Dr. Vera Weizmann, Widow of Israel’s First President, Dead at 87

Dr. Vera Weizmann, widow of Dr. Chaim Weizmann, first president of Israel, died here yesterday. She was 87, She had broken her hip 10 days earlier while on a private visit to this country, and was apparently recovering from that accident, at the London Clinic, when she suffered a fatal heart attack. Her remains will be flown to Israel tomorrow morning, for interment in the Jewish State.

Born in Russia, Vera Chatzmann came to Geneva to study medicine, and there met young Chaim Weizmann, who was lecturing in Geneva. They were married in 1906. She received her medical degree from the University of Geneva, and later studied at the University of Manchester, England. She became a health officer for the City of Manchester.

Dr. Vera Weizmann was a patron of Youth Aliyah, world honorary president of Jewish Child’s Day, president of the Israel and British Commonwealth Association as well as president of the Israel and Swedish Association; was for many years president of the world executive of the Women’s International Zionist Organization, of which she was a co-founder; headed the Disabled Soldiers Fund, in Israel; and was president of the Mogen David Adom, the Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross.

After the death of President Weizmann, his widow continued her activities in Zionist work in Israel and in many other countries. She was very well known in the United States from her many visits to that country both as the wife and widow of Chaim Weizmann, and in her own right. The Weizmanns had two sons, Benjamin and Michael, The later was killed during World War II, while flying a patrol with the British Royal Air Force.