As a young man, he was active in Jewish student organisations. From 1931 on, he was a leading member of the kehillah (Jewish community administration) council in Berlin. Between 1933 and 1937, he chaired the Zionist Federation of Germany and was vice-president of the Central Association (CV). In 1937, he settled in Palestine. Between 1949 and 1961, he was Israel's first State Comptroller. From 1956 until his death in 1974, he headed the Council of Jews from Germany.
