Weizmann House Weizmann House The Weizmann House () was the home of the first President of Israel, Chaim Weizmann, and first First Lady, Vera Weizmann. The house sits atop a hill in Rehovot, and is now part of the Weizmann Institute of Science. The house was designed by Jewish architect Erich Mendelsohn, and recognized as a masterpiece. In 1934 Chaim Weizmann, who was then living in England, asked Mendelsohn to plan his house in Israel— after hearing of Mendelsohn's project for Salman Schocken's house in Jerusalem. The design process was extensive and created a complicated relationship between Weizmann and Mendelsohn. Weizmann required
Chaim Weizmann of Mandate Palestine. In 1942, Weizmann was invited by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to work on the problem of synthetic rubber. Weizmann proposed to produce butyl alcohol from maize, then convert it to butylene and further to butadiene, which is a basis for rubber. According to his memoirs, these proposals were barred by the oil companies. In 1939, a conference was established at St James's Palace when the government drew up the May 1939 White Paper which severely curtailed any spending in the Jewish Home Land. Yishuv was put back to the lowest priority. At the outbreak of war the