

With the advent of the Balfour Declaration, the politician became extremely popular in the Zionist circles. In 1918 he became head of the Zionist Commission, which was sent to Palestine by the British government. The commission was to assess the prospects for the possible settlement and further development of the Jews. The subsequent life of Weizmann was closely knit with the creation of the hearth of his people in Palestine.

During the Second World War

Before the outbreak of World War II, Chaim Weizmann, whose biography is associated with the creation of Israel, began to lose popularity in the Zionist circles. The reason for this was the creation of the White Paper by Britain, which was contrary to the principles of the Balfour Declaration.

In the first days of the war, a political scientist addressed an official statement to the British government. It said that Jews will be on the side of Britain and want to fight for democracy.

During the war, Weizmann works on the production of high-octane fuel, artificial rubber. He helped the Jews to serve in the British forces. During the war years, there were about twenty-seven thousand volunteers, including the son of Weizmann, who died in 1942.

Creation of Israel

Despite the fact that the post-war Zionist organization did not re-elect Weizmann for the post of chairman of the World Organization of Zionists, he did not abandon the attempt to create a Jewish state.

Thanks to his efforts in 1947, the UN decided on the partition of Palestine. A few days after the founding of the state, the future president of Israel was able to obtain from the US president (Truman) consent in granting a loan on preferential terms to the Jewish state of a hundred million dollars.

Politics was elected head of the Provisional Council of the new state in 1948, and in 1949 - the first president. By the time he was seventy-four years old. Due to age and illness, it was difficult for him to deal with public affairs. His residence was a private house in Rehovot. Reelected for a second term, Weizmann was in 1951.

The President of Israel died on 09.11.1952 as a result of a long illness.

Interesting Facts

According to the will, Weizman is buried in the garden of his own house, which is located on the territory of the Research Institute in Rehovot. Since 1949 the institute began to bear his name.

The first president in 1949 issued his own autobiography. It was published in England under the title "In Search of the Way."

Chaim Weizmann (citations serve as a confirmation) was an intelligent and judicious politician. He was able to convey his idea to the interlocutor. The most vivid statements: "We had Jerusalem when there were still bogs on the site of London", "Perhaps we are the sons of merchants, but we are the grandchildren of the prophets".

The nephew of Weizmann's brother (Ezer) became the seventh president of Israel. He ruled the country in 1993-2000.