Assaf, SImha

Simha Assaf (1889-1953) was appointed to the Israeli Supreme Court in 1948, becoming one of five of Israel's first Supreme Court justices. Justice Assaf, a Minsk native and Talmud professor, had no formal legal background.  With the establishment of the State of Israel, most secular elements agreed that the highest judicial instance should also include an expert in “Jewish law.” This expert would be able to explain how Jewish law had dealt with questions similar to those reaching the court, turning the Jewish legal solution into a source of inspiration and a basis of comparison for the judges. After completing his tenure on the Court in 1952, Assaf went on to assume the post of Chancellor of the Hebrew University, where he had served as a professor of Jewish studies since 1936. He passed away in 1953 at the age of 64.