Autographs
May 26, 1948 “Hope and Prayer for the Fast Release of Jersusalem” Typed Letter Signed by David Zvi Pinkas
DAVID ZVI PINKAS, Signer of Israel’s Declaration of Independence, Autograph Letter Signed, Choice Extremely Fine.
May 26, 1948-Dated Typed Letter Signed by David Zvi Pinkas, one of the 37 Signers of Israel’s Declaration of Independence, in Hebrew, on “General Coucil” letterhead, which was signed just 12 days prior to this Letter. Measures 6 3/4” x 8 1/2”, boldly typed in black and signed in blue ink.

Born in Hungary, David Zvi Pinkas was one of leaders of “Young Mizrahi” in Vienna and one of founders of “Yeshuran” National Religious Movement. He was a Delegate to 13th Zionist Congress (1923) and made Aliyah in 1925. He served as Director of Mizrahi Bank in Tel Aviv (1932-1949). Pinkas was elected to Tel Aviv City Council in 1932 and, in 1935, appointed Head of Education Department. In 1944, David Zvi Pinkas became a member of the Assembly of Representatives and between 1947 and 1948, served as a member of the Jewish National Council's directorate.

On May 14, 1948, Pinkas signed the Israeli Declaration of Independence, being one of the 37 signers. During the subsequent Arab-Israeli war, Pinkas was one of the leaders of the security committee. Following Independence, Pinkas assumed membership of the Provisional State Council, and was responsible for drawing up the regulations for the council's committees. In Israel's first elections in 1949, he was elected to the Knesset as a member of the United Religious Front, an alliance of Agudat Yisrael, Poalei Agudat Yisrael, Mizrachi (Pinkas' party), and Hapoel HaMizrachi, and served as chairman of the influential Finance Committee. In 1950, he was also elected Deputy Mayor of Tel Aviv.
In the 1951 elections, the Mizrachi ran alone, and Pinkas retained his seat, though the party won only two mandates. He was appointed Minister of Transport, and remained chairman of the Finance committee. In his role as Minister, Pinkas stopped public transport from operating on the Shabbat. In June 1952, a bomb was left on his Pinkas' doorstep in the wake of his decision to shut down public transportation on the Shabbat. Two men were arrested as they were leaving Pinkas' home, but said nothing under interrogation and were acquitted by the district court for lack of evidence. Minister of Transport David Zvi Pinkas was not harmed in the assassination attempt but died two months later of a heart attack, just four years after signing Israel's Declaration of Independence.