Yosef Lapid was born in Yugoslavia in 1931 and immigrated to Israel in 1948. He held a law degree (L.L.B.) and was a journalist by profession. He served in the past as General Director fo the Israel Broadcasting Authority, Chairman of the Cable TV Union, and Chairman of the Israel Chess Society. He published articles in the "Ma'ariv" daily and several books in Hebrew.
Head of the Shinui party, Yosef Lapid was a Member of Knesset from1999 until 2006. He served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice from February 2003 until December 2004. In the Knesset he served as a member of the Foreign Affairs & Defense and the Constitution, Law and Justice Committees, as well as on the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee for the Location and Restitution of Property of Holocaust Victims and the Special Committee for Discussion of the Security Service Law.
Since July 2006 Lapid, himself a Holocaust survivor, served as Chairman of the Yad Vashem Council - a public body of 120 members that operates alongside the Yad Vashem Directorate.
Yosef Lapid passed away in June 2008. He is survived by his wife - author Shulamit Lapid - and childrenYair and Merav.