With the passing of Josef Buchmann, z”l, on September 19, 2026, Tel Aviv University lost one of its most dedicated and longstanding supporters. Vice Chair of the Board of Governors, an Honorary Doctor, and a dedicated supporter of Tel Aviv University for decades, Buchmann left a lasting mark on the University.
Born in Lodz, Poland, in 1930, Buchmann survived the Lodz Ghetto, Auschwitz, and Bergen-Belsen. Following his liberation in 1945, he found refuge at the Zeilsheim DP camp, alone and orphaned, before settling in Frankfurt, where he became a prominent business leader and real estate developer. Though he lived in Germany, his heart was in Israel, and he became a dedicated supporter of Tel Aviv University.
Two major academic institutions at the University bear his name: the Buchmann Faculty of Law and the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music. Prof. Tomer Lev, who was one of the founders of the music school and its first director, recalled his close relationship with Buchmann and the legacy he left behind.
“He was always very concerned about the fate of the State of Israel,” says Lev. “This feeling was quite understandable for a Holocaust survivor.” Lev adds that many hospitals in Israel and Germany have departments, wings, and institutes named after Buchmann, who was known as a generous donor. “He had the heart of a philanthropist,” he shares.
In 1983, Buchmann established the Josef Buchmann Doctoral Fellowship Fund, supporting young researchers at both Tel Aviv University and Goethe University Frankfurt. Its recipients include prominent scholars such as Prof. Tamar Dayan, Prof. Dan Peer and Prof. Daphna Joel, as well as TAU President Prof. Ariel Porat. “Many people who today number among the leading figures in academia, politics and the professions were supported by this doctoral fellowship fund at Tel Aviv University,” says Lev. The fund exemplifies Buchmann’s enduring commitment to strengthening academic and personal ties between Germany and Israel, and particularly between Frankfurt and Tel Aviv.
In the course of his philanthropic work, Buchmann became good friends with Zubin Mehta, who served as the musical director for the Israel Philharmonic for many years. Through Mehta, Buchmann gradually became a supporter of classical music in Israel and eventually became one of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra's primary supporters.
In 2004, during the Second Intifada, Tel Aviv University began cutting back on certain courses and programs. The university decided to shut down the school of music because one-on-one lessons for music students were prohibitively expensive. Buchmann, Mehta, and the Israel Philharmonic decided to save the music school. The school survived, and in tribute to their efforts, it was named the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music. “This was a very pioneering step, because I don't know any other example in the world of a school of music that is operated together with a university and an orchestra,” says Lev.
Lev explains that the musicians of the Israel Philharmonic trained the young orchestra players at Tel Aviv University, many of whom later joined the Philharmonic. This benefited the Philharmonic by injecting new blood into the orchestra, as many members were nearing retirement age.
Buchmann also initiated an international program at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music, which brought students from outside Israel to study there and, says Lev, “created an international, cosmopolitan feeling, on par with the largest musical schools in the world.” Additionally, he notes, the scholarship program he funded enabled gifted Israeli students who might otherwise have attended music schools in Europe to remain in Israel. “Every need and every leap forward was met with the support of both the Israel Philharmonic and the financial support of Mr. Buchmann. It created a golden age in the history of the School of Music and in the history of higher music education in Israel,” says Lev. The Buchmann-Mehta School has produced many talented musicians since its opening. Among them are Lahav Shani, the music director of the Israeli Philharmonic.
Nili Cohen, who served as rector of Tel Aviv University between 1994 and 2001, says Buchmann was a committed donor to the university and had an enormous allegiance to the State of Israel, the university, and cultural institutions.
The Buchmann Faculty of Law at Tel Aviv University is named after his parents, Eliezer and Chaya-Sara Buchmann z"l, who perished in the Holocaust. Together with his wife, Bareket, his partner in business and philanthropy, Buchmann maintained a close and enduring connection with the faculty. Born in Israel, Bareket also has a personal connection to the faculty, having studied law there. Cohen says the faculty attracts outstanding students and scholars. “When financial support is directed toward the goals we believe every law faculty should uphold, it enables the faculty to flourish.”
Several months ago, the faculty’s new building, built with assistance from Buchmann and his wife, was completed. Cohen explained that the new building has brought a new dimension to the life of the faculty, creating spaces for both academic exchange and community gatherings.
“The faculty needs these facilities to enable dialogue within its community. We don’t want that dialogue to take place only over Zoom. We want people to meet in person, bringing together researchers who share an interest in a particular subject. There are rooms designed precisely for that purpose: meetings of research communities working on specific topics. That is very important.”
Cohen remembers Buchmann’s outstanding personal qualities: “I remember his warmth, his direct and unassuming manner, and his generosity, even in conversation. My children were young at the time. He delighted in them and was very welcoming. It was a pleasure to host him and a pleasure to be a guest in his home.”
What legacy does Josef Buchmann leave at Tel Aviv University? Cohen says his legacy of resilience and perseverance will endure for years. “It is possible to rebuild from the ruins with talent, commitment, courage, and wisdom,” she says. “That is very important.”
Written in collaboration with Tel Aviv university