Chaim Weizmann

The Making of a Statesman

Jehuda Reinharz

This massively researched, deftly written narrative follows Weizmann’s life from the beginning of the First World War through some of his greatest triumphs–the Balfour Declaration, the founding of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and the British Mandate for Palestine. Like the first volume, The Making of a Statesman combines intimate detail with incisive analysis. Reinharz untangles the internal politics of the World Zionist Organization as he charts Weizmann’s rise to prominence. We see Weizmann struggling with fellow Zionists over his pro-British policies and his increasingly authoritarian leadership. We see him as a persuader and diplomat, a charming figure who could win influence in elite British circles without downplaying his Jewish identity or heritage. Reinharz offers fresh insights into Weizmann’s brilliance as a chemist. No other historian has ever explained Weizmann’s scientific accomplishments and their ties to his Zionist diplomacy. Reinharz follows the difficult negotiations that produced the triumphant Balfour Declaration. He carries the story through Weizmann’s work in Palestine to found a vibrant Jewish community. Weizmann’s largely unsuccessful efforts to open a friendly dialogue with the Arabs are also fully explored. Chaim Weizmann was a towering figure of twentieth-century Zionism and the first president of the State of Israel. In every way, this monumental biography is worthy of this great statesman.

Series:

The Tauber Institute Series for the Study of European Jewry

Paper: $40

ISBN-13: 9781584652687

Pages: 550 | Size: 6 in. x 9 in.

Date Published: December 1, 1985

Imprint:

Brandeis University Press

Chaim Weizmann was a towering figure of twentieth-century Zionism and the first president of the State of Israel. In every way, this monumental biography is worthy of this great statesman.

Reviews

[Reinharz] has assembled a vivid and historical gallery comprised of the many figures of the Zionist movement, the British government, and others who dealt with Weizmann.

Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Jehuda Reinharz

Jehuda Reinharz is the Richard Koret Professor of Modern Jewish History at Brandeis University, where he served as President for seventeen years. He is the author and coauthor of more than thirty books in Jewish studies, including The Road to September 1939: Polish Jews, Zionists, and the Yishuv on the Eve of World War II and Zionism and the Creation of a New Society. He is the president and chief executive officer of the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Foundation.

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