Joshua Weissman was born in Jerusalem in 1931. After completing his military service he began to study for a master’s degree at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, graduating cum laude in 1954. He went on to work as teaching assistant to Prof. Avigdor Levontin while also working at a law firm. After completing his first year of doctorate studies at the University of London, Weisman was invited to return to Israel to teach Property Law at the Tel Aviv annex of the Hebrew University’s Faculty of Law (which later became the Faculty of Law of Tel Aviv University). Weisman completed his doctorate studies in 1963 at the Faculty of Law in Jerusalem and then joined the Faculty as a lecturer. In the years 1981-1984 he served as dean of the Faculty of Law. Weisman was one of the first lecturers on Property Law in Israel to engage in research into Israeli legislation in this field, including the Land Law, 5729-1969, in whose enactment Weisman was himself involved. He also specializes in Copyright Law and initiated the establishment of the Israel Copyright Association, the Israeli branch of the International Literary and Artistic Association (ALAI). Over the years Weisman has headed professional committees in the Ministry of Justice and served as a member of the Private Law Codification Committee. He has published dozens of books and articles in Hebrew, English, an French. In 2001 Weisman was awarded the Israel Prize for Legal Research, and in 2007 he received the title of Worthy Citizen of Jerusalem.

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