Looking Back
From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History
accessible at www.djnfoundation.org
54 | JUNE 22 • 2023
I
recently wrote about Israeli leaders who have visited Detroit. I
promised to write more about Dr. Chaim Weizmann coming
to town.
Chaim Weizmann (1874-1952) was the first president of Israel. More
important than that prestigious honor, however, is the fact that he took
up the Zionist cause after the tragic death of Theodor Herzl in 1904
at the age of 44. Weizmann became, perhaps, the premier voice of
Zionism. No single person is more responsible for Zionism and the
founding of Israel than Herzl, and the modern State of Israel is the
result of the efforts of millions of Jews. But, when
it comes to preeminent Zionist leaders after Herzl,
two stand out: Weizmann and the legendary David
Ben-Gurion.
There are 2,916 entries for Weizmann in the
William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit
History. He was first mentioned in the Jan. 10, 1919, Detroit
Jewish Chronicle, and subsequently, in the pages of the Chronicle and
the JN every decade.
When Weizmann first came to Detroit in 1923, there was no such nation as Israel. There was the
soon-to-be British Mandate Palestine after WWI, in the 1920s, home to about 85,000 Jews. This
was also known as the “Yishuv,
” a term that described the community of Jewish residents already
there, who were working toward a modern Jewish state in the Land of Israel (Eretz Yisrael).
During WWI and after, Weizmann developed a global reputation. He earned a Ph.D. in organic
chemistry in 1899 and moved to Great Britain in 1904 to take a position as a senior lecturer at the
University of Manchester. As such, Weizmann became a prominent scientist in the U.K., with over
100 patents for his discoveries. As a result, he is considered the father of industrial fermentation.
Weizmann remained a British citizen until he became Israel’s first president in 1948.
Along with scientific research, Weismann’s passion was Zionism. He became its leading
spokesperson after the death of Herzl, before Ben-Gurion gained global recognition. Weizmann
was well-known among British leaders and was instrumental in persuading his friend Lord
Balfour to issue the Balfour Declaration, one of the keystones of Israeli history. The Zionist cause
became his life’s work.
Weizmann traveled the world seeking political and financial support for a State of Israel. He
first visited Detroit in 1923 as president of the World Zionist Organization. He spoke at Temple
Beth El, urging support for the Palestine Foundation Fund (June 1, 1923, Chronicle).
Five years later, Weizmann returned to the city. It was a big deal. In June 1928, the Chronicle
published large advertisements for the Detroit United Palestine Appeal — “Give Today and Build
Forever.
” The near full-page ads welcomed Dr. Weizmann to Detroit.
The event was a huge success. “Zionists and non-Zionists joined in honoring Dr. Chaim
Weizmann at the dinner opening the Detroit United Palestine Appeal for $110,000. Another
$45,000 toward the quota was subscribed at the dinner” ($110,000 is about $1.7 million in today’s
dollars). Fred Butzel chaired the event, Dr. Leo M. Franklin, a non-Zionist, urged a united front for
Palestine on the part of all Jews, and Rabbi A. M. Hershman introduced Dr. Weizmann to the large
audience. (June 27, 1928, Chronicle).
Chaim Weizmann’s efforts shaped modern Israel and the world. And, Jewish Detroiters
supported him and Zionism.
Want to learn more? Go to the DJN Foundation archives, available for free at www.djnfoundation.org.
Mike Smith
Alene and
Graham Landau
Archivist Chair
A Voice of Zionism