Collection of documents from the estate of Sir Aryeh (Leon) Simon (1881-1965) - of the Britain's Zionist leaders, author and translator. Assisted in writing the draft of the "Balfour Declaration" (the draft of the declaration written on a napkin was found in Simon's archive and sold by Sotheby's in 2005); member of the "Zionist Commission" - the Zionist political commission advising Chaim Weizmann. The commission visited Eretz Israel in 1918. Simon settled in Jerusalem in 1946 and started to serve as Chairman of the Executive Board of the Hebrew University. Was one of the founders of the newspaper "The Zionist Banner", 1910 and the monthly journal "Palestine"; 1916. Composed a research about the Jewish Nationality, published Achad Ha'Am's biography and translated his writings into English (1956). Translated from Greek into Hebrew the writings of Plato.
The collection presented includes: official letters concerning Simon's work as director of the British Postal Services office; ephemera items of good quality: personal certificates of Simon and his wife, invitation to events in the Government House in Jerusalem, invitations to events in honor of Jewish authors; photographs of Achad Ha'Am feeding pigeons in the square, letters from Jewish Newspapers editorials in London, telegrams, letters from "Hebrew Colonial Bank in London", family letters (correspondence with his young daughters); letters and printed documents concerning Simon's participation in the British Investigation Commission concerning education; letters from Jewish intellectuals and authors; family photographs; letters, documents and certificated of Simon's activity as a member of the Zionist Commission and the visit of the commission in Israel in 1918; handwritten draft of an essay; letter informing Simon about his being the winner of the Tchernichovsky prize; and many other items. Lot of about 260 items. Sizes and conditions vary. General condition - good.