Chaim Weizmann, 1874-1952

Weizmann, a native of Russian-controlled Poland, was the first president of Israel. In England during World War I, he used his chemistry skills to develop a synthetic process for making acetone and thus made relationships that helped achieve the Balfour Declaration in 1917. He was elected the president of the Zionist Organization in 1921 and was tireless in fundraising and diplomacy.

Photo: Hugo Mendelson, National Photo Collection of Israel