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
President of Israel and journalist; and Chaim Herzog was a military leader, attorney, and diplomat. The first Israeli presidents were born in the former Russian Empire, which was true of much of the leadership in the early days of the state. The first native-born president, as well as the first with a Sephardi background, was Yitzhak Navon. The first president with a Western European background was Chaim Herzog, who originally came from Belfast, United Kingdom. The first president with a Mizrahi background was Moshe Katsav, who was born in Iran. All Israeli presidents from Yitzhak Ben-Zvi to Ezer Weizman were members of, or