PRESIDENT CHAIM WEIZMANN (ISRAEL) - TYPED LETTER SIGNED 03/21/1933 CO-SIGNED BY: R. D. BLUMENFELD, PERCY GREENAWAY, CHARLES HIGHAM, HUGO HIRST, BARNETT JANNER, H. L. NATHAN, ETHEL SNOWDEN, H. NEWMAN, MOUNT TEMPLE, G. MIDLOWSKY, WILLIAM J. O'DONOVAN, HERBERT AUSTIN, LORD EBBISHAM - HFSID 348031
Price: $5,000.00
CHAIM WEIZMANN and OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS
Supporters of the Melchett Memorial Fund signed this letter to the editor of The Times
in 1933
Typed Letter Signed: “Percy W. Greenaway”, “R. Blumenfeld”, “Mount Temple”, “G.
Midlowsky”, “Ch. Higham”, “H. Austin”, “Ebbisham”, “H. C. Nathan”, "Barnett Janner”, “W.
J. O'Donovan M.D. M.P.”, "C. Weizmann", “Ethel Snowden”, “Hugo Hirst”, “H. Newman”
and one unidentified. Two pages. 7½x9¾. London, E. 1. Christian Street. Dated March 21,
1933. On imprinted letterhead to The Editor, The Times, E.C.. In full: "We should feel
indebted if you will through your columns afford us the opportunity of informing the public and
those of your readers who knew the late Lord Melchett and the many kind things he did during
his life, that it is proposed to raise a Fund to establish a Memorial to him. This will be of a living
nature since it is the intention of endowing the Commercial Road Talmud Torah, an institution
which was so near to his heart. At this Institution hundreds of poor children of one of the poorest
districts in London are instructed, clothed and fed, and kept from the temptations of the street
corner. It is hoped in this way to pay a tribute - of 'a practical form' as his son calls it - to one who,
as a great industrialist and statesman contributed so much to the well-being of the country. We
feel that all classes would like to be associated with this living memorial and national tribute
which, apart from the respect it pays, will at the same time continue a necessary and essential
piece of work in the heart of the metropolis. It would be a disaster of magnitude, the more
especially in these days of stress, were the Talmud Torah compelled through want of funds, to close
it doors. It was Lord Melchett's dream that this great institution should continue its work
unhampered and unfettered by the burden of debt. To do this £10,000 is required. Can this
dream be realized? Yours very truly," Chaim Weizmann (1874-1952) and fellow members of
the council of the Commercial Road Talmud Torah in the East District of London endeavor
to raise funds for the perpetuation of the school. These funds were to be donated in the
memory of Lord Melchett. Weizmann received his Ph.D. in 1900 from Fribourg,
Switzerland and taught chemistry at Geneva University. In 1904 he accepted a position at the
University Of Manchester in England. He became the leader of the Young Zionist opposition
and President of the English Zionist Federation (1917) and later head of the World Zionist
Organization. On March 23, 1933 two days following this letter, an enabling bill giving full
power to Adolf Hitler was voted and passed by Nazi, Nationalist and Centre party deputies in
Germany. With the advent of the Nazis in 1933, Weizmann played a major role in public
efforts to save German Jews. During World War II he assisted England in forming a Jewish
brigade group and in providing pharmaceuticals and synthetic rubber to the war effort. He was
instrumental in getting the United States and President Truman to endorse Israel's
independence (May 14,1948) and obtaining a $100,00,000.00 loan. Weizmann went on to be
Israel's first President (1949-1952). Lord Melchett was Sir Alfred Moritz Mond, politician,
financier, and industrialist. He was chairman of the Mond Nickel Company. It had been
founded by his father, Ludwig Mond, who had immigrated to Englan in 1862 from
Germany. Lord Melchett, who had been President of the Appeal Committee of the
Commercial Road Talmud Torah school, was a Zionist and served as Minister of Health
(1921-1922) among other political offices. The school was located in London's poorest
district, St. Georges in the East. The district was the first stop and hope of a new life for
Jewish immigrants fleeing from persecution on Europe and Russia. Other signers of this item
include politicians, businessmen, and British peers that supported the cause. Paper clip
rust at upper left. Toned. Otherwise, fine condition. Framed in the Gallery of History
style: 37¾x24¾.
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