יעקב וייסמן

Jacob Weissman (1886-1956), businessman and community activist, leader of the Zionist activists in Egypt and President of the Executive Committee of the World Zionist Organization in Cairo, born in Jerusalem, Israel (then part of the Ottoman Empire).

In his youth his family moved to Jaffa. He studied at the Alliance school, and then at Mikve Israel agricultural school. In 1905 moved to Egypt and worked at the Deutsche Orient Bank in Cairo, first as a clerk and finally as director of executive branch. Some time later he founded a private bank named "Schweitzer Wiseman & Komfani". After World War I he was the director of the oil company "Bilftrol". In 1920 Weissman moved to Alexandria, Egypt, and worked in agriculture, along with his brother Yehuda Weissman and a nephew.

At the same time he became a key activist in the Zionist and Jewish organizations in Egypt. In 1937, Weissman was a delegate to the 20th Zionist Congress held in Zurich, Switzerland. He was president of the executive committee of the World Zionist Organization in Cairo, the Jewish National Fund representative in Egypt, the president of the Committee for the Jewish soldier in Cairo and Vice President of the Chamber Allies in Egypt. During World War II, he was among the founders of "Jewish Soldiers' Club" in Cairo.

Weissman died in Tel Aviv in 1956. His wife was also active in several communal organizations.