---
born: 1904-04-22
category: Nuclear Scientists & Programs
died: 1967-02-18
location: New York City, New York
summary: Oppenheimer's personal papers indicate he visited Israel in May 1958 to participate
  in ceremonies marking the opening of the Institute of Nuclear Science in Rehovot.
tags:
- Person
- Nuclear
- Physicist
- Israel
---

J. Robert Oppenheimer was a prominent American theoretical physicist, widely known as the "father of the atomic bomb" for his role as the scientific director of the [Manhattan Project](/programs/manhattan-project/) during World War II. He and his colleagues, including [John von Neumann](/people/john-von-neumann/), were actively courted by [Chaim Weizmann](/people/chaim-weizmann/) as early as 1947 to spend time doing research in [Israel](/places/israel/).[^1]

Oppenheimer's personal papers indicate he visited [Israel](/places/israel/) in May 1958 to participate in ceremonies marking the opening of the Institute of Nuclear Science in Rehovot. He also took a military flight with [Ernst David Bergmann](/people/ernst-david-bergmann/) and [Shimon Peres](/people/shimon-peres/) to visit the port city of Eilat at the southern reach of the [Negev](/places/negev-desert/) desert. However, Israeli officials who worked at [Dimona](/places/dimona/) in 1958, then in its early stages of construction, do not recall any visit by Oppenheimer to that site.[^1]

Oppenheimer sparked controversy in the early 1950s by advocating that the [United States](/places/united-states/) abate the arms race by forgoing the hydrogen bomb. In 1954, [Lewis L. Strauss](/people/lewis-l-strauss/) led a successful effort to strip Oppenheimer of his security clearance, with hearings focusing on Oppenheimer's loyalty and integrity.[^1]

[^1]: Hersh, Seymour M. *The Samson Option: Israel's Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy*. Random House, 1991. Chapter 2, 7.