Illuminated Calligraphic Scroll produced on vellum by Zaehnsdorf. Presented to The Right Hon. Sir Herbert Samuel by The English Zionist Federation.

<<A magnificent illuminated manuscript, produced to commemorate the historic occasion of the appointment of the United Kingdom’s first High Commissioner to Palestine, Sir Herbert Samuel, a member of Anglo-Jewry’s illustrious Samuel Family.>> The appointment of a British Jew to the exalted position of High Commissioner to Palestine would appear to have fully proven the wisdom of Theodor Herzl’s decision to pivot the Zionist Movement toward Great Britain in seeking to advance the cause of Zionism and the ultimate creation of a Jewish Homeland in Eretz Israel. <<Text of Scroll:>> “Since the issue of the Balfour Declaration in November, your open and bold support of our claim for the establishment of a Jewish National Home in Palestine has been a source of great strength and inspiration to Jews all over the world, and by your services to the cause of the Jewish Palestine…your name and personality have become enshrined in the hearts of our people. Like Nehemiah of old, you, the worthy scion of our ancient race, will set out for Erez Israel invested with the confidence of the King, and, accompanied with the high hopes and the fervent prayers of the House of Israel, it will be your privilege to head the Third Return of our people to its land. To you will fall the immortal honour of inaugurating a new era in Jewish History on the soil of our fathers and of bringing near to the realization the vision of our prophets and psalmists, our seers and sages, down to Theodor Herzl of blessed memory. Imbued with the sacred principles of justice and righteousness inherent in Judaism as well as with the great traditions of British statecraft, of which you are so eminent a representative, it will be given to you to place on sure foundations our relations with the kindred Arab Community in Palestine with whom we Jews desire to live in amity and friendship. We earnestly hope and pray that, under your guidance, we may be able to put into effect for the regeneration of the Jewish people those aspirations of human brotherhood which have been the cherished ideals of the Zionist Movement so that the vision of the Return to Zion may not only become a reality, but that once more the Torah may go forth from Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. We beg to remain, Sir, Your obedient servants.” <<A beautiful document of great historic import.>>