Emanuel Neumann (1893–1980), U.S. Zionist leader who was born in Libau, Latvia, was taken to the U.S. shortly after his birth. Active in Zionist affairs from his youth, Neumann edited the Young Judean (1914–15), later served as education director of the Zionist Organization of America (1918–20). As a co-founder of the Keren Hayesod in the U.S. in 1921, he served as its director (1921–25), and was chairman of the executive committee of the United Palestine Appeal (1925–28). Neumann was also president of the Jewish National Fund in the U.S. (1929–30) and a member of the Jewish Agency in Jerusalem (1931–41). A close collaborator of Abba Hillel Silver in influencing the Jewish community and American public opinion to the post-World War II Zionist program, Neumann served with Silver as vice-chairman of the American Zionist Emergency Council. He was the political representative of the Jewish Agency in Washington during the 1940s and instrumental in winning influential political figures to Zionism. Neumann was president of the Z.O.A. in 1947–49 and 1956–58. In 1943 Neumann organized and directed the work of the Commission on Palestine Surveys that presented an investment proposal of approximately $200 million in irrigation facilities and hydroelectric power development in the Jordan Valley. In 1947 he was a member of the Jewish Agency panel in its unsuccessful negotiations with England and a member of the agency's delegation to the UN Special Committee on Palestine which recommended that Palestine be partitioned. After the establishment of the State, Neumann devoted himself to obtaining military and economic aid for Israel. From 1951 to 1953 he headed the Jewish Agency's economic department and its information and public relations department. He was appointed chairman of the American section of the Jewish Agency Executive in 1953. Neumann founded the Herzl Foundation (1954) and served as its first president. Although a vigorous advocate of U.S. Zionist unity, he led a majority of the World Conference of General Zionists into a new organization of the same name (1958). He served as president of this organization from 1958 to 1963 when he was elected president of the World Union of General Zionists.